Absolutely Hertfordshire September 2022 by ABSOLUTELY Magazines

SEPTEMBER 2022 Hertfordshire SETTLE INTO THE NEW SEASON WITH ANTHROPOLOGIE ST ALBANS PLUS KIM WILDE Why life in Codicote is rock and roll • FLICKERINGTOLIFE The Tring candle makers smelling an opportunity • PIE IN THE SKY Meet the UK's only vegan pastry chef STYLISH / INTELLIGENT / ELEGANT FEELING Autumnal News and views from all the best local schools SPECIAL

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SEPTEMBER 2022 CULTURE 12 AGENDA The best September events in Hertfordshire 14 KIM WILDE Why the singer is happy in her Codicote garden 18 DINA BEHRMAN The Herts local helping to create best-selling books FOOD & DRINK 24 DANIELLE MAUPERTUIS Meet the UK's only vegan pastry chef 28 RECIPES A little Sir Lankan inspiration in the kitchen 33 DRINKS The best mixers for September FASHION & HEALTH 37 AMELIE The story behind the Berkhamsted boutique 38 THE SHOOT AW22 style with Anthropologie 46 MINDFUL BIRTH GROUP Putting parents-to-be at ease INTERIORS 58 INTERIORS NEWS The latest from the industry 60 THE HOME COUNTY CO The Tring entrepreneurs bringing sweet fragrances into the home 69 TREND Liven up your home with a splash of red EDUCATION SPECIAL 76 BACK TO SCHOOL Why there is nothing to worry about 82 SPORTING STORIES Exploring a world of opportunity in schools HERTFORDSHIRE.CO.UKABSOLUTELYThe online guide to inspirational living that helps you stay one step ahead of the crowd and gives you the chance to win exclusive prizes. ABSOLUTELY Contents 38 ON THE COVER Anthropologie (anthropologie.com)AW22 24 76 5ABSOLUTELY magazines

As twilight falls, the magic begins... A NEW FESTIVE TRAIL FOR ALL THE FAMILY 25 NOVEMBER – 31 DECEMBER Running selected evenings only christmasathatﬁeldpark.com The magical after-dark illuminated trail CHRISTMAS AT HATFIELD PARK

LETTER Editor’s Real Home Inside a unique project Berkhamstedin (p65)1 ABSOLUTELY’S Septemberhighlightsissue 3 Kim Wilde On preparing to tour once again (p14) TrendInteriors How to bring tartan into the home (p73) 2 MARK KEBBLE EDITOR Follow Us FacebookOn @ABSOLUTELYHERTFORDSHIRE Twitter @ABSOLUTELYHERTS Instagram @ABSOLUTELYHERTFORDSHIRE Website absolutely-hertfordshire.co.uk For editorial enquiries please email: mark@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 07977 195732 or email: abi@zest-media.com Studio G06, Wenlock Studios, 50-52 Wharf Road, London N1 7EU; 020 7704 0588 Zest Media Publications Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and EDITOR MARK KEBBLE ART DIRECTOR PAWEL KUBA SENIOR DESIGNERS MIKE SUZETTEROBERTS,SCOBLE MIDWEIGHT DESIGNER CARMEN GRAHAM JUNIOR DESIGNER KAI NICHOLLS GROUP MANAGERSALES-SOUTH ABIGAIL GARDNER MAGAZINE MANAGER LOUISE PEARSON MEDIA CONSULTANTS STELLA ANABELAADAMS,KOLECI CREDIT MANAGERCONTROL ALEXANDRA HVID FINANCIAL DIRECTOR JERRIE KOLECI DIRECTORS CRAIG DAVIES, LEAH JAMESDAY,FUSCHILLO DIRECTORNON-EXECUTIVE ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT Zest Media Publications Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

Rather conversely, I have an inadequate teacher to thank for me writing this welcome letter. You see, at school I loved history and heading into my A-levels, the plan was to study just that at Bristol University. However, my A-level course was nothing like the global history and world war focuses of my GCSE that saw me come away with an A grade. It was based on economic and social history, which was fine, but was delivered in such a dry way that I found myself bored rigid in pretty much every lesson. Unsurprisingly I flunked my A-level exam and my plan to become the next Dan Snow was put on hold. It was then that I recalled my English teacher from Years 9-11, who was frankly a bit strange, but a mighty fine orator. He always said I'd make a good writer, but I shrugged it off – then in my 'clearing' desperation I decided that I'd give it a go and enrol in a journalism course. The rest is, indeed, history. This means the education special we have created for this issue is important to me, and I am sure to many others, featuring the best Herts has to offer. Happy teaching.

