BRITISH EDUCATION DUBAI EDITION AUTUMN/WINTER 2016 by ABSOLUTELY Magazines

BRITISH AUTUMN / WINTER 2016

DUBAI EDITION

CRUNCH TIME

Is it safe on the rugby pitch?

CRESSIDA COWELL

“I was always in trouble at St Paul’s”

PEACE OF MIND

Life lessons for teenagers

BRIGHT STARS

Give your gifted child the chance to shine

BOYS’ OWN AN ADVENTURE IN EDUCATION

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WEEKLY BOARDING FROM SEPTEMBER 2017

HAPPINESS FIRST ACHIEVEMENT FIRST INDIVIDUALITY FIRST FRIENDS FIRST ENRICHMENT FIRST PROGRESS FIRST ALWAYS FIRST HEATHFIELD SCHOOL, ASCOT Boarding and Day for Girls 11-18

VISIT US FIRST

OPEN DAYS SATURDAY 15 OCTOBER 2016 SATURDAY 4 MARCH 2017 SATURDAY 20 MAY 2017 10am - 12 noon PLEASE EMAIL:

registrar@heathﬁeldschool.net TO BOOK A PLACE OR TO ARRANGE A PRIVATE TOUR

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CONTENTS AUTUMN / WINTER 2016

UPFRONT

12 NEWS

What’s going on in the world of education

BRITISH EDUCATION

Editor A M A N DA CO N STA N C E A DV ERTISING M A NAGER

Andy Mabbitt

19 OUT RANKED

Why tops schools are walking away from league tables, by Javier Espinoza

SENIOR SA L ES E X ECU TI V E

Hayden taylor

20 PARENTS BEHAVING BADLY?

A RT DIR ECTOR

Ray Searle

Leave those teachers alone, says Eleanor Doughty

SENIOR DESIGNER S

Pawel Kuba Phil Couzens

PREP

22 BE PREPARED

PRODUCTION M A NAGER

Getting ready for boarding at seven

Stewart Hyde

26 IN LOCO PARENTIS

FINA NCE DIR ECTOR

Alexandra Hvid

The guardians who look after international pupils, by Charlotte Phillips

PA TO THE DIR ECTOR S

Marianne McFadden

30 KEEP CALM

DIR ECTOR S

Tips on surviving the 11-plus

32 TEACH FIRST

Eleanor Doughty’s pick of top tutors

36 BRIGHT STAR

The challenges of a gifted child, by Charlotte Phillips

FOCUS

42 MERCHISTON CASTLE SCHOOL

An HMC boarding school for boys in Edinburgh

SENIOR

48 SUPPORT STRUCTURE What schools are doing to help young minds

Greg Hughes Alexandra Hunter PUBL ISHING DIR ECTOR

Sherif Shaltout

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@ABSOLUTELY_MAGS ‘ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES’

56 HEAD TO HEAD DEBATE Have we reached peak mindfulness?

66 MAKING OF ME

Children’s author, Cressida Cowell

S C H O O L L E AV E R

76 YES TO EUROPE

More students are crossing the channel for university, says Janette Wallis

S C H O O L’ S O U T

80 IS RUGBY SAFE?

Schools debate the perils of the pitch

L A S T WO R D

98 SOPHIE PENDER-CUDLIP Journalist and Dubai resident

F RO NT COV E R The cover depicts three pupils at Merchiston Castle School, an HMC boys’ school in Edinburgh. Merchiston Castle School, Colinton Road, EH13 0OU, merchiston.co.uk

2016

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WORLD-CLASS IB SCHOOL Sevenoaks is a co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 11 to 18. Just half an hour from Central London and Gatwick International Airport, our superb 100-acre campus is in the Kent countryside.

The pupilsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; achievement and learning is exceptional Independent Schools Inspectorate

With over 1000 pupils, including international students from over 40 countries, the student body is lively, cosmopolitan and open-minded. Boarding is an important element in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily life and ethos, while our 600-year history, location and 700 day students ensure that the school remains firmly grounded in the local community. Sevenoaks admits boys and girls at 11, 13 and 16. A third of our pupils are boarders and 20 per cent are international students. We have offered the International Baccalaureate since 1978, and our average score is consistently ten points above the world average. Our students go on to study at leading institutions worldwide, including Oxford, Cambridge and Ivy League.

www.sevenoaksschool.org Registered charity 1101358

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We l c o m e

From the

EDITOR

visit many schools and if I have any advice for would-be purchasers of a British education it would be this: don’t go for the obvious. Look beyond the big starry names, don’t be seduced by the oldest, the grandest, the ones that turn your friends the deepest shade of envious green. Above all, don’t follow the global herd. I recently read about the weekly coachloads of Chinese parents peering through the gates at Eton. For an aspiring Chinese parent, having a child at Eton is as much a sign of status, a multi-carat rock of educational bling, as it is superb schooling for their child. Well, let’s be fair, it’s not only the Chinese who see things like this.

do offer equally fantastic educations. Westonbirt, Blundell’s, Lancing College, Shrewsbury, Milton Abbey, St Helens & St Katharine’s – these are just a few schools that spring to mind. These schools might not get quite as many A* or Oxbridge applicants (though we are splitting hairs here) but they add real value. They are good academically and produce well-rounded children. And none more so than our cover school this issue. I’m ashamed to say I hadn’t heard of Merchiston Castle School (MCS) in Edinburgh prior to visiting (and that’s despite four years in Edinburgh as an undergraduate) but it’s a gem of a school. Headmaster Andrew Hunter freely admits that his school is a “minnow compared to Eton or Harrow” but they do two things very well at MCS. They really understand how to educate

“LOOK BEYOND THE BIG STARRY NAMES, DON’T BE SEDUCED BY ONES THAT TURN YOUR FRIENDS THE DEEPEST SHADE OF ENVIOUS GREEN” Many international families (and Brits) chase down the same schools: Eton, Marlborough (thanks for that, Kate), Winchester, Wycombe Abbey, Cheltenham Ladies, Bedales. In London it’s even worse: 1,300 children sat the exam for Latymer Upper this year. Everyone wants their child there, or at King’s College Wimbledon, Godolphin & Latymer, St Paul’s Girls (or Boys). These are all brilliant schools but much of this is, of course, an exercise in brand recognition; it doesn't mean there aren’t other great schools out there. There are many places that may not have the same swagger (or quota of rock star kids) but they

boys and they develop quietly confident, capable young men. (Plus they are only five minutes from Edinburgh’s international airport.) So exercise your rights as an enlightened consumer. Keep an open mind. Do your research, talk to those who really know and read this magazine from cover to cover. There are lots of great schools in here that you might not have considered at first. I hope you enjoy this issue.

Amanda Constance EDITOR

2016

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• B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N ’ S •

CON T R IBU TOR S

Sophie Pender-Cudlip Journalist and Dubai resident

Sophie Pender-Cudlip is a freelance journalist who launched Country Child magazine. She has four children, and two dogs and now lives in Dubai. She writes about its schools on p.98 What superpower did you want as a child? I wanted to be invisible so I could listen to all the grown ups gossiping without being seen. I was born inquisitive!

Javier Espinoza Education Editor, The Telegraph

The best school?

Javier Espinoza joined the Telegraph in 2015. Prior to that he was a multimedia reporter for the Wall Street Journal in London. He studied journalism at City University. He writes about league tables on p.19 What superpower did you want as a child? I wanted to be invisible.

The one offering the most choice. We are a highly successful co-educational school for 10 -18 year olds. Choose from the IB Diploma Programme or A-levels.

Natasha Devon

We offer boarding and day places.

Writer and campaigner

Natasha Devon MBE is the co-founder of Self-Esteem Team and the Body Gossip Education Programme. She advises politicians on mental health, education and young people’s rights. She writes about mental health issues and young people on p.49 What superpower did you want as a child? It would have been shapeshifting – I wanted to know what adults and ‘the cool kids’ were saying to each other!

Call our Admissions team to join one of our open mornings or arrange a personalised visit

01572 758758 admissions@oakham.rutland.sch.uk

www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk

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Harrogate Ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; College Giving girls the confidence to take on the world on their own terms GCSE and A level programmes

75% of pupils received offers from Russell Group universities

Extra-curricular activities and weekend trips

Safe and supportive environment

Scholarships available

Top UK boarding school for girls aged 11 - 18

Call +44 1423 537045 or email admissions@hlc.org.uk to find out more

hlc.org.uk Since 1893

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HA N F OR D Independent boarding & day school for girls aged 7 to 13

• B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N ’ S •

CON T R IBU TOR S

“...if we had daughters we’d send them here” Tatler 2016

Cherishing childhood Cressida Cowell Children’s author

Cressida Cowell grew up in London and on a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland. She was educated at St Paul’s Girls’ School and Marlborough College. Cressida's How to Train Your Dragon books have sold over seven million copies worldwide. She talks about her schooldays on p.66 What superpower did you want as a child? Flying! Hence my fascination with dragons and birds.

Valuing individuality

Chris Jeffrey

Chair of the HMC Wellbeing Working Group

Chris Jeffrey is the Head of Bootham School in York and formerly Head of The Grange School in Cheshire and Deputy Head of The Perse School in Cambridge. He writes about the mental health challenges in schools today on p.51 What superpower did you want as a child? I wanted to fly!

Nurturing talent

Charlotte Phillips

Advisor at The Good Schools Guide Advisory Service

Charlotte Phillips was educated at Godolphin & Latymer and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She writes about the challenges of schooling exceptionally able children on p.36 What superpower did you want as a child? As a lifelong skiver in waiting I wanted to be able to teleport to avoid the tedious walk to and from school.

To arrange a visit please call Karen on 01258 860219 email admissions@hanford.dorset.sch.uk www.hanfordschool.co.uk

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To learn more about Uppingham School, situated in a beautiful part of central England, please visit www.uppingham.co.uk or contact Admissions on +44 (0) 1572 820611 Uppingham School, Rutland LE15 9QE : Co-educational : 13-18

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Reg Charity No. 1147280

There are very few real boarding schools left. With 99% of pupils boarding, Uppingham is one of them. If full boarding is what you want we believe we are among the best.

01/02/2016 14:32

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Up Front SCHOOL NEWS

12 LEAGUE TABLES p. 19 PARENTS BEHAVING BADLY p. 20

SOMME SCULPTURE

A new creation by royal sculptor Philip Jackson of a teenage boy leaving school to fight in WWI was unveiled at Brighton College to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme

2016

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By S E R E N A S C A L Z O & P A T R I C K D R I V E R

BOOK WIN An Abingdon School pupil won the Young Walter Scott Prize, a new UK creative writing prize for 11- to 19-year-olds with his story based on the lives of his great-great-grandparents, Arthur Bonsey and Marianne Ford (pictured). Joe Bradley’s entry, A Most Unusual Childhood, about a family of English missionaries in China during the Boxer Rebellion, was described by the judges as ‘compelling’. Joe was presented with a certificate and £500 travel grant by the Duchess of Buccleuch at the Borders Book Festival.

ROOM FOR MORE

t Mary’s Shaftesbury reopened Years 5 and 6 at the school this month, welcoming girls back to the Lower III. Bespoke classrooms and a designated Head of Lower School are just some of the changes that have been made.

School was probably a lot easier for Shakespeare because they didn’t have to study Shakespeare Philomena Cunk, AKA Diane Morgan

Seven up

ampton School sixth former, Will Attfield, has been called up for the England Sevens Rugby team after completing his A-Levels this summer. Spotted by the Head Coach of the England Sevens, Simon Amor, Will is just one of the seven Academy players selected from across the country. Now a professional rugby player, he has a busy year ahead full of national and international tournaments.

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TAKE TWO

win sisters Alice and Clara Wade have had quite a year. The St Mary’s Calne pupils won this year’s Prize for Innovative Use of Technology in Science Learning with their video exploring how IVF babies are created. And then they scored 24 A* and A grades between them in their GCSEs this summer, with both getting A* in Biology, Chemistry and Maths.

2016

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UPFRON T / NEWS

LEAD ON

CROSSING CULTURES

nowflake Books have released all 48 of their titles in paperback. The beautiful picture books are based on old Chinese legends, re-written in English for children aged five to 15. They are key learning tools for UK children studying Mandarin, as well as a good introduction to Chinese culture. Snowflake have also launched educational workshops for schools. £6.99 per paperback. snowflake.co.uk

British education is admired around the world in every country except one, and that is the United Kingdom. SIR ROGER FRY

Leading delegates from the independent and state sector gathered at Bedales school earlier this summer for a leadership conference with a difference, as it included many students. The event, in partnership with the TES, sought to give school leaders the tools to be creative in how they run their school and the confidence to maintain their individuality. Sir Michael Wilshaw spoke of the need for maverick teachers, and educationalist Professor Bill Lucas explained the tenets of a liberating, expansive education.

Founder and Chairman of King’s Group, which runs schools in Spain and Panama

ROW ROW

FLYING HIGH

n response to the growing popularity of rowing amongst pupils at the school, The Leys will be opening their brand new boathouse this September. The £4m project will feature state-of-the-art storage and workshop space, new changing facilities and a 16-station rowing fitness area.

new library has been opened at Beaudesert Park School. The library has Wi-Fi and motion-sensitive lighting. The best feature, however, is the ‘flock of flying books’, which was designed by the pupils themselves in dedicated DT lessons.

{S O M E T H I N G T H E Y S A I D { “The thing about education is that it’s not one person that you are educating — it’s for ever. An educated person will never allow their child to be illiterate.” Seema Aziz, businesswoman and founder of CARE schools in Pakistan 2016

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WE ARE WESTONBIRT Westonbirt is an inclusive school for girls aged 11-18 years where pupils thrive in a vibrant community with small classes, magnificent grounds and inspiring teachers.

Westonbirt Schools Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QG E: admissions@westonbirt.org T: 01666 880333 www.westonbirt.org WBS - DUBAI Ed. Absolutely Education 210x297h - 4.10.16.indd 1 WESTONBIRT.indd 1

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UPFRON T / NEWS

It’s so important for young people to lead an active lifestyle and this awesome sports facility will be a huge asset. I wish I’d had something this good when I was at school! ON WITH THE SHOW

mpleforth unveiled a new performing arts studio this term. The North Yorkshire alma mater of Julian Fellowes has invested £630,000 in the new facilities which includes a semi-sprung dance floor, wall mirrors, ballet barres and a fixed cinema screen. There is also a brand new cookery school opened by old girl and MasterChef star Joey O’Hare.

DAVINA MCCALL Opening Benenden’s new pitch

PITCH PERFECT

avina McCall opened Benenden’s new All-Weather Sports Pitch and Pavilion, earlier this term in front of parents, guests and supporters. Eight new staff homes on the Benenden campus were also officially opened; both projects, which have cost around £4million in total, are part of the school’s Centenary Vision to provide the school with state-of-the-art facilities.

WRITE ON St Francis’ College was thrilled to welcome Dame Jacqueline Wilson, to give a talk about her new book, Rent a Bridesmaid. The children's author addressed an audience of over 300 girls and parents in the school’s theatre and captivated the audience with an entertaining talk about her writing life - from journalist to author of 104 published books to date.

FULL STEAM AHEAD

s part of Marymount’s drive to develop a richer STEAM curriculum (science, technology engineering, art and maths), students recently assembled moisture sensors which they placed in the vegetable gardens to assist with irrigation – a hands-on electronics project facilitated by instructors from Technology Will Save Us.

{SOMETHING THEY SAID{ “A pretty ordinary education system – unfortunately we still have one – needs people who are flamboyant, colourful and yes, downright strange. In other words, we need extraordinary people. We need our awkward squad. The independent sector has always had them – our state system needs more of them.” Ofsted Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw

2016

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B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N

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Scottish Charity SCO06123 Picture © Tatler & Hugo Burnand

Discover Discover Glenalmond College, a school with an unsurpassed tradition of helping each pupil make the most of their personal journey. A school which encourages each child to reach their academic potential and develop their individual abilities to the full in a range of artistic, sporting, social and adventure activities.

• • • • •

80% of pupils are full boarding 75% British pupils Outstanding pastoral care for girls and boys aged 12-18 300-acre countryside campus just over an hour from Glasgow Direct flights daily from Dubai to Glasgow

T: 01738 842144

E: registrar@glenalmondcollege.co.uk

www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk

inspiring learning

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UPFRON T / NEWS

From the perspective of a father, a single sex school may not be for every young woman – just for those who want to one day rule over the city, the state and the world

ALL BRAND NEW

ue to a significant increase in boarding numbers over recent years, The Downs Malvern is delighted to announce the complete refurbishment of their boarding house, The Warren. The improvements include new dormitories, showers, washroom facilities and communal games and TV rooms.

STAR JUMP

TOM HANKS Hollywood actor

ROAD MAP

ON THE UP

istory was made this August when Kate French (pictured, left), a former pupil at Cobham Hall, competed in the Rio 2016 Olympics. Her strong, consistent performances led her to a triumphant win in one show jumping discipline and sixth place overall. Kate returned to the school to give an inspiring talk once she had left about her ambitions to compete in the Olympics. Her determination clearly paid off.

t James Senior Girls’ School will be opening its new Sixth Form Centre this September. The new building will provide a stylish and contemporary working space for pupils while making space in the main school building for a new library and a new science lab.

Windlesham House is placing digital literacy and computer science at the heart of its curriculum, basing its technology use and choices on ‘The Road Ahead’, the school’s own framework for staying up to date on developments in educational technology.

