9 minute read
TALKING HEADS
EMMA WATSON
Year in THE LIFE
In the fi rst part of a special look at Berkhamsted School, we meet the relatively new Girls' School Head Emma Watson
Q Why were you originally attracted to taking over as Head at Berkhamsted Girls?
A Having been part of the Berkhamsted School community for four years before joining the girls’ school, I was drawn to the sense of ‘family’ and the ‘small school within a big school’ feel of Berkhamsted Girls. There is no typical ‘Berkhamsted Girl’ and the sheer diversity of their interests, talents and personalities was a pull factor.
I am passionate about girls’ education and about leading a community of girls in the 21st century, where they learn to meet their challenges head-on, refl ect on and learn from mistakes, manage confl ict and learn to self-regulate too. Recognising the girls’ appetite for helping others beyond the school too, I was drawn to their refl ective nature, their sense of self and values, and I plan to work with the whole community to develop this so that they can go on to live a life of purpose and meaning. Having the boys’ school as a partner was also an attractive feature of the role. It provides an excellent environment to work collaboratively with Berkhamsted Boys and leverage the synergy that comes with that relationship.
Q How has the start of your fi rst school year gone so far?
A Time has certainly fl own by – it has been a busy term for all of us. There have been lots of challenges, but with that, plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. The team – both girls and sta – are a pleasure to work with and for. The feeling of collegiality and common purpose is palpable and there is a clear sense of warmth and fun that e ervesces from the community.
I have enjoyed watching the girls perform in concerts, on the pitches and on the stage, but more so, I have enjoyed observing the processes; the perseverance, the dedication, the practice, the improvement and the growing confi dence that is the foundation of each of their achievements.
Q What would you say is the ethos behind the school’s educational approach?
A The school’s educational approach refl ects its values of ‘Serving Others,
Being Adventurous and Aiming High with Integrity’. In all that they do, both inside and outside of the classroom, the girls are encouraged to take learning risks, set ambitious targets and to challenge their own perceived limitations and limiting self-talk. They are hugely kind to each other, and we work with them to help them extend this kindness to themselves so that they can self-regulate and develop independence and life-long social and emotional skills.
The school places a strong emphasis on metacognitive skills and behaviours. The girls are therefore encouraged to be reflective and to apply a growth mindset to the challenges and complications that naturally arise in the teenage years. Along with this, we look to normalise strain and have recently been focussing on addressing perfectionism and its many perils.
Q What are the benefits of an all-girls school?
A At Berkhamsted Girls, we look to remove any barriers that may be imposed on the girls’ ability to thrive – socially, emotionally, academically and in their preparation for life beyond school. Developing self-confidence and self-belief in teenage girls is exceptionally important and girls’ schools can do this in an expert and nuanced way. Not only do girls’ schools regularly out-perform boys’ and co-ed schools in public exams, our schools also offer an environment free from stereotypes in which girls are more likely to opt for and excel in subjects dominated by boys elsewhere, such as physics, maths and design technology. The pastoral care of all students is exceptionally important, and at girls’ schools, our approaches, skills, experience and advice are tailored towards teenage girls and the challenges and hurdles they might face.
Beyond the classroom, our girls have the confidence and freedom to be involved in, and remain committed to sport. A survey by Women in Sport showed that fear of being judged and a lack of confidence were the main reasons for a national waning of interest in sport amongst teenage girls. Fortunately, this is not the case for our girls where the supportive environment and focus on participation and enjoyment combine to give the girls a lifelong positive association with sport and exercise.
At girls’ schools, younger pupils see, and grow up with, female leaders in the form of House Captains and Prefects. They get to see a type of compassionate, collaborative, energetic and creative leadership, but also how to take risks, recover from mistakes and develop resilience. For them, leadership is very much ‘for girls’!
Q What are you looking forward to in 2023?