Wish LIST COMPILED BY PENDLE HARTE 10 things Absolutelywelove RAINBOWMAGIC Iris means rainbow in Latin, and this necklace has a rainbow of precious stones featuring Aventurine, Blue Jade, Green Jade, Rose Quartz, Amazonite, Iolite, Carnelian, Dyed Ruby and Peach Moonstone, all strung on a recycled sterling silver necklace. £100 nuehoops.com FRESH STRIPE Desmond & Dempsey's Medina striped pyjama set in bright shades of coral, blue and red is a joy to wear. £120 selfridges.com NEW WEAVE For a twist on the classic French market shopper we love this Cella bag with neon orange trim by Kuwaiti designer Folklore. £457.39 folklorethelabel.com ORANGE CRUSH Nail Kind is a new Danish nail polish brand that's not only vegan and cruelty-free – but it's also long-lasting and easy to apply. nailkind.com EDITOR’SPICK 8 ABSOLUTELY magazines

ABSOLUTELY • LOVES POWERFLOWER For ﬂ oral arrangements that exceed expectations, we love Blooming Haus's visionary approach and instincitve ﬂ air. bloominghaus.com UNDER COVER Designed by women for women, Nudea's lingerie is comfortable, stylish and practical. CHINA BRIGHT Coralina is a beautiful tableware collection based on the genius of one of the most highly reputed designers of haute couture in the entire world, Oscar de la Renta. vistaalegre.com RING MY BELL This Eivissa Orange Enamel ring in gold vermeil adds a stylish band of colour and looks great stacked with other colours too. £60 carrieelizabeth.co.uk SPARKLEORANGE We love this 18ct Rose Gold Necklace with a Tear Drop Cut Morganite and Diamond Cluster Pendant from Baker Brothers Diamonds. £1,795 bakerbrothersdiamonds.com ABSOLUTELY magazines 9 nudea.com ENGLISH ROSE Exton Park's English sparkling Rosé is delicate and dry, with notes of white peach and a captivating English rose colour. £39 extonparkvineyard.com

BY IAN HISLOP & NICK NEWMAN Karl Sydow, Trademark Films, PW Productions & Anthology Theatre present the Watermill Theatre production of ★★★★ “APRODUCTION”FAST-PACED,CAPERING The Guardian ★★★★ “VERYINDEED”SILLY The Financial Times 25 - 29 OCT 2022 0844 871 7615* atgtickets.com/aylesbury *Fees apply. Calls cost up to 7ppm, plus your phone company’s access charge

Agenda 12 • Kim Wilde 14 • Dina Behrman 18 CULTURE 10-11 SEPTEMBER KNEBWORTH HOUSE Alert the pup-arazzi: the nation’s favourite dog-friendly festival will be turning Knebworth House into a dog paradise. Try your paw at a variety of have-a-go activities from dog diving to agility, enter the Fun Dog Show for your chance to win Best In Show, or raise some money for Dogs Trust as you admire your stunning surroundings on the Big Dog Walk sponsored by ManyPets. knebworthhouse.com DOGFEST 11ABSOLUTELY magazines