{S O M E T H I N G T H E Y S A I D { “The independent sector has to be the best in many areas to justify to parents to spend the money. You’re not going to pay for your bicycle if you can get your Rolls Royce.” Charlotte Avery, Headmistress of St Mary’s School, Cambridge and President-elect of the Girls’ Schools Association

2016

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B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N

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www.farringtons.org.uk A leading independent co-educational day and boarding school offering high academic standards, excellent pastoral care and a wide extra-curricular programme within a supportive Christian environment. Co-education Juniors 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11, Seniors 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 16, Sixth Form 16 - 18 Perry Street, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6LR T: 020 8467 0256

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UFRON T / OPINION

OUT OF THEIR LEAGUE The Education Editor of The Telegraph on irrelevant league tables and why the stellar schools are walking away J AV I E R E S P I N O Z A

very summer, national newspapers make a big feature of school league tables for A-Level and GCSE exam results as anxious parents explore their children’s future. These tables are meant to represent the best state and private schools in the country reaching top-notch grades as proof that they are providing the best education youngsters can get. Every year I get inundated with calls from heads eager to find out where they stand on the league tables. It is ironic because publicly many of these heads would be quick to denounce school rankings as just one part of the information available to parents. However, the reality is that the system is geared to care a great deal about them, with schools rushing to provide their GCSE and A-Level results when their pupils have done Right well. But the emphasis Julian Thomas: ‘irrelevant rankings’ on league tables is Below slowly changing. Some Out already: Eton of the country’s most

“I get inundated with calls from heads eager to ﬁnd out where they are on the tables”

elite schools, like Eton and St Paul’s, decided years ago not to submit their exam results to national rankings. Earlier this summer Wellington College announced it was abandoning ‘irrelevant’ rankings because they fail to recognise tougher qualifications schools use and the wide education they provide. At the time of the announcement, Julian Thomas, the school’s headmaster, said: ‘We should recognise that there are exceptional schools outside the top 200 just as there may be mediocre schools inside the top 50. “We simply cannot tell from the information provided. Yet we all collude in this harmful merry-go-round through our seemingly unquenchable fascination with measurement and comparison.” League tables on their own do not work as a quick fix to find out the best-performing schools because they give the misguided view that the top schools are the only ones that matter. It would the equivalent of going through life just watching Oscar-nominated

films when there are plenty of quality movies out there beyond the mainstream, and even those ranked highly by Hollywood may not be to everyone’s taste. Schools that perform best in rankings give the illusion that they have met all the different criteria parents care about. But, in fact, these tables lack crucial information about the calibre of pastoral care, facilities, the type of teachers that work at a school and even the mix of families that send their children there. Given these limitations, parents need to take it upon themselves to be more proactive when it comes to choosing a school by visiting these places. In doing so, they will get a more accurate representation of the quality of the schools. I am not saying ditch league tables – they are very useful in knowing a school’s academic performance in relation to others. But this is as much information as they provide. League tables can be the starting point, not the dominating factor that determines choice or interest in certain schools. Instead, parents should do their homework and set up – if necessary – multiple appointments to visit the school. This is the most accurate way to find out whether it is suited for their children. After all you, wouldn’t buy a house solely based on its ranking in the area; you’d take your time to meet the neighbours, see the garden and find out if the building suits your needs. Why not take the same approach with your child’s education and future?

JAV I E R E S P I N OZ A Education Editor The Daily Telegraph 2016

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Badly PA R E N T S B E H AV I N G

Keyboard warriors, leave those teachers alone ELEANOR DOUGHTY

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2016

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UPFRON T / OPINION

t’s Friday night, and darling Araminta has stomped in home from school – nanny in tow. “Muuuuuuum?” “Yes, darling.” “Mrs X did…” You don’t hear the rest of it. It doesn’t matter. You’re one glass of wine down already – hey, it’s Friday – and the iPad is on the table, looking at you lingeringly. Pick me up, it taunts. Go on – you know you want to... Sod it, you think. I do want to. I’m allowed to – it’s my kid and I’m paying for it. So you bash out an angry email to Mrs X telling her exactly what you think of her. You sign off, ‘I shall expect to hear from you first thing tomorrow morning.’ You delete the ‘or I’m pulling Araminta out of school’ and then write it back in. It’ll be fine. We’ve all done it: fired off an email after a glass of wine or two, not thinking of the consequences. Of course, a parent-toteacher communication is not the only scenario in which this kind of behaviour goes on. Whatever industry you’re in, whoever it is you need to be annoyed with in that split second, the invention of email has created an environment for passive aggression that can so easily go awry. But according to members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), helicopter parents are increasingly inflicting grievances on their children’s independent school teachers via email. These missives range from ‘WHY HASN’T BUNTY BEEN MADE A PREFECT???’ to ‘HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE EDMUND OF SKIVING GAMES!’ with everything in between. Teachers tell of having their bosses copied in – heads of year, head teachers, heads of houses – and some of other parents being added to the conversation to stir up a gang. Some teachers have described these emails as akin to road rage – taken out on whoever

happens to be in the way at the time, projecting their own stressful lives onto the teacher. The teacher is often an innocent bystander, and always the one tasked with putting up with the horror-child in question. And skiving games is just not on. The recent summer holidays presented another sort of crisis. You’re glad they’re over because not only has Cordelia now gone back to school but you can get your educational woes answered again on demand. School holidays are hell for badly behaved parents, because teachers – rightly – won’t respond to emails while they’re not being paid to. Of course, the problem, whatever shape it may take, hasn’t gone away in the meantime.

“You’re one glass of wine down already and the iPad is looking at you lingeringly” Guidance in these areas depends to a degree on your child’s school. A housemaster or housemistress at a boarding school may well have a different schedule to your Year 4 maths teacher. But whatever the age of your child, parents, your pain is felt. You work full-time so after dinner, with kids’ bedtimes and other assorted chores completed, 9pm (or, let’s be honest, later) is the only time at which you are able to pick up any personal jobs. And, you might add, trying to get hold of Mrs X is difficult; during school hours she’s doing the teaching that you’re working so hard to pay for. But that ‘pay for’ bit doesn’t mean you can send angry, snappy emails just because something hasn’t gone your way. If you feel there’s been an actual miscarriage of justice, then fine – email. Politely. Which

we’re absolutely sure you’d do anyway, but just for the avoidance of doubt, the answer, as with everything, lies in good manners. Most people are grown-up enough to understand that the time you send the email doesn’t necessarily dictate what time you’ll be expecting a response. No one is so cross about a lost lacrosse match that they want a reply immediately, and anyway, not everyone checks their work emails out of office hours. Quite rightly. You just wish you could stop yourself. So, the rules for communicating with your child’s actually quite wonderful and not at all mean or Miss Trunchbull-like teachers? Be kind. Don’t drink and type. Be realistic about how quickly you expect a response. One to two working days is probably fine, unless it’s really urgent. If you send an email on a Friday night, you’re looking at Tuesday. Don’t be too keen. Consider your child. No, it’s not fair for the teacher at the end of your irritation to penalise your child for their overbearing, circling-like-a-helicopter parents, but it’s only natural that they might feel a little resentful if you’ve been a total nightmare. We’re not saying any teacher would take action to that effect, but it’s probably best to play it safe, eh? Equally, play the long game and pick your battles wisely. Complaining about prefect selection probably isn’t the most important thing in the world. For senior school parents, come GCSE and A-Level results, you want a good relationship with your child’s teachers. For prep schoolers, your time is only just beginning. If you were in a restaurant, you wouldn’t complain during the starter, in case the waitress spat in your pudding. As one teacher put it, school lasts a lot longer than one bad dinner. You don’t want to become that parent. If you’re feeling on the edge, step away from the iPad. You know it’s the right thing to do. Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow morning.

‘WHY HASN’T BUNTY BEEN MADE A PREFECT??? & HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE EDMUND OF SKIVING‼’ I L LU ST R AT I O N BY P H I L C O UZ E N S

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2016

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05/10/2016 11:34

BE PREPARED Sending your child to board at seven is not as popular as it was, but schools have adapted, and with the right groundwork from parents, children can flourish ELEANOR DOUGHTY

one are the days when boarding school meant that children were packed off at seven pulling their trunk behind them, only to return before university aged 18. The modern boarding school is technological, funky and full of fun – especially for those who start at prep school age. The boarding outlook has changed over the last decade. Since 2006, the number of seven- and eight-year-olds boarding at independent schools has fluctuated. According to the Independent Schools Council, which represents 80 per cent of pupils in independent schools, there were just 135 seven-year-olds boarding in 2006. This rose to 163 in 2010, but sunk to 119 by the time of the ISC’s 2016 Annual Census. Of the 74,688 boarders at ISC schools, just 4,809 are juniors. Fewer than half of these board full-time, just over 40 per cent board on a ‘flexi’ basis – between one and three days a week – and just over 10 per cent are weekly boarders. As society has changed, through economic crises and generational divides, the boarding landscape has changed too, confirms Will Brooks, Headmaster of Brambletye, a preparatory school in West

Sussex. “A generation ago, it was common for parents to send their children to the schools that they had attended, which were often far away from home. Nowadays, parents tend to look more locally, and consequently their requirements have changed. Parents are keen for their children to experience boarding and to benefit from everything it offers, but they would like to see them more often.” This outlook has caused schools to widen their boarding offerings, introducing flexi days and encouraging weekly boarding. At Beaudesert Park School, a co-educational prep school in Gloucestershire, pupils can board with a flexi or weekly arrangement from Year 4 upwards. Almost all of them live within 25 miles of the school, explains Headmaster James Womersley. He points to the local benefits of boarding school. “Parents with long commutes and other commitments tell us that our flexi boarding helps them balance the demands of professional and family life. For many families it can make the difference between employing a nanny or not.” Whatever the style of boarding, the biggest change to all prep schools now is the advent of new technologies, says Tom Rogerson, Headmaster of Cottesmore School in West Sussex, which takes boarders from age seven. Email, mobile phones and social media have had a role in

“Parents no longer send their children far from home, they want to see them”

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PR EP / BOA R DING

Above Relaxing in the bluebells at Brambletye

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PR EP / BOA R DING

“Mobile phones have revolutionised the way parents can interact with their children at school”

revolutionising the way parents can, and do, interact with their children while at school. “I’m a big fan of Twitter because it fills in the gaps,” Rogerson enthuses. “The cricket win is a big shouty piece of news, but what about the jam that we made on Sunday? The scholarship to Eton is a great thing, but these forms of social media allow you to paint a more human picture of the school.” Connecting children to parents is critical, through a variety of methods. His charges can email home whenever they have access to a computer, and parents are invited to matches on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Rogerson stresses the importance of giving parents access to their children in between times, and credits mobile technology with this. “If Jemima has just had a birthday, at the moment of birthday action and blowing the candles out, you can take a picture. The parent will have it in five seconds. That’s a big change.”

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their own house,” Rogerson adds. “Teach them to look adults in the eye and smile and engage in conversation, because that’s going to be super important.” Brooks reminds parents to prepare themselves, too. “It is usually the children who are excited about embarking on the boarding adventure, and the parents who find the concept more difficult. We never forget that it is not only the child’s first experience of boarding, but sometimes it is the parents' too.” But while worrying about your children being away for the first time is natural, Brooks stresses the importance of trust. “Parents Above must support the house parent. Pupils at Beaudesert Park It is completely normal for Right parents to be worried in Playing at Brambletye the first few days, but they Bottom But still, some parents shouldn’t let their child know A ride around Brambletye have misgivings about about this too much.” Trying sending their children away. to put initial concerns aside is The idea of boarding school essential, however hard it may for those so young fills many with be, Womersley adds. “For parents to images of Tom Brown’s School Days – far find the right boarding experience and to from the Malory Towers existence of so encourage their children to board is to give many prep schools across the UK. These them a great advantage in life.” days, it’s all extremely jolly: as well as offering boarding on a flexi or weekly basis, many schools provide endless fun such as hide-and-seek in the grounds, board game nights and hot chocolate at bedtime, all popular with pupils, who may choose their evening activities from a long list. If this busy timetable seems daunting to parents, Rogerson is confident that children take it in their stride. “Prep school is all about action and getting stuck in with things. That’s what seven- or eight-yearolds are like – that’s their makeup. At that early stage it suits them because they are all about doing.” His younger boarders rarely have a difficult time, he says. “They just get on with it. It’s counter-intuitive but it’s true – they just go with the flow.” There are some useful preparations to do at home before term starts, however. Make sure that children have done – and enjoyed – a few sleepovers, and give them a bit of responsibility for their own kit. Rogerson requests that parents put names on everything – “Every pencil, sharpener and sock, please!” he laughs. Introducing children to a little bit of everything also helps: some garden sports, chess and singing. “Get them to talk to guests in

2016

05/10/2016 10:40

An inspiration on the educational landscape

Lancing College Senior School & Sixth Form

AN EXCEPTIONAL INDEPENDENT EDUCATION FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 13 TO 18

www.lancingcollege.co.uk Tel 01273 465805

West Sussex BN15 0RW

Registered Charity Number 1076483

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29/09/2016 12:28

GUARDIAN ANGEL If your child is starting school in the UK and you can’t be there, why not organise a home from home for them? CHARLOT TE PHILLIPS

f a child is starting school in the UK and their parents can’t be with them, it makes sense to have another adult in the frame, someone outside their school who can act as a stand-in parent and become a trusted presence in their lives when they need someone to turn to. The people who take on the job are known as guardians. While there are usually two fixed points – the airport meet and greet at the start of term and the reverse process when it ends – there’s a mixed bag in between that could include just about anything, and frequently does. Possible add-ons can range from form signing and attending parent teacher meetings to sorting out mobile phone contracts and coordinating dentists’ appointments. Guardians may also need to step in at very short notice in bad times if a child hits a problem and is excluded, suspended, or needs urgent medical treatment. For many parents, the most important aspect of guardianship is the knowledge that their child has a part-time home from home, there for them at half term and weekends when they can swap timetabled routine for the friendly, welcoming informality of family life. But when you look for a guardian, what exactly are you getting

and what assurances do you have that your child will be safe and well cared for? Search online and you could be forgiven for believing that the appointment of a guardian is a legal requirement, as vital a component in a successful overseas applications process as a passport or visa. Many firms cite assorted laws and acts, the implication being that only one of the top-notch, gold-plated guardians on their books will satisfy the British government’s safeguarding concerns. The reality, however, is that unlike legal guardians who take on full responsibility for every aspect of a child’s upbringing, often through the courts, when their parents can’t care for them, education guardians have no formal status. Aegis (The Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students), which is the closest the industry comes to a trade body, confirmed that it is not a legal requirement for an international student to have an educational guardian whilst studying in the UK. Their name may sound ultra official but it’s the only thing that is. Boarding standards, while sharpening up many of the safeguarding requirements, include minimal direct references to guardians unless, that is, ‘external lodgings’ as they’re described, are organised directly

“Education guardians are not legal guardians, they have no formal status”

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by schools. If that’s the case, schools are compelled to visit them, interview all adults on the premises, take up references and ensure that DBS checks have been completed, as well as interviewing pupils at least every term and keeping a written copy of their comments. No wonder schools prefer to outsource so that the contract is between the guardian and the family. So while failure to appoint an education guardian may tax your relationship with a school and severely impede your chances

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05/10/2016 10:53

PR EP / FE ATUR E

WHAT TO ASK

What am I paying for – and what will cost extra? . How close is the host family to my child’s school and what are the contact arrangements? . Will my child’s host family have other overseas pupils staying with them? . What are the house rules (particularly as regards wifi/alcohol/ going out and curfews)? . What will happen if there is an emergency (particularly relating to finance or health)?

of being offered a place (it’s often made a condition of acceptance), it isn’t breaking the law and you won’t be in trouble with child protection teams or immigration services. While one legal firm has produced a report condemning what it describes as incorrect information being circulated by those in the guardianship industry, this aspect of guardianship isn’t much mentioned. Given the ever-rising numbers of overseas pupils, their reticence isn’t hard to understand. Guardianship fees of £1,000 a term aren’t uncommon for basic support that includes round the clock emergency help, at least in term time. Many firms also give families the option of paying more for a premium service marketed variously as gold, platinum and – for the status conscious – VIP and royalty. Guardianship firms come in every conceivable shape, size and cultural direction. Some specialise in one particular nationality. One website, written almost entirely in Chinese, is garlanded with pictures of top schools and universities, its aspirational messages somewhat less than

to see the appeal of a slightly less formal, less expensive one-to-one arrangement. Money isn’t the only reason. The reassurance of knowing that in an emergency their child will be with somebody they have known all their lives can be priceless, though it’s not infallible. Some relations can be too old, sick or far away to be of much practical use. One mother had to step into Above the breach when her daughter’s Moral support at Brambletye best friend was suspended and Left the 100-mile journey was just A helping hand at too much for her frail guardians. Sinclair House But what it you don’t happen to have a ready-made guardian? You can start by asking the school. If they are reluctant to recommend specific firms – their reticence can stem from terror subliminal. Some companies are cannily of being held accountable if something goes expanding into new areas. Additional wrong – they may well be prepared to put services include day school packages, you in touch with parents who can help. where, for a competitive price, children It’s in their interests, after all. Happy board with a host family in term time. children learn better. For overseas pupils, a All guardianship firms should recruit compatible guardian who cares about your and vet host families, ensuring they child’s well-being and happiness almost as lead blameless lives, have squeaky clean much as you do can be an essential part of records and, importantly, live within easy the educational experience. travelling distance of your child’s school. Unfortunately, membership of Aegis, which runs its own inspections, remains optional. The organisation is campaigning for safeguarding to be tightened and inspections made mandatory, but with only 10 per cent of schools currently working with Aegis members, it still has a lot of convincing to do. In the meantime, there are other ways of finding a guardian. Schools sometimes recruit – very sensibly – through their own parents. Other families prefer to make their THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE own arrangements, turning to friends or BOARDING SCHOOLS relations as stand-in, and stand-by, mums and dads. When you’re shelling out a small £22. Available at bookshops or online: fortune for a child’s school fees, it’s not hard goodschoolsguide.co.uk 2016

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Talking

PR EP / OPINION

HEAD

BE POLITE Old fashioned good manners really do matter, says Tim Lello, Headmaster of Babington House

aybe I’m just old-fashioned, but I think good manners and courtesy are very important. Treating people with respect and dignity, irrespective of background or social class, is the sign of a civilised society. I therefore argue that good manners are the antithesis of snobbery. It doesn’t really matter what colour or race or creed people are, or what income they have or which football team they support, even though these might be important in how we perceive our own identity. Everyone deserves respect. Everyone has something to offer, everyone has some gift that they can share, a talent or contribution that ultimately might make the world a better place. Understanding that is the true meaning of politesse.