A With so much going on, it’s difficult to pick out a single event. That said, our House Captain and Prefect tenure runs from January to December, so we’re about to embark on the induction process and training of our new 2023 Prefects. Working with student leaders is a huge privilege for teaching staff and school leaders. I am excited to see them grow in confidence, role-modelling their wonderful qualities to the younger students.
It’s also not long now until we will be starting the induction process for our new Year 7 joiners, in preparation for September 2023. Meeting new students and welcoming them and their families into the community and seeing their progress in that important transition between prep and senior school is always a highlight.
Leading THE WAY
In part two of our Berkhamsted School focus, Head of the Boys’ School, Tom Hadcroft, reflects on a year of celebration, crossplatform learning and student responsibility
TOM HADCROFT
Q You are approaching a year in position as Head of Berkhamsted Boys – how has it gone?
A I have thoroughly enjoyed this first year in post, which has been an amazing experience. Berkhamsted School is a tremendous school, full of so many opportunities for the boys and it has been wonderful connecting with them, our parents and the staff to support the rich array of experiences on offer. It was also a year of celebration and reflection with our Patron, the Queen’s Jubilee in June followed by her passing in September. It was powerful to see the boys at these moments show the best versions of themselves.
Q What have been the highlights for you over the past year?
A There are so many, but if I go back to the start of the year I was blown away by the Academic Gala the boys were involved in. The students in the boys, girls and Sixth Form decided that they wanted an event to celebrate learning and organised a gala evening, with speakers from the student body and Old Berkhamstedians. This celebration of learning schools benefit the development of boys. Firstly in an ever increasingly complex world it is reassuring to have dedicated schools which understand and celebrate boys.
Schools that make the choice to focus on the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional lives of boys and young men share an appreciation for the intensity and complexity of boyhood. We all focus on the opportunities to celebrate and value all that it means to be a boy.
Also, taking away the social pressures of a co-educational environment, students in an all-boys school can explore the full range of their personalities and potential. Challenging stereotypes, they discover they have many roles to play as a self-reflective learner, athlete, artist, musician, and friend.
Through the House system the boys develop through their community within the school and take part in a number of competitions, offering opportunities to test themselves and develop. We believe that the boys are able to grow into their own skins, be presented with a range and breadth of experiences and find their own path.
Q When the boys leave you, what are they prepared for?
A The emphasis on the development of the boys into young adults is on the process rather than the outcome. We are very proud of outstanding academic achievements, but are also very proud of their development over their time with us and the focus on their future development into their University lives and beyond.
The boys’ time in the school feeds into the Sixth Form, who then develop them further in preparation for their time beyond. When they leave the school they leave with a much better understanding of themselves, the benefits of hard work, independent thought of mind, challenge and innovation.
was entirely organised and driven by the student body and was a great example of what makes this school remarkable. There were speeches on a number of areas of research, highlighting work from our unique Learning Pathways programme and extending our learning outside of the classroom. It isn’t through the words, but the actions that we are judged and this was an outstanding example of our values of ‘Aiming High with Integrity’, ‘Serving Others’ and ‘Being Adventurous’.
Q Have you introduced anything new?
A Over the past few months we have made strides in our student leadership within the school with specialised training for our Prefect body. We are developing our leadership structures, making the most of our timetabled leadership lessons to embark on greater agency and voice within the student body. The school’s emphasis on coaching and outstanding pastoral care is extended to our students to be part of that provision and providing the necessary peer support to encourage agency and resilience.
Q Are there any elements of school life you feel makes you stand out?
A The school’s diamond structure is an outstanding feature and allows a truly unique journey for the pupils. The collegiately between the schools, the shared values, the facilities and opportunities for co-operation are remarkable facets. The ability for the boys to benefit from the single sex classroom setting, but at the same time come together with the girls for personal development, outdoor educational experiences, trips and social events is excellent. The balance offers opportunities that other schools could not rival.
Q What are the benefits of an all-boys school?
A There are a number of reasons why all-boys