Frederic Kitton 22 SEPTEMBER, THE ALBAN ARENA

Sarah

12 ABSOLUTELY magazines 15 October ASCOT QIPCO British Champions Day is the ultimate raceday and the ﬁnale of the British ﬂat racing season. Whether you’re a racing guru or you are just after the ultimate day out with friends, Champions Day has something for everyone. World class racing, the fanzone, music after racing – don’t miss racing’s biggest celebration. britishchampionsday.com 16 September-2 January, 2023 ST ALBANS MUSEUM + GALLERY A new exhibition celebrating the life and work of talented illustrator and writer, Frederic Kitton - a revered Charles Dickens expert and early advocate of the heritage movement which helped to preserve many of St Albans’ historic buildings - launches this September. It is a must for anyone with an interest in Dickens and local history. stalbansmuseums.org.uk QIPCO ChampionsBritishDay EXHIBITIONEVENT EVENTS NOT TO MISS IN HERTS The Agenda

alban-arena.co.uk REDBOURN, HERTS, 1887- A RARE EXAMPLE OF A COLOUR WORK BY FREDERIC KITTON ©ST ALBANS MUSEUMS

COMEDY

The hilarious Sarah Millican is back on tour with a Bobby Dazzler of a new stand-up show. In this, her sixth international tour, you'll learn about what happens when your mouth seals shut, how to throw poo over a wall, trying to lose weight but only losing the tip of your ﬁnger, a surprisingly funny smear test, and how truly awful a ﬂoatation tank can actually be. Millican

ST CATHEDRALALBANS

Starry Night at St Albans Cathedral SUMPTER YARD, ST ALBANS, AL1 1BY Here’s one for an out-of-this-world experience exploring St Albans Cathedral’s astounding inventions, including the 14th century Wallingford Clock, one of the most advanced clocks in the world at the time it was made. Discover astronomy and astrology through the ages in St Albans, and take a peek at the stars at their star gazing station on the Orchard, as they kick o a winter of science and faith at the Cathedral.

St Mary’s Church & Bell Tower CHURCH STREET, WATFORD, WD18 0EG Visit Watford's oldest building, Grade I Listed St Mary's Church, and enjoy a talk and tour of the bell tower. With origins going back to the 12th century, St Mary's Church has always been at the heart of the town of Watford. Their Tower Master will be showing the bell tower and answering questions. You are assured a friendly welcome from church sta and refreshments will be available. For a full list of Hertfordshire events, visit heritageopendays.org.uk

EVENT 13 CULTURE • DIARY ABSOLUTELY magazines 24-25 September KNEBWORTH HOUSE In 2021, the organisers of this event took over Knebworth House and Petrolheadonism Live was born. They created an incredible weekend of cars and entertainment - and now they're getting ready to do it all over again. Spectator tickets give full access to Petrolheadonism Live, plus entry into Knebworth Park, Gardens, Adventure Playground and Dinosaur Trail. knebworthhouse.com 15-24 SEPTEMBER, WATFORD PALACE THEATREMonth’sThis SeeMust Petrolheadonism GLITTERBALL PUB IN THE PARK EVENT 9-11 September

Sonia’s life has always been a bit of a double act, brought up as one half of a Shirley Bassey tribute act. Alongside her overbearing mother Gloria, she left a trail of sequins across working men’s clubs. Now she’s divorced, wrangling unimpressed teenagers and navigating rocky friendships. But the arrival of her half-brother Naim brings a refreshed sense of belonging and cultural identity, and she begins to piece together the mosaic of her life. watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk

VERULAMIUM PARK Pub in the Park, the UKs biggest celebration of food and music, has revealed the full line-up of incredible music acts set to take to the stage this summer, including in St Albans. The new music acts completing the line-up across the tour include 80s rock legends the Happy Mondays, feel-good pop-rock band The Feeling, and British rapper and songwriter Professor Green. The star-studded line-up of hosts includes the man himself, Tom Kerridge, James Martin, Simon Rimmer, The Hairy Bikers, Matt Tebbutt, Grace Dent and more. pubintheparkuk.com

Berkhamsted Castle Guided Tours WHITE BERKHAMSTED,HILL,HP4 1LJ This is a wonderful opportunity to investigate a typical Norman motte and bailey castle, built originally as a timber structure by William the Conqueror's half-brother, Robert of Mortain. It is considered to be the best remaining example of a motte and bailey castle in the country. Heritage Open Days returns this month: here are three not to miss in Hertfordshire Past LIVES