“I’m more Jonny Wilkinson than John McEnroe when it comes to sporting etiquette” Researching this piece, I found a fascinating statistic: two generations ago, 95 per cent of pupils would stand up when a teacher or adult entered the classroom, dropping to 51 per cent a generation ago, to just 19 per cent today. It’s such a shame because this simple demonstration of respect to the person who is about to teach you is rather important. I think it’s important that children don’t speak when the teacher is speaking, that they put up their hand if they want to ask a question, that they listen to each other. Classroom etiquette is essential to learning. I’m always impressed when pupils open a door for me, move carefully round the buildings and even when they just say ‘hello’. Lunchtime in the dining hall 28

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is the clincher, where I prefer their own opinions they can start Above a civilised atmosphere rather to play a real part in a school’s A pupil in the recital room at Babington than elbows on tables and open direction or even – heaven House mouths. Good table manners forbid – in society. Wasn't it great are an important life skill and when Scottish young adults of 16 much more significant to future success were given the opportunity to vote in the than many would care to admit. The dining referendum? It was a shame a similar thing room is as important as the board room wasn't done over the European referendum. and a faux pas in either is best avoided. In I think it’s brilliant when young people sport, knowing how to lose well and win have a view, provided that view is based with good grace are equally important. I on knowledge, respect and a foundation of frequently find myself on the touch line substance. watching highly competitive matches, and What else is important? I think looking when it comes to sporting etiquette I prefer someone in the eye when you talk to Jonny Wilkinson’s approach to that of John them. Saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and McEnroe. Rather like knowing a genuine ‘sorry’ when it’s your tables and how to spell required, being interesting, correctly, good manners in and being pleasant. Smiling, outside the classroom should listening, being a good friend, be flagged up as essential being a good neighbour, learning. respecting your parents. When children are given These are all examples of parameters of respect and caring and at the heart of what politeness, they can then be being well-mannered really encouraged to experiment means. At Babington House TIM LELLO with their own opinions, which School, these things are valued Headmaster of Babington really matter. If young people and very much part of our House have the courage to form vocabulary.

2016

05/10/2016 14:50

Windlesham INDEPENDENT BOARDING & DAY SCHOOL FOR BOYS & GIRLS AGED 4 TO 13

• A RECORD NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS GAINED TO SENIOR SCHOOLS THIS YEAR • OUTSTANDING OFSTED AND ISI REPORTS • EXCELLENT PASTORAL CARE & EXTRA CURRICULAR PROGRAMME • 45 MINUTES FROM GATWICK | 1.5 HR FROM HEATHROW To arrange an individual tour of the school please call admissions +44 (0) 1903 874701 whsadmissions@windlesham.com | visit windlesham.com Windlesham House School, Washington, West Sussex, RH20 4AY

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30/09/2016 10:45

Surviving the 11 plus If you have a child of 11+ age, the autumn term can be a whirlwind of open days, registration, last minute swotting up and family breakdown. Susan Hamlyn has some top tips on making it through S U S A N H A M LY N

ou’ve just got back from a hot, hazy summer of beaches and barbecues, late mornings, family harmony and the odd Aperol spritz. And then it’s back to earth with a cruel bump, because if you have children heading towards the dreaded 11+, the autumn term means:

Open days and school visits Tottering piles of prospectuses and bookmarked websites Deadlines for school place applications (therefore sleepless nights because Brainbox Towers' is the week before – or is it after?! – Laptop Hall's) Trying to find out what a pre-test actually is and which schools administer one Discovering that Troilus still doesn't know his tables and that Cressida still can’t spell her name with confidence Finding a tutor – oh why didn't I do it before the holidays? Book Week, school play, carol service, and everything else that gets in the way of what really matters!

BUT WHAT IS IT THAT MATTERS?

amily and parental sanity, in the first place. Schools don’t help in that respect. We have a chaotic way of doing these things to which the word ‘system’ simply does not apply. Anyone who reaches the deadline to reply to an offer from their second-choice school while awaiting a response from their firstchoice school knows just how pointlessly nerve-racking the process can be. 30

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›

WHEN IT COMES TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, THE ONE RULE IS THERE ARE NO RULES

BE ORGANISED

o how do you negotiate this minefield with your sanity intact? It comes down to two things: be organised and keep things in perspective. First of all, think ahead. Leave time for open days; school visits; checking school bus routes, admissions criteria and deadlines. If you are applying to several schools in different sectors, you need a clear head and time to be sure about what you are doing. This applies particularly to some of our independent schools, which set a pre-test years ahead of the actual entry year. It’s hard to look at your innocent nine-yearold and realise you need to register him for a school he won’t enter until he’s a hulking teenager. And remember, when it comes to independent schools, the one rule is there are no rules – they all differ wildly with what happens when.

Open Days. Go to as many as possible – for 11+ day schools, these are usually in the autumn term of Year 6, but for boarding schools, prep schools and many other schools they are scattered throughout the year. Don’t miss deadlines. Once it has gone, it’s gone, whether it’s an 11+ exam, pre-test or Common Entrance. Merchant Taylors’, for example, set their 11+ in September rather than the more usual January and have different registration criteria. As a broad rule of thumb, make sure your child is registered for the 11+ by the time they are ten years old. Pre-tests. Around 20 schools now set a pre-test or pre-assessment for 13+ entry. Most happen in November or January in Year 6 (eg City of London Boys, Westminster, Worth) but applicants now have some choice and flexibility over when to take this test and it is important to check the individual school’s website to see what they expect. Harrow, for example, pre-test in Year 7, not 6. 11+ entry to senior girls’ schools and many co-educational schools is via the schools’ own examination and, usually, interview. You should be registered for this early in the autumn term of Year 6. Exams usually happen in January. In London, many girls’ schools have combined into a consortium so that candidates only take one exam, even if they are applying to several schools. But take note, Haberdashers’ Aske’s, North London Collegiate and St Paul's do their own thing.

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2016

05/10/2016 11:12

PR EP / TOP TIPS

DO NOT LET YOUR CHILD FEEL YOUR PAIN. AN ANXIOUS CHILD WILL NEVER PERFORM WELL

A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE

here is no one perfect school for a child. Yes, you have always pictured her at Einstein Manor and you know she’d bring them academic glory and sporting triumph, but they may just not see it that way. Have two or three back-up options that will suit her – and you. Don’t rubbish any of your possible schools – they may turn out to be the only ones to offer a place. And they may turn out far better than you would imagined. Be realistic. Don’t apply for a school with a 70 per cent Common Entrance threshold if Aeneas is gently bumping along near the bottom of Division 2. Do not let your child feel your pain. A pressured, anxious child will never perform well. A clenched fist cannot pick up anything. Your child’s brain is the same. Don’t over-tutor. Instead of tabling more tuition, sometimes a child’s confidence can be increased far more in the run-up to exams by saying, “I think you'll do brilliantly – you don't need any more lessons.” Do not listen to your friends – especially if they are competing for school places at the same time as you. Loyalty and truthfulness count for nothing. Everyone has an axe to grind, a child to educate, and friendship comes a poor second to that coveted place at Trophy Grange. Finally, the only really important thing is that you and your child remain friends. You want that relationship to last the rest of your life. Trust him. He will want to do his best. Praise her. It will help her more than any number of lessons. And remember that what comes from home is far more important than any school.

› › ›

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13+ Common Entrance is now less of a roadblock than it once was. Many schools, for example Merchant Taylors’ and Whitgift, set their own alternative exams – usually in maths/English/reasoning/science. You still need to register as early as possible but this does mean that applicants from overseas or from UK state primaries get a look in. Prospectuses, websites, results and leavers’ destinations lists only tell you so much. Seeing a place and looking at the faces, the facilities, the pupil-teacher interaction, the pupils’ behaviour – this gives you a sense of a school’s character and whether or not it will suit you and your child.

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I L LU ST R AT I O N BY P H I L C O UZ E N S

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Could these children be your child’s friends? Could their parents be people you will want to know? State schools’ online application forms or independent schools’ registration fees, exam subjects, interview dates – get on top of it all. Make lists. Spreadsheets. Set reminders. If need be, get a tutor to plug gaps, improve thinking and writing speed and lift confidence. But it has to be the right tutor so again, think ahead – ask friends you trust or find a reliable tutor company. The tutor has to click with your child so don't take the first one offered if you’re not sure the relationship will work.

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S U S A N H A M LY N Director Good Schools Guide Education Consultants www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk 2016

B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N

05/10/2016 11:12

TOP 1 O TUTORS With so many tutors offering apparently identical services, it can be hard to choose the right one for your child. We’ve boiled down the best so you don’t have to ELEANOR DOUGHTY

Oppidan

The new kids on the block

enry Faber and Walter Kerr, a pair of Old Etonians, set up Oppidan earlier this year, having worked for a number of large agencies. Their aim? To get away from ‘agricultural tutoring’. With a team of 20 ‘mentors’, they cater for 7+/8+ prep school exams all the way up to Oxbridge preparation. Faber and Kerr work 40 per cent of the hours themselves, which they love doing, and having taken the Eton entrance exam themselves in 2002 – it hasn’t changed, by the way – they know it off by heart. CLIENT BASE

• Europeans in London, and ‘first-time

buyers’ – first generation public school families THEY SAY

• ‘We’re honest. We want to be able

to tell a parent when they’re wrong’ oppidaneducation.com 32

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has to be properly tailored’

THEY SAY

• ‘We have a wealth of experience

within the realm of education’ fleet-tutors.co.uk kctutors.co.uk

Bright Young Things In the counties

right Young Things was founded in 2008 by Oxford graduates Malachy Guinness and Edward Webster. Their revision centres in Harrow, Rochester, Tunbridge Wells and St Albans offer group learning from 11+ to Oxbridge applications. CLIENT BASE

• London families and increasing

numbers of those in the counties THEY SAY

• We foster an inquisitive mind to help

our students get beyond their textbooks’ brightyoungthings.co.uk

2016

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Bright STARS Choosing the right education for an exceptionally able child can be challenging CHARLOT TE PHILLIPS

he government calls them gifted and talented; Potential Plus, a UK charity, speaks of them as having High Learning Potential or HLP. They’re the brightest of the bright – pupils who even in the most selective of schools stand out as being head and shoulders above their peers. We’re not just talking about what Rebecca Howell, senior education consultant at Potential Plus, refers to as ‘top table’ children – the more able bunch who speed through their worksheets and are asking for more before some of their classmates have even got started – but those rare spirits who appear to have sourced their DNA from a completely different gene pool to the rest of us. “I can think of one child who spends most of her time in, broadly speaking, a parallel universe,” says Nicola Dick-Cleland, head of The Abbey Junior School in Reading. “She is a voracious reader, an immensely deep thinker and the trick there is trying to make her inner world align with ours.” The first inklings that you may be raising a really exceptional child may not be the speed with which they absorb new information alone, but the way in which they apply it. 36

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Take the solar system. Many able children will love learning the names of the planets. An exceptional child may go on to absorb the physics that’s behind their creation. “They want to learn more. Memory is part of it but you also have that superior understanding that seems beyond their age,” says Rebecca Howell. Having a truly bright spark sounds like a no-brainer of a blessing, something that the average parent would be bonkers to turn down if offered as a christening gift by a passing fairy godmother. And yes, there can be wonderful consequences. One of the highlights of

family life in the Morley Jacob household in Essex is an economics discussion over the Sunday roast. It’s far from being merely a laudable attempt to elevate the tone of the conversation (though that’s undoubtedly a fringe benefit). Instead, it is almost an essential, a way of ensuring that Bec Morley Jacob’s three bright sons get the intellectual nourishment they need. That’s particularly so in the case of Kit, 12, who like his older brother, Matt, is a pupil at Felsted School. Kit was speaking fluently before he was two and appeared so grown-up that it would have been easy for him to have felt out of kilter with his peers. The most obvious manifestation of his ability was the non-stop questioning – a common characteristic of very bright children. “When his class lined up, he had to know the reason why,” says Bec. “He wouldn’t accept what you’d say at face value but once he had an explanation, he would be fine.” Like Kit, other very able children will manifest their giftedness in blindingly obvious ways. “Some, aged three or four, will question the Tooth Fairy or Father Christmas and they may dwell on death when they first realise that people die,” says Rebecca Howell. But there again, others may not. And that’s when difficulties can arise. It’s all too easy for a really bright child whose ferocious intellect goes unrecognised and

2016

05/10/2016 11:36

PR EP / SEN

Above Pupils at The Abbey School Left Kit with his mother Bec Morley Jacob

“These rare spirits have sourced their DNA from a different gene pool to the rest of us”

Below Stargazing at Bedford Prep School

Above Are our public exams no longer suitable?

unchallenged to become disaffected. They have an innate ability to learn and make connections simply from what they pick up in the outside world. That can mean that by the time they arrive in the classroom for 30 minutes of one-size-fits-all maths or literacy, they may be bored out of their brains if the level and pace aren’t right and they switch off. In some cases they can end up branded as troublemakers – or worse. Research from Potential Plus indicates that really able children are more likely than others to end up in trouble – they make up a sizeable percentage of the prison population, for example. 2016

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PR EP / SEN

Above A teacher and pupil at The Abbey School

Fortunately, there is increasing awareness of the need to identify and support these super-gifted children. The coveted NACE Challenge Awards recognise the effort made by schools to ensure that the most able pupils get the understanding and the boost they need to succeed. At Bedford Prep School, a NACE Award-winner (like Felsted Prep and The Abbey School), one of the big treats for pupils is enjoying a trip to the stars, or as close as it gets, courtesy of the senior school’s planetarium and observatory (own meteorite included). All the boys are encouraged to go beyond the curriculum basics – eclipses and lunar months – and ponder a smorgasbord of more complex questions, like why some planets have so many moons and what Galileo ever did for us (lots, as it turns out). Everyone gets a level of challenge that feels comfortable while the children with high level thinking skills get the intellectual workout they need. “We’re giving them the hooks so they can explore further,” says Jo Christian, Head of Academic Improvement at the school.

“Keeping a child with their peers is key; moving them up can result in isolation or bullying” 38

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At Felsted, a science project on cell structure and DNA encourages the most able to start thinking about genetic engineering – well beyond the demands of the prep syllabus and open, as at Bedford, to every pupil. They can perform exceptionally well, challenging even teachers’ perceptions. The resulting breadth of opportunity is overwhelming, says Bec Morley Jacob – and it doesn’t stop at the weekend. Currently, Kit is going into school on Sunday mornings to work on a science project – his big passion. “He was taking a torch to pieces because he needed some of the bits to generate electricity.” It’s also vital, she says, that the school ensures that able pupils like Kit aren’t singled out or made to feel different. Keeping children with their chronological peers is a key part of the process. A school might be tempted to bump an exceptionally gifted mathematician up a couple of years. Easier for the school, perhaps. For a child whose social and emotional development might be nowhere near as advanced as their academic ability, the result can be isolation with a spot of recreational bullying thrown in for good measure. If heads like Clare Robinson have her way, this should one day become a thing of the past. Her school, Holme Grange, also holds a NACE Challenge Award and has created a curriculum which ensures that all its pupils, who range from those with learning difficulties to the very able, have almost endless opportunities to shine. It’s not just the core academic subjects that are benefiting from this approach. A recent music project saw pupils working

in mixed ability groups to respond to a technically challenging brief, composing impressively sophisticated music to order. There’s also a strong focus on learning how to fail. It may sound counterintuitive but makes perfect sense. “People may always have been the best. Suddenly they’re not and they don’t know how to cope with getting it wrong, they have no resilience,” says Clare Robinson. It’s one of the reasons, she believes, why so many of the best and brightest drift off course. “Many able students do fall off at some point because in adult life they’re not particularly happy.” Far better to ensure that when failure does happen, it’s in a controlled environment with people who can get you on your feet again. Schools like these are working to ensure that, instead of squandering their talent, its most talented cohorts achieve personal fulfilment. Clare Robinson’s goal, modestsounding though it is, is helping these pupils to grow up into happy and fulfiled adults. Giving them an education that praises effort rather than mere intellect, builds on creativity and adds a strong dose of resilience as well is critically important. Get it right and it’s not just school communities that could be benefiting from their gifts but society as a whole. Given the problems we face and the pressing need for more brilliant brains to solve them, we should all be willing them to succeed. •

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

•

NACE Works with schools and teachers to improve learning for the more able and recognises excellent provision through the NACE Challenge Awards. Welcomes enquiries from parents as well as teaching professionals. www.nace.co.uk

POTENTIAL PLUS UK Supports the social, emotional and learning needs of children from all ages and backgrounds who have high learning potential. www.potentialplusuk.org

MENSA Welcomes members (pre-school and up) whose IQ is in the top two per cent of the population. www.mensa.org.uk

THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE Help and support for parents and carers on identifying and educating gifted and talented children. www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk

C H A R LOT T E P H I LLI P S Advisor at the Good Schools Guide Education Consultants

2016

05/10/2016 11:37

how far would you go to get your child into the best school?

Developing outstanding leaders

A dynamic co-educational Catholic boarding and day school for 3 –18 year olds, set in a beautiful rural location – 1 hour from Manchester Airport, 2 hours from London by train Stonyhurst Academic Scholarship & All-rounder Scholarships 11+ and 13+ Examinations For children who do well in their online entrance examinations

London Scholarship Sitting Heythrop • 21st January 2017 Heythrop College, University of London Kensington Square, London W8 5HN

Stonyhurst Scholarship Sitting 14th January 2017

Only the best for your child Stonyhurst is a school that is global in outlook and has produced world leaders for over 400 years A unique Christian heritage, offering extraordinary individual attention because each child and their potential as a person matters Top academic students achieve 5 A* A levels and Oxbridge offers with our other students achieving places in excellent universities More than 100 clubs and activities to choose from including curating in the oldest museum in the English speaking world A school where sportsmanship is key but your child is able to participate in sport at either a social or international level

See us at the ISS Show in Battersea Park 12/13th November 2016

To arrange your personal visit, please contact Mrs Lynnette Carr, Registrar, on 01254 827073 or email admissions@stonyhurst.ac.uk Stonyhurst, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9PZ www.stonyhurst.ac.uk

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PROMOTION

Simply the best Walhampton School’s remarkable setting gives children the freedom to thrive

n independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 2 -13, Walhampton lies in ancient woodland on the southern edge of the New Forest, on the coast near Lymington in Hampshire. With big vistas and broad horizons set within 100 acres of lawns, lakes and woodland, the school’s location is truly remarkable. Few prep schools can match Walhampton’s setting. Our aim is to develop the whole person: physically, spiritually and emotionally as well as intellectually. We subscribe to W.B. Yeats’ words that "Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire." That overarching principle runs deep at Walhampton. Walhampton offers children extensive opportunities to develop both academically and creatively, whilst taking them beyond just being able to pass Common Entrance. Our pupils achieve consistently impressive academic results. With small classes and

“How many schools would re-enact the Battle of Hastings with children in armour on horses?” outstanding teaching we prepare our boys and girls for 13+ Common Entrance and scholarships to senior independent schools including Winchester, Eton, St. Swithun’s, Canford, Clayesmore, Harrow, Radley and Bryanston. Academic standards at Walhampton are excellent and are strongly endorsed in our ISI reports. We have enjoyed 100% success rate in Common Entrance for a number of years. Our location and facilities enable us to offer a broad and dynamic curriculum, which stretches beyond the classroom. Lessons are taught in our outdoor classroom, kitchen garden, fields and woodland bringing Maths, English and 40

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Science to life while making sure sports, music and Right the arts flourish The school’s beautiful setting alongside academic disciplines. In how many other schools would you find the Battle of Trafalgar staged on a lake, or Hastings re-enacted with children in armour on horses? As well as rigorous academic standards, Walhampton is passionate about breadth. It offers over 60 on site extra-curricular activities including beekeeping, fishing and dance, sailing on the lakes and riding lessons in our equestrian centre. Full, weekly and flexi-boarders enjoy the relaxed and homely atmosphere of Bradfield House. Flexi boarding enables children to enjoy all that the school has to offer, while supporting families with busy lives. At Walhampton, parents and children will find a school in a stunning location, with a distinctive ethos and tremendous spirit. Walhampton scholars

A warm welcome awaits you at our Open Mornings on 14th October 2016, 3rd February & 12th May 2017 from 10am to 12.30pm. Please contact the school registrar on 01590 613 303 or at registrar@walhampton.com.

2016

05/10/2016 11:43

CATHOLIC BENEDICTINE 11 – 18 CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL IN THE HEART OF SUSSEX

MEET US AT THE SHERATON HOTEL MALL OF THE EMIRATES 17– 18 MARCH

Education with heart and soul Academic ambition Choice of IB and A Levels Friendly community

Excellent pastoral care Lively weekend programme for boarders Beautiful countryside location Less than 15 minutes from Gatwick Airport

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PROMOTION

BROAD HORIZONS Boarding school can provide you with a wealth of experience and is great preparation for university SUE ANDERSON

ne of the key features of boarding school life is the wide range of activities and experiences, which give boarders opportunities to develop skills and interests beyond the academic curriculum. These skills and interests often contribute to career development. Living and studying in one place provides time for you to enjoy after-school and weekend activities with your friends. Sports and hobbies, dance and drama, music and art; debating, water sports, rock climbing, robot making, Leith’s Cookery and much more are all on offer. UK boarding schools welcome students from around the world creating a truly international environment; why spend an hour or more each day travelling to and from school? At boarding school you will enjoy the luxury of waking up in the morning and being in the middle of the campus. At boarding school, you are living in a community; the younger students will probably be sharing a bedroom and most schools provide single study bedrooms for their sixth formers (from age 16). As part of

“At boarding school you are part of a close and supportive community” a close and supportive community you can make friends for life, whatever part of the world they come from. Living at boarding school may make a great difference to how you spend your free time, it will certainly offer you the opportunity to do things that you’ve never done before. The amount of freedom you get depends on how old you are, the school’s policy and the location of the 42

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school – you may be allowed slightly more freedom in rural areas than in schools based in towns or cities. Younger students are supervised by an adult when they are outside the school campus. Students of this age will be taken out by a member of staff at the weekend, and perhaps, briefly, midweek, to go shopping or see the local area In the sixth form, students may be allowed to sign themselves out of school, stating when they will return. You won’t miss out on entertainment, as schools often organise informal parties or discos during term time, and more formal dances or proms for the end of the school year. Schools and colleges have modern dining rooms where three cooked meals of breakfast, lunch and supper are provided each day. Some schools allow senior students to prepare their own breakfast in their boarding house if they wish. All meals have a good choice of different dishes, so you can choose what you prefer to eat. Schools always provide vegetarian alternatives, and can cater for special diets and religious requirements. Boarding pupils at Luckley House School

Life in a boarding school is excellent preparation for university and employment as it provides many of the non-academic skills that employers are looking for. Boarders have to be tolerant, able to live with other people and yet think for themselves. Boarding schools encourage you to care for others and get involved, but also to have your own opinion and not to follow others blindly. Experience of boarding teaches you to be independent, but also makes you more appreciative of your family and home life.

SUE ANDERSON MBE Education Consultant

FREE, impartial help and advice on UK Boarding Schools, Language & Summer programmes. enquiries@andersoneducation.co.uk www.andersoneducation.com

2016

05/10/2016 15:26

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2016

05/10/2016 11:50

SCHOOL / FOCUS

ABOUT THE BOY Merchiston Castle School’s motto, Boys First, is a simple but effective one A M A N D A C O N S TA N C E

’ve been fortunate enough to meet many engaging, polite young people in my line of work. But dining in the lunch hall at Merchiston Castle School with five strapping sixth formers was a different experience altogether. These boys weren’t just polite. They were interested and interesting; they never appeared bored, nor overwhelmed by my questions. They answered me after some careful thought – there was neither snigger nor swagger. And when they gave me a tour of their boarding house, they held the doors open at all times. They were boys any mum would be proud of. “What we are trying to do here is to teach every boy to be comfortable in their own skin,” says Andrew Hunter, the avuncular headmaster of MCS, a boys-only HMC boarding school for 7 to 18 year-olds just outside Edinburgh. “Our philosophy is not rocket science,” he says. “We want to develop their minds but also their character. We are simply trying to teach them to be the best version of themselves that they can be.”

Merchiston Castle School is the ideal place for such lofty ambitions. For one thing, it has an amazing location on the outskirts of Edinburgh in the suburban village of Colinton. Set in 100 acres of parkland, the school has space galore but is minutes from one of Europe’s most exciting cities. “International parents think Edinburgh is magnetic – the vibrancy of this school is all about its location,” says Hunter. As the boys in the school get older, they are given more freedom to explore the city. It is all carefully controlled; housemasters have the boys’ mobile numbers and first steps are small – a trip to Colinton for Year 9 boys – but the older boys can go into Edinburgh on a Saturday night. “We are not a claustrophobic inward-looking school," says Hunter. "We want to teach the boys to manage risk.” Another advantage the school has is its size. There are just 452 boys this year, making it tiny by senior school standards. This means that everyone really does know everyone and there is a strong sense of community. As I tour the grounds with

“We are trying to teach every boy to be comfortable in his own skin”

Above Boys in sports gear in the school grounds

2016

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Study | Explore | Succeed

For more information or to arrange a visit contact: 01822 813193 admissions@mountkelly.com Mount Kelly . Parkwood Road . Tavistock . PL19 0HZ . UK www.mountkelly.com MOUNT KELLY.indd 1

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SCHOOL / FOCUS

various staff, they know each and every boy and their routines. “The size of the school means people are able to take time,” says Tracey Gray, the school’s external relations director. “It means you can be very aware of any issues.” Merchiston is a full boarding school. Boys in Years 3 to 6 board and have lessons in Pringle, an entirely separate junior boarding house and teaching centre. From Year 6 they start to take some lessons such as Art and Design at the ‘big school’ and

“The small size of the school means people are able to take time” then from Year 7 they move to the senior boarding houses. Each stage of transition is gradual and carefully managed. “We just add another rung to the independence ladder”, says Niamh Walden, Pringle's marvellous head. Full boarding is maintained particularly for the benefit of international students, who make up 21% of the student population. “To have an empty boarding house at weekends is pretty miserable,” says Wilson.

That said, the boys in Years 3 to 6 have a ‘step-up’ system – flexiboarding by any other name. In the senior school, boarding is horizontal – boys stay with their year cohort in the houses. original site so they moved “The boys just love it,” says Right The boys wear kilts for the school south to an estate head of admissions Kay Wilson. formal occasions in Colinton. Most of the Evidently so: boarding actually Left school buildings date from increases through the school. 15% Pupils in the library this period, though Colinton to 20% of boys board as juniors, House is 18th century. It is 65% in middle school and 85% by now home to the science sixth form. department; one of the science labs still has The horizontal boarding structure also the orignal sprung floor from when it was means the school selects its international the grand ballroom. students very carefully. “We won’t have too “The boys love the boysiness of the many boys of one nationality,” says Wilson. school,” says Andrew Hunter. Indeed, for a “International parents are keen for their rugby-mad, science-loving boy, Merchiston children to mix with the British boys is sheer heaven. There is endless space, to learn English and it has to work from Pringle where there is a fabulous for our boys,” she says. ‘secret garden’ to endless rugby-cum“Our boys” is a phrase I hear often cricket pitches and woods where deer roam during my day at the school. MCS is every and the boys go camping. There is a strong inch a boys’ school and proud of it. Indeed, – even Scottish Presbyterian – ethos, with its motto is ‘Boys First’. The school was the belief that an active life is a healthy originally founded in 1828 at Merchiston one. There are no lessons on Tuesday and Castle, a 15th century tower in Edinburgh, Thursday afternoons to make room for by Charles Chalmer who wanted to create sport; PE is compulsory until Year 11 and a science and maths academy for boys. By it’s a school rule that every boy pursues an the 1920s, when the governors wanted to activity three afternooons a week. When the build a memorial hall to the fallen boys of nights draw in, as they do very quickly in the Great War, there was no space on the 2016

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05/10/2016 11:51

Inspiring Individuals “Boarding at Campbell is a life-changing experience. It has given me confidence, independence and friendships that will last forever.” Campbell College, Belfast, is a leading Independent HMC boarding and day school for boys aged 11-18 years old. Experience the very best UK education from £4,318 a term in the stunning surrounds of our 100 acre woodland campus and only a 1 hour flight from London.

Visit www.campbellcollege.co.uk to find out more.

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school head. But looks can be deceiving. He refers to teachers as “persons of warmth”, for example and calls pastoral care “pupil support” and likes words such as guru, trusted advisor, sage and mentor. He believes what really matters at school is “a sense of belonging”. Here he is on the relationship between home and school: “It’s a genuine reaching out; come along and join in the immense pleasure and privilege of witnessing your son’s journey.” In other words, Andrew Hunter is no stiff upper-lipped head. The pastoral care – sorry pupil support – at Merchiston is second to none and raved about by parents. Hunter was instilling resilience in his boys long before it became the flag-waving issue of the moment. Of course, he calls it something different – ‘Bounce Backability’. “I wanted an onomatopoeic alliterative word for the boys to remember”. His ethos of “wraparound support” for every pupil is now considered mandatory in schools. Andrew Hunter is unashamedly prosingle sex education. He believes that boys learn differently from girls and “Merchiston

Left In the science lab Below Headmaster Andrew Hunter in his personalised golf buggy

Edinburgh, the boys do sport in the morning and lessons from 4-6pm when it is dark. Andrew Hunter says that “an active boy is a happy one”. He doesn’t talk about extracurricular activities but co-curricular. “It’s a total curriculum,” he says. When asked what they love about the school, the boys chorus as one: “The sport!” Indeed, when I enquire, ever the cheeky journalist, if any of the boys smoke, they look at me as if I’ve asked if they enjoy torturing puppies. The answer is a resounding no. They explain, quite deadpan, that “we want to be the best we can be on the rugby pitch”. There are also very succesful golf and tennis academies for talented players. Merchiston is no slouch academically either. It scored the best A*-B grades in Scotland this year, with a 96% A*-C pass rate at GCSE and 91% of boys achieving places at their first or second choice universities. The school is unique in that it is a Scottish school but follows the English curriculum. It is non-selective, although 7+ entry includes a basic test. The STEM subjects and economics are particularly strong here, as is Further Maths – and

AT A GLANCE

MERCHISTON High School Head˙ Andrew Hunter Single sex˙ Boys only Founded˙ 1828 Number of pupils˙ 460 approx Day/boarding˙ Full boarding Ages˙ 7-18 Main points of entry˙ 7+, 13+-14+, 16+ but admissions are flexible Admissions˙ Non-selective Admissions manager˙ Kay Wilson, +44 (0)131 312 2201 admissions@merchiston.co.uk Religious affiliation˙ Multi-faith, broadly Christian assembly Fees˙ £6,550 - £10,220 for boarding Address˙ Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH13 0PU, +44 (0)131 312 2200, merchiston.co.uk

the school is now offering computer science A-Level. But Merchiston is far from being an exam factory. As Stephen Campebell, deputy head academic explains, “It’s all about the individual – where they end up, what their interests are and finding the bespoke programme for it.” This means that there might be a sixth form student studying two A-Levels for the Army alongside someone doing four for Oxbridge. Campbell says: “Andrew Hunter is interested in what a 25-year-old Merchistonian looks like, not a 15-year-old one.” Andrew Hunter's name crops up often. After 19 years in the ‘hot seat’ as he calls it, his influence at the school is unquestionable. A towering figure, despite the walking stick he uses as the result of cancer of the pelvis in 2009 (he now has a metal hip and a golf buggy with personalised number plates) he appears every inch the conventional public

“The pastoral care at Merchiston is second to none and raved about by parents” gives boys the ability to find themselves at their own pace and not feel bad about it”. This does not mean girls are excluded and Merchiston has close links with girls’ schools such as Kilgraston near Perth and St George’s in Edinburgh. In the school’s Memorial Hall, I talk with the deputy head of co-curricular, Richard Charman. It is here that the boys gather for headmaster’s assembly and prize-giving. Charman says the school is “very good at recognising a boy’s talent and publicly doing so at assembly. It might be for a sporting or academic achievement or because a member of the public has admired a boy’s manners on the bus. We watch out for those boys who haven’t yet been up.” It’s a telling anecdote that speaks volumes about the school and its staff. This school is a happy place; it builds happy boys. As Andrew Hunter says: “We are about finding the hidden nuggets of ability in each and every pupil and developing them. We are not talking about arrogance, but quiet self-assurance, built on foundations of rock not sand.” 2016

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05/10/2016 11:53

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All in the Mind

Adolescent mental health has hogged the headlines this year with concerns about soaring rates of anxiety, depression and other disorders amongst teenagers. Earlier this year, the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (the umbrella organisation of the UK’s leading independent schools) held a Good Mental Health conference to address these issues. Here Natasha Devon, the recently deposed government mental health tsar who spoke at the conference, discusses where she thinks the issues lie; Chris Jeffrey, Headmaster of Bootham School in York and Chair of the HMC’s Wellbeing Working Group, explains what took place at the conference and outlines some of the challenges facing today’s teenagers; and a number of schools explain what they are doing to support their pupils' wellbeing.

“Social media is a catalyst, not a cause, of poor mental health in young people today”

NATASHA DEVON

Writer and mental health champion

uring a commons debate earlier this year, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was asked what he thought was responsible for the surge in poor mental health amongst the British population. His answer was decisive. For young people, he said, it is ‘social media’. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or scream in frustration. Of course, technological advances are having a huge impact on the way young people think and behave but they are a catalyst, rather than a cause. And there is an important distinction here – poor mental health is not synonymous with mental illness. One in four of us will statistically experience a mental illness during our lifetime but four in four of us have a brain and therefore mental health. I do not believe it is helpful to tell a pupil so strung-out with exam stress they’re having 50

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panic attacks and unable to function that they are suffering from ‘anxiety disorder’. They aren’t. They’re suffering from acute stress caused by unprecedented amounts of academic pressure coupled with momentous expectations in an increasingly competitive climate. This is particularly pronounced in independent schools. It does not mean, however, that their concerns are not serious and should not be dealt with. What schools are facing is a crisis of poor mental health, and while this is leading to more instances of diagnosed mental illnesses, the greater issue is the number of children flying below the radar who have symptoms of depression, anxiety or selfharm but who do not meet the ever-higher thresholds of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. It is their needs teachers are being expected to meet with only a few vague directives from above (generally parroting the words ‘resilience’ and ‘peer-to-peer mentoring’ ad nauseam).