By NATALIE LI BACK IN THE WILDE

Hertfordshire pop icon Kim Wilde on the buzz of touring, her call back to nature, and why home is where her heart is

Iwant to have my good life!” exclaims Kim Wilde, the 80s pop star-turned gardener and radio presenter. She’s describing her admiration for happygo-lucky, self-su cient Barbara Good, played by Felicity Kendal, in the muchloved 70s sitcom, The Good Life “I remember thinking this is great, you know, what she's got,” she smiles. “There’s something lovely about being connected to the outdoors. I always thought I want to have my good life, just like her.” It certainly strikes me that Kim has, and is, living her best life. The 61-year-old pop singer is still belting out hits and touring across the globe. Once one of the most adored female pop artists in the 1980s, Kim shot to fame with her hit Kids in America in 1981, written and produced by her brother Ricky and dad, British rock 'n' roller Marty Wilde. Singles followed such as You Keep Me Hangin On and Chequered Love Swapping pop for a quieter existence, Kim moved to Codicote in Hertfordshire, converted a 16th century barn, married the actor Hal Fowler in 1996, had two children and pursued her passion for gardening. The latter scooped her a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2005 for her Cumbrian fellside garden – one of her proudest career moments. “It was such a beautiful journey,” she smiles. “Meeting Richard Lucas, who I designed the garden with, and making a bid for Chelsea – the entire process was so astonishing. When I think about it, I just break into a big, beautiful smile. It was one of the happiest periods of my life.”

Reconnecting with nature came after a decade of pop stardom left Kim spinning. “I spent most of the 80s making videos, records, and travelling the world. When the merry-goround slowed down it took some getting used to, and I was still only 30-years-old. I’ve always been a real nature girl at heart. I think that disconnect from nature took its toll on me and nature called me back. It's taken years, but now I feel I can really call myself a gardener. It's profoundly changed the way I live my life.”

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Thirty years on and Kim is firmly settled in Codicote. “I've got very deep roots here and I don't intend to move anywhere,” she states. “Codicote is home to Goatfest and has beautiful surrounding countryside. My brother lives down the road in Welwyn Garden City and my parents live in Tewin, so I’m surrounded by family. “We have a very strong a ection for Hertfordshire,” she continues. “We are incredibly well-connected here and its proximity to London has been great as I spend a lot of time getting on planes. I love to walk the dogs and my favourite place is on my doorstep – I head into the fields and I'm in this kind of parallel world. I put on some music, and I'll wander and watch the landscape changing and how the wheat is popping. For me, it's the most beautiful place in the world.” But Kim’s unrelenting passion for pop music draws her back to the stage. We speak ahead of her Greatest Hits tour in September after dates were postponed due to Covid. She filled the void by performing with her 83-yearold father, who had a string of hits in the 1950s and 1960s with songs such as Teenager in Love “I was kicking around a bit, but when gigs were allowed to begin my dad's were

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SHE IS KEEN TO EXTOL THE VIRTUES OF BEING IN THE OUTDOORS

HITCHIN LAVENDER

Kim Wilde’s Greatest Hits Tour, September 2022, various locations – see more at kimwilde.com

“An incredibly inspiring place to visit.” Waste Not Want Not, Stevenage

“I am patron of this social enterprise, which uses gardening as a therapeutic tool. I am often there doing bits and bobs. It's been a great privilege to be a part of this project. It's got a great reputation and there’s something very rock ‘n’ roll about the enterprise – it kind of does what it wants to do on its own terms.”

Kim is charismatic, but possesses a quiet thoughtfulness. I can’t help but wonder what kind of ﬂower or plant she’d compare herself to. “I am the plant nurturer and the quiet dog walker who likes solitude, but I love the razzmatazz of being on stage,” she says.

“I can’t think of a particular plant that makes a big noise, but has a quiet quality to it. All plants have their roots in the soil and all the work is going on underneath. So, in that sense, I'm like all plants, you know. I need my dormant time. I’d deﬁnitely say I am more of a perennial than an evergreen.”