The crisis in mental health is, I believe, primarily an economic one. A Young Minds survey in 2014 of 5,000 12- to 18-yearolds revealed worries about the future – the prospect of leaving university with record amounts of debt, the likelihood of unemployment or of not being able to afford to live independently on an average wage – to be a primary factor in spiralling anxiety in young people. Coupled with this, both parents increasingly have to work long hours to sustain the family’s lifestyle (interestingly, many independent school children I speak to say worrying about the amount of money their parents have to pay to send them to school causes them significant stress). This has led to a reduction in quality family time, community and communication, all of which are the bedrock upon which a child builds their sense of identity and self-esteem. Mental Health First Aid England, a charity which offers training to education professionals, talks about a metaphorical ‘stress bucket’. We all have a stress bucket which is incrementally filled by the challenges of everyday life. This is entirely normal, but it is when our stress-bucket overflows that we are at increased risk of developing mental health issues. So we need a ‘tap’ – something that provides release from stress. Talking, writing down our feelings, exercise or indulging in something creative are all ways we can empty our stress buckets. But in a world where the pace of life leaves us unable to contemplate and reflect, it is little wonder that so many young people have reached crisis point.

2016

05/10/2016 15:19

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A home from home “Coming back to the Manor at the end of the day feels like coming home. There is so much to do and so many people I like - I’ve certainly never felt lonely!”  Second Form Boarder

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SENIOR / TALKING POINT

“We will never achieve perfection for our children, but they deserve better”

PARENTING

he desire to be ‘perfect’ parents and give a child a ‘perfect’ childhood is not helping. Australian parenting guru Michael Grose claims in his latest book, The Redundancy Effect, that such parenting 'overcooks' children, hindering development of the independence, selfconfidence and resilience needed for them to function well as adults.

CHRIS JEFFREY

UNIVERSITY POLICY

Chair of the HMC's Wellbeing Group

he HMC Wellbeing and Mental Health Conference at the British Museum in April marked an important point in HMC’s attitude to the growth of mental health issues that all schools have been facing. Having been confident enough to admit that independent schools, along with all others types of school, are struggling with this issue, it was time to move to look at practical ways of dealing with them in a series of seminars and presentations for a large audience. We recognised that the solutions will only work effectively if the causes – not just the symptoms – of the phenomenon are properly identified and understood. Here I offer my – albeit imperfect – analysis of what it is we’re trying to solve.

PREVALENCE OF MOBILE TECH

angst that they know only too well within themselves; a world in which sexting and online porn bring knowledge, expectation and pressures that the ‘battered-copyof-Mayfair-under-the-desk-lid’ of my generation never did.

PERFECTIONITIS

iven that our youngsters find it very hard to look at technology critically enough to understand the judgements that they are making about others (and themselves in comparison), perhaps it’s not surprising that there is a discernible rise in perfectionism. Girls more than boys are putting themselves under unrealistic and intolerable pressure to live up to expectations of themselves and of life that can cripple them. It was fascinating to see Instagram model Essena O’Neill expose to her 600,000 followers the real story and frequent pain behind her perfect pictures. We need more of that sort of honesty.

ear-perfection, too, seems to have been increasingly demanded by universities, whose standard offers have risen inexorably over the past 20 years. Despite the increased competition caused by lifting the admission cap and a declining birth-rate, many courses appear to be if anything raising their standard offer grades, not dropping them. Whatever happened to the law of supply and demand? Anecdotal evidence from schools is that, in reality, students can afford to drop a grade or two for many courses and still be accepted. The key question is: are large numbers of students being put under more pressure than necessary so that universities can look more exclusive than they actually are? The stark fact remains, however, until we – schools, universities, parents, policy makers, technologists and health services – start understanding and thus addressing the root causes and not the symptoms of these mental health issues, little may change. We will never achieve perfection for our children, but they deserve better.

esearch suggests that the ubiquity of mobile technology in their hands has seen our children’s attention spans diminishing, sleep patterns badly disturbed and crucial switch-off time almost destroyed. In a fascinating piece in New Philosopher recently, author DBC Pierre points out how human beings, who as a species are adapted over tens of thousands of generation years to cope with a flat-line pace of change, are simply not wired to manage the unprecedented and sustained acceleration of recent times. Such warp-speed acceleration cannot but cause casualties.

SOCIAL MEDIA

nd what are adolescents learning from this technology as they battle the same challenges that all teenagers have faced? For all the undeniable benefits, it means theirs is a world in which the visual and the ‘surface’ rule, via apps such as Snapchat, Instagram and Periscope; a world where youngsters cannot seem to see through the fact that others’ carefully curated on-line personae likely hide the same insecurities and

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Right Happy pupils at Lord Wandsworth College

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Outstanding opportunities for every pupil to excel strathallan.co.uk

At Strathallan we motivate and inspire young people to make the most of their individual abilities and interests. Achieving excellent results - in academic work, in sports and the arts. Enjoying a beautiful rural campus, less than an hour from Edinburgh airport. Extending a warm welcome from our community of staff, boarding and day pupils.

Come and meet us at the UK Boarding School Exhibition

28 & 29 October Grosvenor House, Dubai STRATHALLAN.indd 1

04/10/2016 10:52

Above St Swithun’s School Below Sixth form Pupils at Highgate School Far Right Highgate School

“In our Peer Education Project Year 12 volunteers deliver PSHE lessons to Year 7 pupils”

VERITY SMITH

Assistant Head of Sixth Form Highgate School

he process of growing up is one of working out who we are. This gradual discovery can come about through interaction with our family, significant adults, peer groups and friends. In recent years, a wide range of social media have created an additional sphere

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of virtual interaction where many adults fear to tread. And so schools are increasingly recognising the benefits that flow from encouraging young people to support one another through the long growingup process. Last term, Highgate pupils were involved in a ground-breaking and ongoing Peer Education Project (PEP) that is supported and robustly evaluated by the Mental Health Foundation, Dr Yvonne Anderson of Cernis and Place2Be. The project brought together Year 12 pupils from

Highgate and three of its partner state schools with experts in the field of mental health and education to co-produce five PSHE lessons which the volunteer sixth formers then delivered to Year 7 pupils. The classes were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) ‘Me and My School’ and a learning measure before and after delivery of the lessons. It is one of few projects which has quantitative data measuring the impact of a peer education programme on both the attainment of pupils and their wellbeing. It is hoped that the project can be extended to other schools in the coming academic year with the aim that, as peer teaching is repeated, year by year whole school communities will grow in confidence in managing mental health well.

2016

05/10/2016 15:20

SENIOR / TALKING POINT

“I provide one-toone sessions for girls as well as timely, targeted small group interventions”

DR HELEN O’CONNOR

Clinical psychologist St Swithun's School

was appointed in January 2015 and we are one of only a few schools in the country offering doctoral-level support to our pupils, staff and parents. Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and an emotional regulation skills programmes are proven ways to improve the mental health of adolescents and these are central to our support for girls at St Swithun’s. Our school has a typical student population with many strengths and protective factors such as excellent IQs, but we also attract individuals with high perfectionism, which can

sometimes generate a level of added stress. It is for this reason that we have invested resources in improving the girls’ mental health. Much of the role is providing one-to-one sessions for girls as required, whilst also offering timely, targeted small group interventions (for example considering stressrelieving techniques with girls prior to revision and exams). Our newly developed PSHE programmes (‘Thrive’ and ‘Flourish’) have been adapted to provide resilience training and to address mental health issues in small classes which allow for open discussion. To complement this, we also have a member of staff who is a qualified mindfulness practitioner. We are developing this across the entire school, all the way from Year 3 to Year 13, aiming to teach the girls early about wellbeing and to prevent difficulties emerging. Teachers are considered highly significant in ensuring the girls’ ability to flourish, and this is achieved by appropriate training on mental health and access to suitable guidance if they have concerns. The entire community – including pupils, staff and parents – have access to a dynamic programme of visiting speakers with a focus on mental wellbeing and resilience, which over the past year has included Dick Moore on mental health in education, Aric Sigman on drugs and screen time, and a mindfulness programme for staff.

2016

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SENIOR / TALKING POINT

“Our school approach is to never be afraid to tackle the issues, however great or small”

TRACY KIRNIG

Head, Prior’s Field

A “Pupils are allowed to express themselves by drawing on our health centre walls”

HILARY DUGDALE

Senior Deputy Head Lancing College

know of few people who, if given the chance, would go back to being 15 or 16 again. These have always been ‘interesting’ years with all sorts of challenges thrown into the pot, and ones where a propensity for risk-taking comes at just the same stage as access to dangerous and exciting stuff: alcohol, cars, ‘relationships’.

Our young now have a cocktail of connectedness and online presence and exposure – and the kind of hypervigilance that goes with this – that was completely unknown to previous generations. Pastoral care needs to reflect age-old issues and encompass these modern ones too. Our housemasters and housemistresses and tutors are trained in Mental Health First Aid. We have a group of sixth form peer supporters who are trained in listening skills. Our charities and Outreach programmes give pupils the chance to stand in the shoes of others. We encourage challenge, and we support people through set-backs. A school counsellor is available three days a week and pupils self-refer to her, the chaplaincy, school GPs, the Health Centre nurses, trusted staff, tutors, matrons... And our pupils have their own resources to draw on – literally – in the paintings they create on the Health Centre walls as art therapy or self-calming at a time of stress or trouble. There is no 'one size fits all' approach. If our pupils can say where and how things hurt, we can help them to heal. The foundation of this, of course, is not a modern one at all; it is trust.

Above Pupils at Lancing College

dolescent mental health is a challenging landscape requiring an empathetic and proactive approach. Blurred boundaries and the instant gratification and distraction of social media have added complexity in recent years. Since its foundation in 1902, Prior’s Field has always focused on the development of well-rounded, balanced young women. We focus on motivation, self-belief and enjoyment to bring out the best in our pupils; there is no need to drive the girls with relentless pressure. Our dedicated pastoral team has an open-door policy and staff work with parents to confront adolescent mental health issues head-on, preventing many before they occur. We run regular pastoral evenings for parents and encourage open discussion of such topics as managing stress and anxiety, depression, bullying, bereavement, eating disorders, self harm and LGBT support. Girls benefit from an annual Resilience Week, in which they are rewarded for demonstrating perseverance and determination in learning and life. Our school counsellor is a specialist in adolescent mental health, and local links with both NHS and private therapists allow us to draw on the most appropriate guidance available. As a school, our approach is always to keep in touch with current thinking, and never be afraid to tackle an issue, however big or small. 2016

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MINDFULNESS

Dr David Moses . H E AD .

S t M a r t i n’s A m p l e fo r t h

he world in which young people are growing up is more challenging than it was for my generation and we need to find ways of helping them to cope with the fast pace of 21st century life. Mindfulness has been hailed as a panacea, but whilst there are positive effects for many who practise it, we must be wary of promoting the technique as the only coping mechanism to deal with the challenges of life. All too often we allow ourselves to overanalyse the past and to worry about the future. To be able to take a step back from our daily deliberations to focus the mind on the present moment can indeed be an effective way to relieve stress and allay unnecessary worries. However, the concept of concentrating on the present moment is by no means exclusive to mindfulness; this type of meditation is very similar to the Christian practice of contemplative prayer. The difference, it would seem, is that mindfulness is rather more introspective, in that it encourages us to retreat from the world and focus all attention on ourselves. Rather, our children need structure and balance, and to be brought out of themselves in order to seek the wisdom which comes with a knowledge of the world. We need to teach young people the importance of resilience and that they will learn as much from failure as from success,

that they can make positive changes to the world rather than just find ways in which to cope with difficult and unjust situations. A crucial element of fostering well-roundedness is growing up with a strong sense of community, through helping others and through practising empathy and understanding. Actively engaging with the world and with people from different backgrounds and cultures can have a positive effect on our well-being, as it allows us to gain a different outlook on our own situation. It is these wider experiences that can help us to rationalise our feelings and emotions and examine our lives from a different perspective. Whilst mindfulness may be a useful tool, we need to be wary of promoting apathy and indifference to situations that require action to avert injustice and intolerance. We need to instil our children with values that they

can carry with them throughout their lives to help them cope with the circumstances they may find themselves in, and to equip them with the confidence needed to make the right decisions. We must not be involved in denial of the world as it is, or with the notion of building a defensive mechanism to deal with our world rather than engaging with that world, its problems, pressures and people. In a society which is looking for quick fixes and which is increasingly seeking its utopias in the promise of material gains, we need to encourage our children to think through some of the more important questions: What is it to be human? What is the purpose of being human? Not all children will respond well to mindfulness; for some the inability to switch off and concentrate on the now can in itself cause anxiety. In the same way that children respond to different teaching techniques in different ways, they will find certain stress-reducing practices more valuable than others too. One child may find solace during violin practice and another may find it whilst enjoying playing in a cricket match. Likewise, some children will find mindfulness a useful tool, whereas others will prefer to discuss their worries and look for practical solutions to their perceived problems. For this reason, a tailored approach for each individual is far more beneficial than trying to find a cure-all answer to the pressures of modern life.

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SENIOR / DEBATE

MINDFULNESS

Mark Beard . H E AD MASTER .

University College School

indfulness has grown in popularity and as a buzz-word over the last few years, but is not itself a new concept. Mindfulness is said to have originated in Buddhist thinking and meditation practice over 2,500 years ago. Its original purpose was to address and relieve self-induced suffering caused by the dysfunctional ways in which people respond to life situations. Over the last decade, education has changed rapidly. The popularity of mindfulness stems from how it speaks to the urgent and prominent concerns of education: the apparent need to strive for ever greater success, to be better teachers and better pupils, to keep up with changes in the education system and in society, and to better prepare young people for global competition. The expectation to achieve high academic standards whilst simultaneously developing important soft skills – in order to help those leaving the school gates flourish in a world that will require flexibility of career and application of skill sets – has never been greater. We also want our young people to have highly developed emotional intelligence and strong moral fibre. If that wasn’t enough, add to this the impact of social media on young people – the peer pressure, the often unrealistic

expectation to look or act a particular way just at a time youngsters are dealing with adolescence and discovering who they are – and you have a potent mix. Indeed, when you investigate the chief causes of unhappiness in children, it is more often issues to do with their social lives than their school lives, and yet schools are expected to play their part in helping find solutions. Schools have to strike the careful balance between mental health and personal development coupled with academic success. To move forward, we need a paradigm shift in how we approach this. At UCS Hampstead we have decided to trial mindfulness for both pupils and staff in order to give them the tools to cope with ever-increasing demands. Unlike some other programmes, we are starting with our staff so that we can first develop a mindful community which emphasises the qualities

that are essential for all great teachers: patience, curiosity, kindness and a desire to truly help those around them. For our pupils, we see mindfulness as a means to help enable them to have as positive an experience of our education as possible. Our preliminary research with pupils has shown that the introduction of mindfulness techniques can increase not only a child’s mental wellness but, tantalisingly, we have also seen a correlation between mindfulness and academic success. We don’t think mindfulness makes our students smarter but that it provides them with ways to fully benefit from the opportunities that they are given. Our extended trial and data analysis with Year 9 next year will allow us to assess more fully the longer-term impact of mindfulness, but we hope our pupils will feel calmer and more fulfilled, get on better with others, concentrate and learn more easily, manage stress and anxiety better, and have improved performance in music and sport. Mindfulness is a sophisticated concept because it is not only about dealing with our reactions to stressors but also giving us the ability to tackle and face their causes. Yet it is a practical toolbox of deceptively simple techniques and coping strategies, supported not only by academic research but by the teachings of mental well-being that go back centuries. It enables teachers and pupils to anticipate and respond to the challenges of our modern world and it is here to stay.

“MINDFULNESS SPE A K S TO THE URGEN T CONCER NS OF EDUC ATION” 2016

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SENIOR / OPINION

STAY CONNECTED The Head of Digital Learning at Westonbirt School on the importance of technology for girls DUNCAN THOMPSON

estonbirt schools are committed to the innovative use of technology throughout their two schools. Algorithms are taught from reception upwards, starting in a simple form with pupils learning coding on Scratch and using 2D animation. 3D games are taught using Kodu and Flowol, an online programming tool that enables pupils to program traffic lights and avoid virtual traffic collisions. Pupils are also learning to build their own robots from kits which they then program to move as they choose. Technical knowledge and learning continues throughout the schools, with more applications being used as pupils move through the years. Headmistress Natasha Dangerfield says: “I firmly believe that technology in the classroom underpins much of today’s learning across all subject areas. Knowledge of technology and experience in its wide range of application will reduce barriers for girls wishing to enter Above STEM careers Westonbirt pupils and those in the Below digital and creative In the lab industries.”

“Tech knowledge will encourage girls to enter STEM careers and jobs in the digital industries”

One of the barriers to technology use amongst the older generation is the fear of pressing the wrong button or not knowing what to do. Pupils who engage with technology at an early age are not afraid to try new applications and will carry this learning with them as they grow. Younger boys and girls at Westonbirt Prep all have access to iPads and interactive white boards are used where teachers, using Classflow, can see all the iPad screens in the classroom at once and can zoom in on one and display it on the whiteboard to the class. Minecraft is used across the prep school as an additional educational tool. Younger children also use Sumdog for online mathematics, and computer-aided design programs called Techsoft 2D Design and Google SketchUp for drawing. For Key Stage 3, we use an app which has a number of interactive programs for designing and making mechanical toys. Meanwhile, another app is used for designing electronic circuit layouts as well as for designing and testing bridges.

The sport department in the senior school uses YouTube clips to demonstrate techniques such as sprint starts, and video technology is also used to play students' own performances back to them. iMuscle 2 is also used for sports planning and fitness. Sixth form pupil Scarlett says: “Over the years, the use of technology has definitely grown in the classroom and I find the use of programs like Photoshop very practical. Internet resources and apps are great sources of information for school subjects, both creative and academic.” The geography department uses iPads for research, often referring to specific websites like National Geographic and Kerboodle instead of paper textbooks. Kerboodle is packed with customisable learning content, assessment materials and reporting tools. In the creative departments, screen shots are used for recipes, for example, and videos used for Art History research. Technology use continues in the Classics department with the Cambridge Latin Course website linked with all manner of online activities as well as fantastic resources about the Roman world. Clearly, technology in the classroom is here to stay, and it brings the world to life at the touch of a button. At Westonbirt, staff are committed to ensuring pupils have access to the technology they need for research and learning, and pupils leave the sixth form confident in the knowledge that they can apply technology to a range of situations and use it effectively in their chosen careers.

D U N CA N T H O M P S O N Head of Digital Learning Westonbirt Schools 2016

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04/10/2016 10:08

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SENIOR / OPINION

HEAD

MAKE BELIEVE Marina Gardiner Legge, Head of Heathﬁeld School, on building self-assurance in girls

e might be well into the 21st century but there is still great inequality in the workplace. Not only is the gender pay gap still a fact but women, even those in senior positions, are also likely to be more anxious about their achievements than men, an occurence known as ‘imposter syndrome’. This syndrome was first publicised in the 1970s when Georgia State University academics identified a phenomenon whereby successful women were more likely to feel inadequate. I have heard time and time again about women who suddenly feel that they do not deserve their success and start to fear they will be ‘found out’.Facebook supremo Sheryl Sandberg has even gone on record to admit that she sometimes ‘feels like a fraud’. She is not alone. I have heard many women in public and in private musing on whether they deserve their success. So just what is happening here? Social media certainly has a part to play – with

“Sexist bullying leads to girls staying quiet in the classroom”

you’re swotty and clever and you answer too many questions then you’re not attractive to boys. There is a pressure to keep quiet." This fits in with research by The Guardian which found that women in the boardroom feel ‘a sexist bias in the boardroom; both conscious and unconscious’. If this is true, we have a direct correlation between compliant behaviour in the classroom and the workplace where those subconscious behaviours have taken hold. Giving girls the confidence to dispel those myths at a young age and not be subject to such pressures is, I believe, something which girls’ schools are in a unique position to do. Girls’ schools have the opportunity to recognise and strike at the heart of growing insecurities from a young age and teach young girls that vital but sometimes elusive self-belief Above within an environment where one’s physical more and more girls In the science lab appearance isn’t as important as one’s inner and young women Below qualities. constantly comparing On the lacrosse pitch Self-belief needs to be nurtured carefully themselves to images from giving girls the opportunity simply to online –and feeling less be heard to giving them the confidence to confident as a result. stand up and talk in front of a class. But I'm sure there is more to it. As an Self-belief can be instilled not just in the educator, I have been very interested in classroom but on the stage, on the sporting research showing girls are more compliant field or from giving girls the chance to than boys in the classroom to avoid being mentor other girls, lead an after school labelled as opinionated or even clever! activity, society or project. Earlier this year, Dr Mary I am passionate about Bousted, general secretary of helping girls to find their inner the Association of Teachers voice which might start from and Lecturers, hit the something as simple as giving headlines when she said she them the confidence to put believed ‘sexist bullying’ led their hand up and join a debate to girls keeping quiet in the but might end in them having classroom. the nerve not only to ask for She said: "Sexist bullying MARINA that pay rise but, crucially, to is the problem that doesn’t GARDINER LEGGE have the inner belief that they get talked about. There is Head of Heathfield School rightly deserve it. a very fine line between if 2016

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Talking

SENIOR / OPINION

HEAD

GIRLS ALLOWED Rebecca Tear, Headmistress of Badminton School on giving girls the freedom to learn

here are many reasons why parents choose to send their daughters to a girls’ school and rightly so; every child is an individual and that is the single most important consideration to appreciate when choosing the best school for them. Whilst there is no hard and fast rule that 'girls learn this way and boys learn that way', single-sex education creates amazing opportunities because there are no stereotypes; pupils will find much greater freedom to express themselves and pursue their interests. Arguably the single greatest benefit of an all-girls school is the breadth of educational opportunity which the girls enjoy; they do not just have access to equal opportunities, but rather to every opportunity. The girls occupy every role: every part in the play, every seat on the student council, every

“Girls do not just have access to equal opportunities but rather to every opportunity” position on every team. They also see every subject that is on offer as a positive option for themselves, not selecting ones that they may feel are for 'girls'. By choosing a girls’ school, it is important to remember that you have also chosen a specialist in that sphere of education. It is widely recognised that girls and boys mature at different rates and so it makes sense to tailor learning to fit their developmental needs. This removes any potential pressure in a classroom context. We recognise that life is co-ed, but by the time students move on to university or careers, they are out of the adolescent stages of their lives and are ready to be the person they discovered through those challenging years of growing up.

Ensuring that girls have academic league tables and is Above Pupils at Badminton experience of working with both able to celebrate our students’ School boys and girls from beyond the successes at university and small school community, however, beyond. In addition, Badminton is essential through their bucks national trends by school career. Shared revision classes, day routinely seeing a significant number of seminars and conferences which encourage girls studying, and succeeding in, STEM group academic debate with students are subjects at A-Level, supporting the important to supplement the specialist theory that girls embrace a wider range single sex environment. of challenges in a single sex environment. In such an environment, where girls This attitude isn’t limited to their activities confidently explore a diversity of academic in school, but extends to their career plans experiences, they naturally assume that and aspirations as evidenced in the diverse all options for the future are open to professional backgrounds of our alumnae them. This creates enormous freedom which include lawyers, doctors, architects, for them to discover what they enjoy and engineers, musicians, writers and more. what they excel at, not just Badminton only educates academically, but also beyond girls because we are the classroom. Developing in a confident that it brings a setting where they do not feel greater breadth and better self-conscious allows them to fit to the curriculum, that take academic risks and grow the girls perceive as entirely into confident individuals. As a for them. This enables a small community in the south comfortable and confident west of England, Badminton, working environment and, as REBECCA TEAR like so many other Girls professionals, the team who Headmistress of School Association schools, work at Badminton enjoy being Badminton School enjoys a good placing in the specialists in their field. 2016

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The

M A K ING of Me

Cressida Cowell The children’s author and illustrator on the very different inﬂuences of her two senior schools

I loved Marlborough more because it was freer – I was always in lots of trouble at St Paul’s and it’s hard to love a school that’s permanently telling you off.

ressida Cowell, 50, is a children’s author and illustrator, best known for the How to Train Your Dragon books, two of which have been made into award-winning animated films. She lives in west London with her husband and her three children.

What were your schooldays like? I was not totally straightforward as a schoolchild: very disorganised, very dreamy and very clever – I was reading Chaucer for pleasure at 14. Not necessarily what school was looking for. I was always in trouble for losing things and for handing in my homework late. Q

Where did you go to school and when? St Paul’s Girls’ School in the late 70s, before that Bute House (St Paul’s Girls’ Preparatory School) and then Marlborough College for sixth form. Q

What sort of school was it? What was its ethos? A St Paul’s was very feminist and academic; it promoted a fierce questioning intelligence. We weren’t expected to absorb knowledge passively, but to ask questions and speak out. Marlborough was more entrepreneurial, creative and accepting and, funnily enough more diverse than St Paul’s – it talked to the all-round child. There were pupils at Marlborough who said they didn’t want to go to university at all. You would never have heard that at St Paul’s. Q

Did you love it or hate it? St Paul’s was very feminist and I loved that. The underlying assumption was that women were as good as men – if not better. But it was an education that made me question education itself – it felt very narrowly academic. At St Paul’s, if you didn’t get into Oxbridge, you felt as if you had somehow failed. I was a very creative child and I wanted to do art A-Level but they said, ‘No, you are an academic child.’ That’s why I went to Marlborough, where I did four A-Levels: Art, History of Art, English and History. Q

Q Who was your favourite or most influential teacher? A Miss Mellows at Bute House – such a brilliant teacher. She gave me books that I could write stories in without her correcting the grammar. I made up masses of stories to put in this book. It was unmarked, which was terribly important. What you want to do is develop the child’s imagination and writing – nowadays it's difficult for children to develop that pure love of writing. I was simply copying The Famous Five but I was creating and Miss Mellows was uncritical. That one teacher had a huge effect on me. I also had an incredible, inspirational teacher at Marlborough, my charismatic head of art, Robin Child. His daughter, Lauren (the Charlie and Lola author), was at Marlborough with me and we are still great friends.

Did you have a favourite place at school? A I loved the countryside around Marlborough – it’s absolutely stunning. Even when I was young and going out for a sneaky fag I really appreciated it. I really like the girls-only places at Marlborough. We had a special place for break and girls-only dorms. It gave us a great sense of sisterhood Ω we were 10 to one in those days! Q

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PROFILE

Above Cressida as a child in Scotland

What was your proudest achievement? My friendships, my soulmates, from those days. Q

“There was a great sense of sisterhood at Marlborough, we were 10 to one in those days!”

Q What was the most trouble you got into? A I was always getting caught smoking at Marlborough, and always in trouble for being chaotic. If I had a pound for every teacher who said, “You’ll never make anything of yourself being so disorganised”... Q What is your most vivid memory of your time there? A I loved the singing and music at St Paul’s. There was an incredible organist. I adored the carol concerts, singing very loudly and wildly out of tune. Q Would you send your own children there? A I wouldn’t send my children to boarding school. I want them at home. All three are currently at Latymer Upper. We are very lucky, it is down the road from where we live.

A Growing up I didn’t know any writers or filmmakers in the way my own children do now. My father was a businessman and there were a lot of politicians in my family. I knew I wanted to do something creative. At school I was always writing books. I briefly worked in publishing but realised I wanted to be on the other side.

What are your plans for the future? I’ve got something very exciting coming in September 2017 – a whole new series I’m working on for eight- to 12-year-olds. And I’m an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust and World Book Day – getting children to read is very important to me. Q

How did school influence the person you are today? A I think I’m a pretty strong feminist. I’m a questioner and I’m very creative. I think the two schools balanced me – I have the entrepreneurial side that Marlborough encouraged and the questioning side from St Paul’s. I was in education for a long time and I use all of it now – at Oxford I read AngloSaxon and did Beowulf and at art school I studied illustration. Everything has had a part to play in where I am today. Q

Did you ever imagine as a schoolgirl that you’d be a famous writer? Q

Q How would you sum up your school days in five words? A Inspiring, creative and being scolded!

The Incomplete Book of Dragons (Hodder Children’s Books, £12.99) is available in paperback from 6 October

2016

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04/10/2016 11:54

Talking

SENIOR / OPINION

HEAD

UNITED WE STAND Chris Townsend, Headmaster of Felsted School, on educating today’s students for a global future

n Friday 23rd June, much of the UK awoke to hear news that shocked and surprised parts of the country. Whatever one’s view of the vote, the referendum has forced all of us to consider carefully our relationships with the rest of the world. As head of Felsted, a school that is proud to be a Global Member of the Round Square (a movement of more than 170 schools worldwide), a proponent of the International Baccalaureate, a school with a thriving international summer school and a school that celebrates internationalism amongst a diverse student body that includes 20% from around the world, representing more than 35 countries, and speaking a wide variety of languages, it seems inconceivable that we would want Right anything other than The MUN at Felsted to celebrate our Below place in the world. Pupils in the boarding house Today’s teenagers

our 450th anniversary in 2014 with a special visit from Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. (Oliver Cromwell educated his four sons at Felsted including his successor, Richard Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland 1658-59). Every pupil who is educated at Felsted will get a sense of what it is to come to an English school, and they can watch cricket on the playing fields, even if much of it is now played by the girls. There was a time when the great British public schools were seen as the educators of young men for empire. Those days are long gone, but now we have a great opportunity to educate young men and women, who will embrace the challenges of the coming decades, recognise the mistakes that our generation has made, and seek solutions for those mistakes. These young people will work with other nations, whether as part of the European Union, or as citizens of the world. This is why activities like the Model United Nations are so important, to start the thought process that will make will almost certainly find themselves children look outwards at the world, and working in global markets, enjoying lives ask the fundamental question of how their that are more fluid and international than generation can make it a better place. Also, any previous generation. Even if politicians this is why we should not be afraid of the (and voters) have sought to close the door Brexit vote, but excited about the potential to the wider world, as educators it is our of the young people in our schools to be responsibility to ensure that the young agents for change. As a school we have links people of today understand more about the to charities in Uganda (Volunteer Uganda), world that they live in, the vast variety of Malawi (Sparkle Malawi) and Mumbai cultures and life-styles, the problems, the (Magic Bus). We also send sports teams, challenges and the opportunities. Many of drama groups, choir tours and academic the greatest difficulties that explorations all around the will face the next generation world; this is not only a good will not be local issues, but thing, but an essential part will require global solutions. of what we, and many other They will need skills of schools do, to look outwardly. understanding, negotiation, establish partnerships and consideration and compromise friendships and embrace more than anything, if they globalism, and all that it are to make a difference to the offers to us as teachers, to our CHRIS J TOWNSEND world in which they will live. schools, and most importantly Headmaster Felsted remains true to its to each and every one of Felsted School British heritage. We celebrated our pupils.

“Today’s teenagers will enjoy lives more ﬂuid and international than previous generations”

2016

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05/10/2016 14:37

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Heathrow 2 hours Birmingham 1 hour Bristol 45 minutes

04/10/2016 11:49

Talking

SENIOR / OPINION

HEAD

WE ARE THE WORLD Anthony Spencer, Principal of St Lawrence College, makes the case for a truly diverse school

t's intrinsic for most of us in education to treat our fellow human beings without prejudice. Yet it’s a fair challenge to make to schools: how diverse are we? It’s also a challenge to make to parents when they are forming their ideas about what kind of school they are looking for. It is common for a parent to look for a school that is filled with pupils whose parents are just like them, or in some cases a school that reminds them of the one they went to themselves. So some schools may be perhaps more in their marketing portrayal than in reality - filled with children from the white, professional middle class. If that is the school a parent is looking for, there’s a good choice of such schools. But I would make the case for choosing a school that is genuinely diverse. I make this case partly because the United Kingdom has changed more than some parents realise. The ISC 2016 Census provides interesting information about independent schools in the UK, including the statistic that 30% of school pupils in UK independent schools are now from a non-white background, a rise of 7% over the last seven years. The figures for state schools are broadly the same. London has over 50% of pupils in independent schools from the inappropriately named 'minority ethnic' category. The UK is increasingly ethnically diverse, although the distribution is patchy between schools and areas. It is a similar picture with socio-economic diversity, with 30% of all independent school pupils receiving some degree of fee support. The trend is away from a 25% or 50% scholarship for a good rugby player etc, and towards full means tested support in

“30% of school pupils in UK independent schools are now from a nonwhite background”

value of differences. Retreating into gated communities and ethnic and religious ghettos would not be a successful future. A boarding school where all the pupils are from white high income English families is not particularly any better than one where all the boarders are from Hong Kong. The alternative isn’t about reading “Diversity for Dummies” but goes deeper: seeing the value of everybody, whether in a school or workplace, requires moral underpinnings, whether that comes in school from a faith position that sees all people as made in the image of God, or a more secular focus upon the value of humanity. National differences - regardless of Brexit - are breaking down in significance. Increasing numbers of international pupils have dual passports, whether EU or UK, and a past stereotyped link between scholarships or bursaries. ethnic background and nationality Above Pupils at St The case for a diverse school just doesn’t work; my black pupils Lawrence College is essentially based upon what may be from Nigeria or London, we think the purpose of an or all kinds of passport and education is. If we see education residence variations. I also have as preparing pupils not just to take exams Nepalese pupils, ethnically Asian but UK and get into university, but preparing nationals by virtue of their Gurkha fathers them to thrive in the future, then the in the British Army. In an area of the UK sooner our children get used to living in a that has traditionally been one of the most diverse world, the better for them. Their homogenously white communities in the UK future will involve working in coalitions (now rapidly changing), I have local white of people across countries, in fluid teams and non-white day parents who have chosen with all kinds of backgrounds, where the school precisely because they see the communication across benefits of such diversity. cultures will be fundamental So amongst all the other to success, and where criteria when considering insensitivity to difference schools, I would add this: does could lead to failure. the school have a healthy mix This isn’t about an anodyne of pupils (and ideally staff ) passivity to avoid causing across a range of national, offence, but about genuine ethnic, religious and sociounderstanding which allows economic backgrounds; is it ANTONY SPENCER us to get the very best out ultimately a diverse school Principal of of those we work with, that preparing pupils for a diverse St Lawrence College appreciates the existence and world? 2016

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07/09/2016 11:03 13:47 04/10/2016