Wilde’s Herts haunts Hitchin Lavender, Cadwell Farm in Ickleford

GARDENING PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN HER LIFE NOW him for being cautious and careful. That kind of isolation is not good for anyone. Separation from reality and the people you know is too big a price to pay. I made an absolute promise to myself that would never be a price that I would pay myself.”

KIM DESCRIBES HERSELF AS A "QUIET DOG WALKER"

CULTURE • INTERVIEW 16 ABSOLUTELY magazines among the ﬁrst. I phoned him up and said, ‘can I come and do some gigs with you?’ I absolutely loved it; it was a wonderful way to get back into the land of live performance. My dad’s voice has never been stronger. He has a beautiful gift. The idea of starting my September tour in Newcastle ﬁlls me with so much excitement. To feel the energy of a bunch of people who all turn up to see you, it's a beautiful feeling.” Performing may be in the family blood, but for Kim the experience of supporting music legends like Michael Jackson and David Bowie in the 80s was a steep learning curve. “Michael Jackson’s Bad Tour involved more than 33 shows,” she remembers. “I learned what it was like to be a live performer. It raised my own personal bar, and it changed the way I saw myself as a performer. Michael Jackson at the time was just an astonishing performer to watch. “He was a very elusive character, as we all know, but it didn’t surprise me. There were a lot of people who were trying to get to Michael all the time, so I didn't blame

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QIPCO British Champions Day is the Ultimate Raceday and the ﬁnale of the British Flat racing season. Whether you’re a racing guru or you are just after the ultimate day out with friends and family, Champions Day has something for everyone. Worldclass racing, the fanzone, music after racing – don’t miss racing’s biggest celebration.

THE ASCOTSATURDAYRACEDAYULTIMATE15OCTOBERRACECOURSE

A I started out working as a journalist at the Watford Observer. It was a great place to start my career, I learnt lots and it gave me some really varied opportunities – I even interviewed then Prime Minister Tony Blair when he came to Watford. After that I started doing shifts at women’s magazines and after a while I ended up working as a commissioning editor at the Sunday Mirror magazine. Eventually I stopped doing shifts in-house and focussed on freelancing, writing for places like The Guardian, Mail on Sunday and The Telegraph. I worked in journalism for around ten years before I decided to focus fully on my own business.

A A lot of freelance journalists ﬁnd themselves diversifying to supplement their freelance work, so initially I set up my business doing PR and copywriting as a side hustle. But in 2015 I decided to go all in on my business. Initially I o ered PR services for small business owners, whilst also doing PR coaching and running a PR course for entrepreneurs to learn how to pitch the press.

ABSOLUTELY magazines Get to know… DINA BEHRMAN PR STRATEGIST AND PUBLISHER FROM ELSTREE & BOREHAMWOOD

A I have a course I sell where clients sign RICKMANSWORTH AQUADROME IS A LOVELY SPOT IN AUTUMN

Q Today, what do you o er?

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A Today I’m a PR strategist and publisher producing multi-author books. I work with coaches, consultants and experts to help them share their stories and expertise in collaborative books (think Chicken Soup For The Soul style books) and in the press, so they can create more impact and income.

Q How does the process with your clients work?

Q What inspired you to strike out on your own and launch your own business?

Q Tell us about your journalism career…

CULTURE • PROFILE up to become a contributing author in a multi-author book. They each contribute one chapter sharing their story and their wisdom, and they receive training and guidance from me on what to write and how to structure their chapter, then myself and my team provide all of the publishing services. We do the editing, formatting, proofreading etc, and we publish the book and get it to bestseller status. The participants also receive training on how to use the book to pitch to the press and land media coverage, as well as how they can leverage the book to grow their business. I feel so lucky because I get to work with clients all over the world, and it’s a really lovely co-creative process bringing di erent experts together to collaborate in this way.

Q What kind of success stories have you had to date? A In the past year I’ve helped over 50 individuals to become bestselling authors, which has been a fantastic experience. Over the years I’ve helped clients get featured in places like Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, Marie Claire, BBC, Daily Mail and many more. I love seeing the impact

Q Can you pick out your three favourite haunts?

THE PUDDING STOP ALWAYS

Q Where do you live in Hertfordshire and how long have you been based there?

Stop is always worth a visit for a hot chocolate and something sweet. I’m also a big fan of Cassiobury Park – there are some gorgeous walks along the canal.

ON OFFER DINA LOVES TO VISIT ST ALBANSTHE BEAUTIFUL SETTING OF HATFIELD HOUSE 19

A I love the fact we have lots of great open space and countryside just a short drive away, and we’re well connected when it comes to getting into London.

A I’m in Elstree & Borehamwood and have been here for about nine years.

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And Hatﬁeld House is always a great place to visit with beautiful gardens.

Q What’s next for you?

Q With autumn is around the corner, are there any outdoor spots you love venturing to as the seasons change?

A Rickmansworth Aquadrome is fantastic for walks and they have a fab co ee shop there.

A I love visiting St Albans, it’s a beautiful city with lots of lovely places to eat and the park there is great. The Pudding HAS SWEET TREAT

A My multi-author book Entrepreneur Secrets: Coaches, Consultants & Experts Share The Secrets To Their Success will be published in October and will be available to buy on Amazon. I’m also currently enrolling business owners who want to become a contributing author for my next multi-author book. I’m very excited about helping even more people to share their message in a really big way. dinabehrman.com

“I love seeing the impact clients create by sharing their story and expertise in bestselling books” clients create by sharing their story and expertise in bestselling books and in the press – receiving messages from people on the other side of the world thanking them for sharing their story because it really touched them, or stories going viral, or making new sales in their business because someone heard their interview on a podcast or read their feature in a magazine.

Q What is your favourite thing about living there?

Q Tell us about the business you run?

20 Absolutely Hertfordshire meets the local women who have carved their own path in business

A The jewellery trade is a fabulous industry to work in, I am privileged to work with some amazing jewellery designers and still get very excited when purchasing new pieces of jewellery, often picturing as I do it, which of our clients that piece would suit.

Q What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day work?

Q If you could go back and o er your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Q How do you ensure a work/life balance? A It’s a tough thing to juggle…

Q Where do you live and what do you love about it?

A Working for other jewellers around the UK in my gap-year.

Q What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day work?

A In a village, surrounded by the countryside means peace, greenery and community, but I also have the option of escaping and can be in a city within an hour if I need an urban ﬁx.

ChurchRebecca

Q Was there a particular “sliding doors” moment that shaped your career?

A The variation, every day is di erent, one minute I’m valuing a treasured piece of jewellery that someone has inherited, and the next I’m meeting the representative of a new brand. I’m extremely lucky that I get to meet people from all walks of life and many of our customers come in for one thing and end up coming back time and again. It really is a fascinating place to be.

BUSINESS: Baker Brothers POSITION: Director Q When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? An actress!

A No two days are ever the same and neither are the customers we look after. At heart, we’re all about the detail and experience, nothing makes me happier than seeing a customer come back because they feel looked after and appreciated.

Q If you could go back and o er your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

A On the sea, whether it’s in a sail-boat, kayak or jet-ski.

A Don’t take life knocks so hard, enjoy the rollercoaster of getting it right and wrong, and just enjoy the learning curve. bakerbrothersdiamonds.com

LIZZIE MACAULEY AND REBECCA CHURCH ABSOLUTELY magazines WOMEN in BUSINESS

Q Tell us about the business you run?

A A newsreader!

Q How do you ensure a work/life balance? A Always an on-going process!

A Don’t be so afraid to fail, just because the road is bumpy doesn’t mean you’re heading in the wrong direction. Lizzie McAuley

Q Where do you live and what do you love about it?

A Helping our customers, many of whom I have known for over 20 years, choose a beautiful piece of jewellery or a timepiece to celebrate a special occasion in their lives. Q Outside of work, where are you at your happiest?

A In a small village surrounded by ﬁelds – great for dog walks!