Talking

SENIOR / OPINION

HEAD

WORLD VIEW Katy Ricks, Head of Sevenoaks School, believes the IB diploma prepares today’s generation for tomorrow

n 1774, a young Chinese man arrived in England, curious to learn about the country, eager to broaden his horizons and hoping to improve his understanding of science and trade. His name was Huang Ya Dong and he became Sevenoaks School’s first international student (and probably the first Chinese school pupil in Britain). Huang Ya Dong may have preceded the majority of international students in Sevenoaks by two centuries, but maybe he was not so different to today’s students with their intellectual curiosity and desire to experience cultural variety. As we see a new influx of students into the UK, our independent schools are ideally positioned to offer a modern education which fosters an open mind and develops global awareness, for local, international

“The IB encourages students to become compassionate lifelong learners” and expatriate students. One of the best ways to do this is to offer the International Baccalaureate diploma. Developed in the 1960s, the IB provides an unparalleled education, encouraging students to become compassionate lifelong learners who, in the words of the IB Organisation, ‘understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right’. The IB requires the acquisition of expert knowledge and looks beyond the traditional boundaries between academic disciplines. While a traditional English education might lead to three or four subjects at A-Level, the IB offers a different approach – breadth without compromising depth. It allows sixth form students to study a wide range of subjects, while giving them the freedom to choose which to study in greater depth.

and research, is satisfying for students and a superb preparation for undergraduate study. In addition, pupils’ critical thinking skills are developed through the Theory of Knowledge course and their capacity for human sympathy and social understanding through the Creativity, Action and Service programme. Learning is enhanced through study trips and exchanges, and students can develop their social and political awareness through service and enterprise activities such as Model United Nations, debating, fundraising and hands-on charity action such as working in the local community. IB graduates are outwardlooking and possess an ability to apply their knowledge creatively to new situations. They are genuinely well-rounded people and this, together with their Of course, students need to spirit of intellectual inquiry and Above play to their strengths, and the critical thinking skills, makes A pupil at Sevenoaks IB allows them to choose three them attractive to universities. subjects at Higher Level which An IBSCA report for 2015 will prepare them in depth for showed that 80 per cent of university, and three subjects at Standard university admissions officers believed Level, thus ensuring that all parts of the that the IB developed global awareness mind are engaged and expanded. All must and connectivity (against ten per cent for study English, mathematics, a science, A-Levels). The offer and acceptance rates a humanities subject and a modern or for IB Diploma students are notably above classical language. They are also able to other post-16 qualifications, and in the US, it take a creative art or to specialise further is a passport to top universities. by taking an additional science, humanity or Sevenoaks School has offered the IB language. since 1978 and it is now taken The IB encourages pupils by our entire sixth form. to explore their academic Around 23 per cent of our passions with rigour. pupils live outside the UK, and A good example of this is the others have dual nationality or Extended Essay – around have attended school overseas. 4,000 words on a topic they Sevenoaks students leave us are particularly interested in. at 18 with a global network of It fosters independent learning friends, a qualification which and deep subject knowledge; is recognised at universities KATY RICKS Head of Sevenoaks School with the additional skills it around the world and an develops, such as footnoting international worldview. 2016

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INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC DAY & BOARDING SCHOOL PREPARATORY † SENIOR † SIXTH FORM -

A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITY BOTH

INSIDE & OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Head of Thornton College, Mrs Jo Storey

Thornton College is situated on the Buckinghamshire/ Northamptonshire border and educates just under 400 girls aged 2 ½ to 18. Children of all faiths and of none are welcome. Thornton is well known for its exceptional pastoral care, outstanding academic achievement and high expectations of all its pupils. It is one of the top performing non selective schools in the UK. Pupils respect one another, value the community spirit, have fun learning and accomplish great things. They are extremely well educated both inside and outside of the classroom and grow up with confidence and a strong sense of humility. For further details and to request a prospectus visit the school website

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03/02/2016 15:44

PROMOTION

A perfect gem An education at one of Ireland’s top schools for boys

lenstal Abbey School stands out as one of the leading boarding schools in Ireland for boys aged 12-18. Situated in County Limerick, in the heart of Munster, Glenstal Abbey is only 40 minutes' drive from Shannon Airport and just over two hours' drive from Dublin Airport. Glenstal is a small school with small classes; there are approximately 250 students divided into groups mostly of 12 to 16 pupils, in line with the clear policy and academic vision of the school. A Catholic school, Glenstal welcomes students from all traditions and sees itself as a partner with parents in the formation and nurturing of its students in a climate of learning. Each student at Glenstal is encouraged to fulfill his potential. The school’s ethos is grounded in the values of reverence, respect and responsibility drawn from a long monastic tradition.

“Academia, pastoral care, sport, art and music are seamlessly woven into the educational fabric”

The Irish Department of Education and Skills recently completed a Whole School Evaluation on the management, leadership and learning at Glenstal Abbey School. The report warmly endorsed the school’s academic, pastoral, sporting, art and music programmes: “All these aspects of the students’ experience appear to be woven into a fabric of care, support and pedagogy to nurture the academic, social and personal development of the students while in the care of the school.” Glenstal has regularly topped The Sunday Times ‘Parent Power’ survey over the last 10 years. These tables are based on the percentage of students progressing to universities in Ireland and the UK. There is no better way for parents to discover what life is like for a students here than to explore the school and its grounds for themselves. Above

Year 11 pupils at Glenstal Abbey

The annual boarding fee is in the order of €23,500 For further information about Glenstal Abbey School see www.glenstal.com email admissions@glenstal.com or telephone +35361621044 2016

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YES TO EUROPE We voted no to the EU but more students than ever are crossing the channel for university J A N E T T E WA L L I S

n the last century, most of us viewed the offerings of European universities with the enthusiasm we showed continental delicacies like French horse meat, Sardinian maggot cheese or Norweigan boiled lamb’s head. Foreign, and worthy of respect, but most definitely not for us. That was in the days before tuition fees and grade inflation. Funny how £9,000 fees and spiralling demand for British university places can make European offerings look very appetising indeed. For more than a decade, the tide of Brits studying in Europe has been rising steadily. The number of British students at Maastricht University in Holland, which teaches most courses in English, has quadrupled in the past five years.

The good…

ost is probably the biggest motivating factor behind the surge. In 2017, UK tuition fees will rise to £9,250 per year, and they were already the highest in Europe. By contrast, universities in Denmark, Austria, Norway, Greece, Germany, Ireland, and elsewhere charge no fees at all to EU students. Maastricht charges only around £1,600 a year.

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But money isn’t everything – many British students only look to Europe after failing to win a university place in the UK. Gap years and crammers, once the traditional remedies of the disappointed, have been supplanted by turning to Europe, where overseas credentials may set British students apart – in a good way – and money may be saved in the process. The growth in English Medium Instruction, especially at post-graduate level but increasingly for undergraduate study too, has made all the difference. Maastricht led the way, taking the decision to offer most courses in English from 1996. The university’s write-up in Uni in the USA… and Beyond, a student guide to study abroad, says it all: “With an admissions process that will practically send a taxi for British applicants, it’s a wonder that people aren’t abandoning UCAS in droves to get out here.” Other top destinations for UK students are Utrecht University, the University of Copenhagen, the Polytechnic

“Funny how £9,000 of fees and spiralling demand can make Europe look appetising”

University of Milan (where all graduate courses are taught in English), and Trinity College, Dublin. British students who can speak, or are willing to learn, a European language, have even greater choice. Online search engines like StudyInEurope offer useful filters, allowing prospective applicants to choose European universities based on language of instruction, fees, subject of study and even cost of living. Independent schools have been standardbearers in the march to Europe. Their applications to US universities have also risen, but Europe is closer and your Ryanair chariot awaits you. At Dulwich College

2016

05/10/2016 12:54

SCHOOL LE AV ER / FE ATUR E

Above Dulwich College pupils: keen on Europe Right ...As is Headmaster Joe Spence

roughly a dozen boys consider university in Europe each year, a rise from half a dozen two or three years ago. Headmaster Dr Joseph Spence endorses the trend: “It really does widen the horizons and, in an increasingly competitive job market, I can’t help believing that a good degree from the foreign university will stand out from a 2:1 from any one of those universities up the A1 to which independently educated pupils so naturally progress, in their herds,” he says. Cheltenham Ladies College also reports more of its girls aiming for university in Europe: “Over the last five years, around 15 per cent of CLC girls have chosen to study 2016

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SCHOOL LE AV ER / FE ATUR E

The ugly…

he European option will become more of a gamble once the UK leaves the EU. British students’ tuition fees may rise, as they will no longer benefit from EU citizenship, and they could no longer be eligible for student loans and free European medical insurance. Universities have, so far, kept calm and expressed the will, if not the way, to carry on. The Erasmus Programme, which since 1987 has allowed over 200,000 UK students to study for periods of up to a year at European universities, has said there will be “no immediate change” to the UK’s participation. In the longer term, though, Britain may need to dream up its own exchange programme. Arnold Digva, in Poland, feels relatively bullish. “When we leave the EU I’m sure we will go to having a relationship like Norway with the EU – there are many Norwegians at the university and they don’t have any problems studying. The issue is whether the UK would accept the degrees from the EU.”

Above & below Sixth formers at Cheltenham Ladies College

abroad,” the school told us. “And Europe was the second most popular destination, after the US.” Arnold Digva had lined up an impressive list of exam results when he left Nottingham High School a few years ago with three A’s at A-Level. But when his UCAS application for dentistry fell flat, he decided to look abroad. He is now completing his degree at Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland and has never looked back: “I definitely enjoyed studying abroad and it made me into a different person.” An exception to the rule of cheap courses in Europe, Arnold’s tuition fees are £10,000-£12,000 per year, but this is the

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same for all students, whether from the EU or further afield. “In my year we have six Brits in a class of 30, so that’s quite a lot. There are more and more UK students coming here each year, which has led to the university establishing an admissions office in London.”

The bad…

ot everyone’s European adventure works out as seamlessly, so choosing carefully is important. Simon Hudson, who enrolled in an economics masters degree at KU Leuven, was disappointed with the teaching. “I experienced a very different (in many ways worse), oldfashioned style of learning and teaching there.” The following year Simon moved to The United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT). “I was among an incredibly diverse and international group of people from 50-odd countries and I preferred its problem-based learning.” Living costs can be higher than in the UK, and the weak post-Brexit pound has made survival in many European cities fiendishly expensive. Don’t assume you will be assigned accommodation – or anything else. “They expect you to fend for yourself,” says John Wallis, co-author of Uni In the USA… and Beyond. “Finding an acceptable place to stay will take hard work, patience and a willingness to settle for less than what you were hoping for.”

“Independent schools have been standard-bearers in the march to Europe” “Brexit could be devastating for UK higher education,” says Harriet Plyler, who runs the Good Schools Guide International. “Before the referendum people had no idea how much UK university funding came from the EU. We now know that fees alone paid by EU students totalled £600m a year by 2015. Fees will have to rise significantly here to make up the shortfall. European options, as well as the US, will likely become even more attractive to UK students than they are now.” Even in a worst-case scenario, in which UK students end up having to pay the same in Europe as non-EU students do, the fees will still, usually, be less than in the UK. Some EU countries already charge the same price (sometimes zero) to all students, wherever they come from. If all else fails, Ireland’s Boarding Schools Conference advises British sixth formers to examine their family ancestry for an Irish grandparent for access to an EU passport and the study rights it may carry. Never has Irish citizenship been more highly prized!

JA N E T T E WA L LI S Senior Editor The Good Schools Guide goodschoolsguide.co.uk

2016

05/10/2016 12:56

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13/01/2016 11:53

CRU NCH TIME The safety of children’s rugby has been under the public lens like never before this year. Here some schools outline how they tackle the perils of the pitch

“The RFU has made great changes”

JOHN MALLETT DIRECTOR OF RUGBY Millf ield School

illfield is committed to ensuring a safe environment for our pupils’ learning. Exploring, creating, enjoyment and a degree of risk are all important parts of this. Playing sports is a well-established means of achieving an effective learning environment and rugby’s values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship are a good foundation for education through sport. The boys playing rugby are divided by their age groups and

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BOYS PLAYING RUGBY ARE DIVIDED BY THEIR AGE GROUPS AND THEIR PLAYING ABILITIES

their playing abilities. A competitive fixture list of appropriate age and ability levels is an important part of rugby delivery at Millfield. I have been part of the Age Grade Competition Review for the Rugby Football Union (RFU). This has been an important driver for the introduction of new rules of play to ensure safety is at the heart of the game. These changes are in place up to the Under 11 age group and are being introduced up to Under 15 in the 2016/17 season. In addition to the pitch-side physiotherapy cover, all Millfield rugby staff have completed the online RFU ‘Headcase’ concussion training module. For the 2016/17 season, all rugby staff will have complete their ‘Rugby Ready’ course too. From our annual concussion audits we have implemented an increased focus on tackle technique at Under 14 level, more appropriately balanced fixtures and greater staff, pupil and parent awareness on concussion. All these recent developments will further benefit the safe delivery of school rugby. The RFU ‘RugbySafe’ programme, meanwhile, is an excellent resource for schools and enhancing the safe delivery of rugby overall.

2016

05/10/2016 14:15

SCHOOL’S OUT / RUGBY

“We work with Bath RFC on conditioning”

PETER SHORT

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY C a n fo r d S c h o o l

uch has been made in the media of the increased number of injuries in the sport. It is widely acknowledged that professional players are becoming larger and stronger. Therefore a high level of strength is becoming paramount across all positions and at all levels. Canford firmly believes that young rugby players

need a long-term, comprehensive programme of skills and conditioning that includes well-planned and well-supervised strength training from an early age. With a variety of standards, the aim is to challenge players of all abilities and ages through appropriate strength and conditioning protocols following RFU guidelines. The school recently took part in the University of Bath's study in conjunction with the RFU aiming to show that there are some injuries that may be preventable through improving elements of physical fitness such as strength, power, balance and agility. Canford is a satellite training centre for Bath RFC and has developed appropriately

WEIGHT BANDING IS NOT THE ANSWER. AT CANFORD WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SMALL BOYS DOING WELL

designed resistance training programmes with Bath coaches as an essential component for all pupils according to their training age, motor skills, competency, technical proficiency and existing strength levels. It also follows the principles of Bath’s physical conditioning model, split into three levels depending on target age and level of competency. Weight banding is not the answer. There are a number of smaller boys at Canford doing very well in the Bath Elite Player Development Group Academy. As educators, we believe that the key is to know your players in order to keep the right amount of pressure on them and ensure they remain in the ‘learning zone’ – and advocate playing up a year group if that works well, while acknowledging that in other cases it would put pupils in a situation where they would be unable to cope. Our focus is on developing the core skills and generating a genuine enthusiasm to continue with the sport well into adulthood by providing a challenging rugby programme for all levels. 2016

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29/09/2016 13:21

PARENTS KNOW NOT ALL PRIVATE, CO-ED SCHOOLS ARE TRULY EQUAL. Simply admitting girls is not enough. Can all co-ed schools claim there are as many opportunities, particularly in leadership roles, for girls as for boys? Is there an equal emphasis in the classroom, on sport, in societies, in cocurricular activity? We invite you to visit with your daughter and let her experience a day in the life of a girl at Rugby School.

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04/10/2016 16:01

05/10/2016 09:53

SCHOOL’S OUT / RUGBY

“The new rules introduce contact gradually”

NIGEL REED

DIRECTOR OF SPORT Wa l h a m p t o n P r e p S c h o o l

I “We make sure our players are protected”

BRIAN ROBINSON HEAD OF RUGBY

C a m p b e l l C o l l e g e , B e l fa s t

ampbell College boasts an enviable track record on the rugby pitch as 23-time winner of the Ulster Schools’ Cup – the second-oldest rugby tournament in the world. Therefore we take the sport and the safety of our rugby players very seriously indeed. As the game has developed over the years, we at school level have had to keep pace with these changes. That means strictly following the guidelines around injuries and ensuring that we endeavour to minimise any risk

to the players. The concussion protocols are clear and we go above and beyond to make sure our players are protected. We train all our pupils on concussion at the earliest stage through specific sessions, and we have safety posters everywhere around the school. We also work with parents to communicate the protocols and ensure we are all working together for the benefit of the pupils. We have recently been signed up as a Schools Academy Partner with Ulster Rugby, which offers fantastic opportunities for our up-and-coming talent whilst also ensuring that we continue to be at the forefront of player safety. Rugby is an amazing game and one that teaches teamwork, discipline and endurance. We all need to work hard to ensure our pupils continue to enjoy this fantastic sport in the safest way possible.

THE CONCUSSION PROTOCOLS ARE CLEAR AND WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE OUR PLAYERS ARE SAFE

t would be fair to say that when the new rules at Under 9 level were introduced to prep schools three years ago I was not totally in favour, as I felt that the old rules worked well. Since then, however, I have seen their benefits. First and foremost, the core skills of running, passing and catching are still at the heart of the new game and whether you are a forward or a back, you have to have develop these skills to be successful. At all prep schools our core purpose is to prepare the children for the next stage of their education and sport is no different. The new continuum introduces the contact side of the game gradually

and so the less aggressive children have an opportunity to participate. The set plays have changed and so the game no longer gets bogged down with scrums and line-outs, which at prep school level were often a bit of a lottery and slowed the game up. Probably the most important positive is that smaller numbers in each team means we can involve more children in matches by playing festivals and mini-tournament safely as opposed to the traditional single fixtures against other schools. 2016

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05/10/2016 09:54

SCHOOL’S OUT / RUGBY

“It’s about equal ability players”

IAIN SCARISBRICK DEPUTY MASTER CO-CURRICULAR

Dulwich College

“We build skills over time”

IAIN SIMPSON DIRECTOR OF SPORT Oakham School

here are risks in children taking part in all sports – not just rugby. Schools need to be aware of all risk, across every sport that they offer. For the 400-plus boys who enjoy rugby at Oakham, we teach them to identify the risks (a valuable life lesson) and give them the skills to deal with them and the resilience to make the right decisions while ensuring the right safety nets are always in place. There are a number of challenges to teaching rugby safely in schools – it is, after all, a contact sport.