Q Outside of work, where are you at your happiest? A I’m a water lover, and there is nothing better than being out water skiing with my family. There’s real freedom and adventure and it’s a great stress reliever!

BUSINESS: Baker Brothers POSITION: Director Q When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A The Refill Pantry is a zero-waste shop where customers come in with their own containers and refill from our range of dried food, cleaning liquids and personal care products. The idea behind it is to reduce unnecessary waste by reusing what you already have. We also have a wide range of plastic free alternatives (bamboo toothbrushes, deodorant in cardboard tubes, shampoo bars to name a few). By choosing these products over the ones usually found in supermarkets, each of our customers is reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfill. Our customers love being able to shop this way and I hope it becomes the norm everywhere as part of the drive to shop eco-consciously.

ABSOLUTELY magazines CULTURE • PARTNERSHIP CELINA MENDOZA

Q Was there a particular “sliding doors” moment that shaped your career?

Q Where do you live and what do you love about it? A I live in St Albans. I love the history that comes with living in such an old city, walks in Verulam Park by the cathedral, the great independent local restaurants, and the proximity to London (where I grew up).

Q What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day work?

A On the days I work in the shop I enjoy meeting new customers and chatting with regulars. It has been a joy to see so many familiar faces over the years and there’s always time to catch up when they come in.

21 Celina Mendoza

Q If f you could go back and o er your younger self one piece of advice - what would it be? A Don’t be in such a rush to do things in life – pace yourself! thereﬁllpantry.co.uk

When I work on the business from home I love discovering great small new businesses with zero waste products that ﬁt our ethos and that we can o er our customers.

Q How do you ensure a work/life balance? A I love travelling, but it’s been much harder since I’ve had my own business. Now my balance is daily yoga and gym sessions. I’ll get back to travelling again one day.

BUSINESS : The Reﬁll Pantry POSITION : Founder Q When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? A I wanted to go to business school and then work for a big international company (this is a very broad ambition, but I was only 16!)

A Yes, my usually open-minded parents wouldn’t let me take up an o er at Georgetown Business School and I went to a small, women’s liberal arts college in Pennsylvania. So instead of entering the business world at 21, I pursued several mini careers over 30 years including publishing, marketing, homeopathy and was an upholsterer before I set up The Reﬁll Pantry in 2018. I can’t imagine I would have done most of this if I had gone to Georgetown! Q Tell us about the business you run?

Q Outside of work, where are you at your happiest? A In the kitchen whipping up an easy recipe. I love cooking from scratch, but nothing too complicated (although I make an exception for Ottolenghi!)

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Danielle Maupertuis 24 • Recipes 28 • Drinks 33 DRINK&FOOD CENTURION CLUB There’s tee-time and there’s tea time – both are available at Centurion Club in St Albans, but if golf isn’t your thing we urge you to try their decadent Afternoon Tea. Served in the beautifully decorated, light-filled Garden Room, you can take in the views of the golf course as you tuck into generously filled, crustless sandwiches, delightful cakes and pastries and, of course, home-baked, crumbly scones with lashings of strawberry preserve and clotted cream. Pair with a glass of bubbly or endless cups of tea. centurionclub.co.uk/afternoontea FROM TEE TO TEA 23ABSOLUTELY magazines

24 ABSOLUTELY magazines Danielle Maupertuis: meet the UK’s only vegan pastry chef and author – not to mention Hertfordshire local – who has created treats all over the world GLOBAL CUISINE BLACK FOREST GATEAU

thebakehouse,feelingofwellbeing” DANIELLE MAUPERTUIS

Soon, though, England – and Hertfordshire – called when Danielle became executive pastry chef at the ﬁvestar Marriott Hanbury Manor in Ware.

Danielle then became the executive pastry chef for the a hotel located in the Christian part of Beirut. For three years she was catering from morning to night, for fabulous banquets and weddings –sometimes for as many as 700 people. Her work soon garnered international attention.

Next was a one-year contract in the Azores (Portugal), creating a central kitchen for the ﬁve biggest hotels on the island, revisiting and refreshing the classics of Portuguese pastry. After the exhausting days in Lebanon, 40 hours of work per week were really welcome.