Coaching students correctly is crucial. Trained and experienced coaches are an absolute necessity. We manage contact sessions so that the emphasis is on correct and safe technique rather than the one-sided expression of a player’s dominant velocity and mass. This can be achieved by the use of tackle shields, suits, and by limiting high-velocity contact in training. Non-contact touch rugby is another method that allows the boys to develop the relevant techniques, enabling them to play the game more safely. At Oakham, boys play in groups that are not simply banded by age but also by playing ability and experience. And we have the right safety measures in place; all of our coaches have been trained in the management of injury, particularly concussions, and we employ two paramedic crews on match days.

ugby in schools has always offered a range of positive experiences. Now, as the game itself moves on, schools must adapt too. At Dulwich we have introduced initiatives to address the changing game. At younger age levels, pupils are taught the core aspects of the game within carefully chosen groups so they play with others of equal ability and aptitude. Some will learn many of the skills required but without the physical contact element. Older pupils who have experienced rugby but feel it is not for them are free to choose alternative sports options. Expert coaches are trained using RFU and internal courses, enabling all of them to teach children of a wide range of ability levels. They work regularly with the same group of children to maintain continuity and decide when pupils are ‘rugby ready’. Managing rugby injuries continues to be a top priority. Qualified medics are always pitch-side, and this month we will write to all parents and encourage them to read the RFU guidelines and also complete the online ‘Headcase’ concussion awareness module.

WE TEACH THE BOYS TO IDENTIFY THE RISKS AND GIVE THEM THE SKILLS TO DEAL WITH THEM 2016

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B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N

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“A wonderful place to grow a rooted sense of self, and joy in life and learning” Good Schools Guide 2016

Weekly boarding | 1 hour from London

To book a place on an open morning or to arrange an individual visit, please contact Janie Jarman, Registrar. T 01730 711 733 E jjarman@bedales.org.uk Petersfield, Hampshire GU32 2DG

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WORLD CLASS SCHOOLS AWARD 2015 40 OXBRIDGE PLACES SINCE 2013 OFSTED OUTSTANDING IN BOTH EDUCATION AND BOARDING

T S APIENTIA

JUST AN HOUR FROM STANSTED INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

WYMONDHAM COLLEGE TOP 20 PERFORMING STATE SCHOOL IN ENGLAND 2016

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR OPEN DAYS AND GUIDED TOURS ON OUR WEBSITE NOW TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR 2017/2018 E: enquiries@wymondhamcollege.org T: 01953 609000 W: www.wymondhamcollege.org

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05/10/2016 09:54

Talking

SCHOOL’S OU T / OPINION

HEAD

NINE LIVES Craig Considine, Headmaster of Millﬁeld, on his school’s specialised programme to boost teenagers’ self conﬁdence

hen we launched our Year 9 programme, ‘Nine at Millfield’, in 2014, it was with the knowledge that 13 year olds are different to 18 year olds. They need a different learning environment and a different level of pastoral support. Getting that mix right – at Millfield this means providing an added level of pastoral support, inspiring learning opportunities and a challenging outdoor programme – allows us to do wonderful things for a 13-14 year old’s development. ‘Nine at Millfield’ was conceived from my own experience as Director of CoCurriculum at Geelong School in Australia. Geelong created ‘Timbertop’ over 60 years ago and it continues to flourish today Learning is at the heart of our programme, and we offer a curriculum which is as broad as it is challenging and involving. From Mandarin to Latin to Product Design, our pupils have a broad range of academic options from which to choose. Coupled with this is the importance of mobile learning and digital skills. We believe they are vital for this generation of young people. That is why we run a digital skills course for all Year 9 pupils and use iPads as a tool to enhance learning to better

'Nine at Millﬁeld' is based on my experience teaching in Australia equip pupils with the knowledge they will need in workplaces of the future. For me, outdoor education levels the playing field. We regularly see the confidence a pupil has gained from the skills, commitment and resilience required in pursuing an outdoor activity being transferred into their engagement academically. We are lucky to have the wonderful Somerset countryside on our doorstep, allowing outdoor based learning to be at our fingertips, be that hiking, camping in Exmoor National Park or the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. Without a strong pastoral system it can be easy for young people to feel out of their Above depth as they adjust to a new life in senior Millfield. Every Cricket in the Somerset school. Where once they were the big fish Year 9 pupil is countryside in a smaller pond, they are now thrust into involved in a Left a busy life in an often larger environment. team-based games A pupil practises This support network starts with having programme at least falconry Year 9-only houses in the heart of campus, four times a week. giving pupils the set up they need to really We are very lucky get to know the school and succeed. As a to have many ex internationals and former full boarding school with a high ex-pat and Olympians in our staff body. From Jol Finck, international intake, this can be all the more our Director of Swimming who coached vital for a child who is moving far from home. Team GB at the Rio Olympics to John Year 9 houseparents and Mallett, Director of Rugby and assistant houseparents former England international, oversee every aspect of a the expertise in our coaching child’s wellbeing and academic staff is second to none. As progress at Millfield, and each we embark on our third year house is supported by a high of Nine at Millfield, we are staff to pupil ratio. By Year 10 encouraged that our approach pupils can make a confident to educating 13-14 year olds transition to life with older is developing results, and is pupils and integrate into a a positive stepping stone to CRAIG CONSIDINE Headmaster of Millfield broader house environment. an enriching senior school Sport is a big part of life at experience. 2016

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B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N

06/10/2016 10:57

A compass for life

AMPLEFORTH COLLEGE & ST MARTIN’S AMPLEFORTH

A sense of belonging in the Ampleforth valley Co-educational boarding and day school for 3-18 www.ampleforth.org.uk AMPLEFORTH.indd 1

30/09/2016 14:59

‘‘Bringing out the best in boys’’

A day in the life of Aldro... come and see for yourself If you would like to attend an Open Morning, to request a prospectus, or to arrange an individual tour, please contact the Admissions Office on 01483 813535 or email: admissions@aldro.org Aldro, Lombard Street, Shackleford, Godalming, Surrey GU8 6AS www.aldro.org ALDRO.indd 1

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Outstanding education at one of the UK’s leading co-ed boarding schools Less than one hour from Leeds Bradford International Airport Clifton St Olave’s St Peter’s 01904 527300 www.stpetersyork.org.uk 3–8 8–13 13–18 Registered Charity Number: 1141329

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Be all you can be St Ed’s is a day and boarding school where every pupil is connected by a love of learning, the pursuit of possibility and the challenge of being the very best they can be. 01227 475601 | www.stedmunds.org.uk ST EDMUNDS SCHOOL CANTERBURY.indd 1

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More than a school 03/10/2016 12:15

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Senior School (11 - 18) Boarding and Day

I NDEPENDENT C O -E DUCATIONAL S CHOOL

• First-class education in a fantastic rural location, easily accessible by rail (2 hours from London by train) and air (20 minutes from nearest regional airport).

• Full range of generous scholarships available. Please email info@blundells.org or ring +44 (0)1884 252543 for more information.

Tiverton • Devon • EX16 4DN • UK • www.blundells.org BLUNDELLS.indd 1

F L A I R

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D I S C I P L I N E

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A C A D E M I C

R I G O U R

REGI

BROMSGROVE SCHOOL FOUNDED 1553

One of the country’s leading Day and Boarding Schools Come and see us at work - we welcome individual visits, please contact us to make an appointment. Huge investment in boarding and sports facilities. Heart of England location with easy access to the Midlands motorway network. Set in 100 acres of beautiful tree-lined parkland.

ISI Inspection 2016 - Excellent in every category Co-educational, Day and Boarding 1400 pupils aged 7 to 18 with 500 full time boarders Please contact Admissions to arrange a visit Telephone: 01527 579679 email: admissions@bromsgrove-school.co.uk www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk BROMSGROVE SCHOOL.indd 1

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05/10/2016 09:56

Co-educational, day & boarding school for 3-18 years in South East England

Boarding from 7 to 18 years Warm and supportive ethos Full weekend programme for boarders Strong academic results at 11+, GCSE and A Level Outstanding modern and traditional facilities Fast, Direct Rail Link to London

T: 01843 572931 E: admissions@slcuk.com College Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7AE

www.slcuk.com

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BONO • VINC

03/10/2016 16:38

Catholic Day and Boarding School for girls aged 11 to 18 • Experience teaching the IB Diploma for over 35 years • Exclusive pre-IB Middle Years Programme • Nurture and support: girls gain excellent results • Places achieved at top Universities worldwide

• Scholarships and bursaries available • Multilingualism: up to 9 languages taught • Internationalism: over 40 nationalities, yet one shared mission • All faiths welcome

Please contact: admissions@marymountlondon.com www.marymountlondon.com Tel: 020 8949 0571 George Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT2 7PE. MARYMOUNT.indd 1

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04/10/2016 10:02

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Registered in Scotland as a charity number SC008903 STRATHALLAN.indd 1

04/02/2016 17:39

Traditional values delivering outstanding academic results Scholarship Opportunities into Years 7 and 9 Academic, Art, Sport, Music and Performing Arts TAUNTON

An education for life 01823 340830 www.queenscollege.org.uk admissions@queenscollege.org.uk

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‘Pupils’ overall achievement is excellent’ - ISI Report 2015

The only Round Square independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 in the UK. An IB World School situated in 150 acres of landscaped countryside in Kent. Only 17 minutes by fast train from London and an hour or less from all major London Airports. Offering the International Baccalaureate in the Sixth Form and a one year Pre-IB course. Full EFL support available.

T: +44(0)1474 823371 COBHAM HILL.indd 1

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www.cobhamhall.com

/cobhamhall

@cobhamhall 04/10/2016 14:50

05/10/2016 09:57

“A very special place to grow up in” Good Schools Guide

FRANC

HA LEAL

ETO GE

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Your daughter is unique, her education will be.

Top 5

BOARDING SCHOOL for GIRLS iN THE UK

• The very best in British education • Superb achievements in Music, Drama and STEM subjects (Science, technology, engineering, maths) • iPad Centre of Excellence • Forest School in our own wooded campus

Talbot Heath Independent School for Girls aged 3-18

ST MARY’S CALNE A Top Independent Boarding & Day School For Girls Aged 11-18

For further information or to visit the school, please contact admissions@stmaryscalne.org +44 (0) 1249 857200 stmaryscalne.org

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• National finalists in sixteen sports • UK No.1 Tennis School for Girls, No.4 in the World • Private minibuses to London Airports. • Voted in the top 5 boarding schools for girls in the UK by Study International, Oct 2015

Rothesay Rd | Bournemouth | Dorset Tel: 01202 761881 | talbotheath.org Get social with us, search @TalbotHeathSch

Full boarding £3428 per term, Weekly £3059 per term, Flexi £61 per night/£150 for 3 nights inc weekends. Senior tuition £4444 per term.

Building confidence & character since 1886

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inspiring independent minds

Dyslexia

SCHOOL SEARCH

A top 100 day and boarding school for girls aged 9 to 18

Experts in placing children with Educational Learning Difficulties. • Dyslexia • Dyspraxia • Dyscalculia • Dysgraphia • Autism • Asperger’s Syndrome • and other complex learning difficulties

YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE

• Dynamic curriculum sitting alongside an excellent co-curricular programme.

Let us help you find your way and the best school for your child.

• Academic success in a beautiful environment, with room to explore and grow. • Outstanding pastoral care. • Daily transport, attractive bursaries and scholarships available.

Telephone: +44 (0) 1728 687 964 Mobile: +44 (0) 7754 756726 info@dyslexiaschoolsearch.com

Open Mornings on 7th October & 4th November or telephone to make an appointment.

www.dyslexiaschoolsearch.com

T: 01747 852416 or visit www.stmarys.eu

BURGESS HILL GIRLS. DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL

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INCLUSIVE • INDIVIDUAL • INSPIRATIONAL Thriving and friendly independent HMC school Boarding (full, weekly, flexi) and day 450 boys aged 11-18 and girls aged 16-18 Overlooking the river near Henley-on-Thames Outstanding pastoral care and academic value-added

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT BURGESSHILLGIRLS.COM

40 Minutes from Heathrow Easy access to Reading, M4 and M40 and London

www.shiplake.org.uk A full ISI inspection judged Shiplake College as EXCELLENT across every inspection category

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Excellence in Education Since 1906 Charity Number 307001

04/10/2016 12:02

05/10/2016 09:59

“Best for Horsey Types” The Week 2016

Open Morning – Saturday 5th November Please call to book your place.

A Co-Ed Boarding and Day School for children aged 3-13 Situated on the Dorset and Wiltshire border, just 25 minutes from Salisbury

Tel: 01725 516264 • www.sandroyd.org HORRIS HILL.indd 1

05/10/2016 11:13

The Pilgrims’ School, Winchester Day and boarding for boys aged 4 to 13

Catholic independent boarding and day school for boys aged 11 to 18

A fine school in which the musical, the sporty and the clever boy will positively flourish The Good Schools Guide

The quality of boarding provision and care is excellent

SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES AVAILABLE

ISI Report

Weekly Show Rounds Open Days Twice A Year

Easy access to M3 and M25 Heathrow: 1 hour London Waterloo: 1 hour Southampton Airport: 15 minutes Please contact the Registrar for more details or to arrange a visit of the school. www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk | admissions@pilgrims-school.co.uk | +44 1962 854189 Incorporating the Winchester Cathedral Choristers and the Winchester College Quiristers

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04/10/2016 ORATORY 16:11 SCHOOL.indd 1

Woodcote, South Oxfordshire, RG8 0PJ tel: 01491 683500 email: enquiries@oratory.co.uk website: www.oratory.co.uk

04/10/2016 15:47 05/10/2016 15:36

L A ST WOR D

seconds with

SOPHIE PENDER-CUDLIP Mother of four & Dubai resident

When did you move to Dubai? We moved with my husband’s job in August 2015.

Q What are the main differences from the UK public school system? A Educational standards in Dubai are high and parents are very driven, so I would compare it more to a London-style of education rather than a rural UK one. There is definitely more homework than we had in England. Also, my son did sport every day in the UK. Finally, children have to learn Arabic in the UAE and this can amount to up to four hours per week.

Q How old are your children? Where were they at school in Britain? A Our youngest child, aged seven, is at school in Dubai. He was previously at Port Regis in Dorset. His older siblings are boarders in England.

How do you see the school scene in Dubai at the moment? A Education in Dubai is fascinating and expanding fast. There are 17 new schools hoping to open by September 2017. The quality of education in Dubai is generally very good and standards in many schools are very high. Q

Q How do you think these new schools will impact the market? A It used to be very difficult to find school places for younger children but now there are more available, although places in the more popular schools are still in demand.

Describe the types of school in Dubai. The choice is enormous. There are British schools following the British national curriculum, as well as American schools and French lycées not forgetting the Swiss international school and a wealth of Indian schools. The different curriculum on offer range from IGCSEs and A-Levels to the IB. As the community is so international there is something for everybody. In the UAE as a whole there are over 500 private schools Q

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and it would be difficult not to find a school that would suit a child. That said, SEN provision could improve. Is there a typical pupil? No. The schools tend to have a high ratio of international students from all over the world. As it is such a transient population, it can be difficult for some children when their best friends leave at a moment’s notice.

Q Is it as competitive to get into the best schools as it is in some parts of the UK? A Some of the good schools are still hard to get into in Dubai and there are rigorous selection processes. However, I think given the amount of schools opening, there is more choice for parents now. I’ve noticed that the ‘not for profit’ schools still seem to be extremely popular.

Q What are the advantages and disadvantages of schooling in Dubai? A One obvious advantage is that the family can stay together without compromising on the education. Another is that children are mixing with other children from all sorts of different cultural and religious backgrounds which makes them very open minded, The challenge for my children is the size of schools here. My son came from a much smaller, rural prep school with a year group of 12 to Dubai with a year group of 200. He adapted extremely well, however, and it was probably more daunting for me as a parent than it was for him.

Q How do you find the integration between nationalities and different faiths at the schools? A For me the best thing about going to school in Dubai is that my son can sit in a class with children from a whole range of different countries. I love the fact that he is in a football team with boys from the UAE, Italy, Germany, India, Cyprus, Iran and the UK. What an amazing experience for them all. Q How do you think their schooling in the UAE has affected your children? A My son has adapated pretty well. He has a much broader outlook on life having moved from a small Dorset prep school to a large international school. I just hope when he moves back that he keeps in touch with some of the friends he has met from all over the world.

2016

05/10/2016 14:17

WELCOME TO BADMINTON Nestled in the leafy outskirts of the university city of Bristol, Badminton’s international day and boarding community is vibrant, with its holistic approach to education enriching the lives of girls aged 3-18. Contact us to find out more.

90% A*-B at A-Level (2016 results)

“Excellent” in every area (ISI Inspection 2015)

Escorted travel to London airports

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t: 0117 905 5271

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A large estate in the world-famous university city London Heathrow 45 minutes away Co-educational Full boarding www.stedwardsoxford.org

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