“Located near the airport, Israeli planes ﬂew over us regularly, and we had to take refuge in the cinema located in the basement of the hotel complex,” she recounts. There were regular power cuts, Danielle remembering that “we had our ﬁrst wedding banquet under candlelight”.

While thepsychologystudyingatUniversity of Liege in Belgium, MaupertuisDanielle and her openedcolleaguesa small store selling organic products and wholemeal breads. Danielle initially just wanted to volunteer and help out – and promptly fell in love with baking. “The smell, the heat of the bakehouse, the cocoon, the feeling of wellbeing – this love has never left me,” she beams. Inspired, Danielle signed up for a two-year bakery-pastry course. “I worked early in the morning as an apprentice in a bakery. The chef was a terror!” Danielle exclaims. “I was earning CAKE “I fell in love with baking. The smell, the heat of the

It didn’t take long for word to get out about her creations. Danielle became famous for creating personalized cakes (children’s birthdays, advertising support for companies) and everything seemed rosy in the kitchen. However, Danielle is an adventurer by nature and one day read an ad in a newspaper: “Looking for an experienced pastry chef to open the ﬁrst Brussels pastry shop in Athens, Greece.”

So began a new adventure for Danielle. She stayed in Greece for six years where, in addition to her own stores, she also supplied the Greek Islands with frozen cakes. However, during a holiday in Lebanon, Danielle met the manager of the Bristol Hotel in Beirut, who was looking for a head pastry chef to open a shop in the hotel and renew the existing range of desserts. Danielle got the role and managed a team of about 15 pastry chefs – she was involved in the opening of the ﬁrst Marriott Hotel International after the civil war.

LE FRAISIER STRAWBERRY

“I won several gold and silver medals,” she says. “This is where I really rose to the top of my creativity and skills. This is why Lebanon keeps a unique place in my heart.”

25ABSOLUTELY magazines FOOD & DRINK • INTERVIEW

£2 an hour at that time. When after a year I asked for a pay raise, I got ﬁred with these words: ‘Get out, this is not a job for you’. Ignoring these kind words, I continued, always with the support of my course teacher and, very quickly, I opened my ﬁrst bakery and pastry workshop in Brussels.”

26 ABSOLUTELY magazines

As she says, her challenge is to convince people that “vegan desserts are easy to make, taste yummy and look fantastic”, with a special focus on the “basics” of vegan pastry. “I take great pleasure in passing on my passion, knowledge and experience, through lessons – live at the Vegetarian Society Cookery School and online with my vegan and gluten-free pastry courses,” she says warmly. Danielle is now working to open a new path in vegan pastry. Her last demonstration was a presentation at the RHS Wisley Flower Show, entitled “How to use plants, herbs and ﬂowers in vegan pastry”. It was the ﬁrst time she talked to a non-vegan audience – and the feedback was fantastic.

FOOD & DRINK • INTERVIEW THE ‘STRAW HAT’ PUMPKIN PIE

It was around now that the vegan movement had started to gain real traction and Danielle realised there were no vegan desserts for her guests. So, she started to develop a range of vegan desserts based on taste and presentation. Still living in Hertfordshire, she got to work, and this led to her book, Vegans deserve better than a fruit salad, in which she presents over 60 recipes covering parties, birthdays, bu ets, party cakes, petits fours and more.

“I hope in the future to consolidate the links between plant-based patisserie and ﬂower shows, a huge step in the recognition of vegan patisserie,” she says. Danielle is now writing her second book, Veganissimo, which will be full of afternoon teas and parties. That volunteering stint has certainly seen Danielle Maupertuis’ career come a long way. freefromdesserts.com “This is where I took on a new lease of my professional life,” Danielle says. “It was another six years of exploring all areas of pastry: bu ets, afternoon teas, plated desserts, chocolate, showpieces… In the hotel business you regularly move to another challenge, so I went to the Red Carnation Hotels, a group of luxury hotels spread over ﬁve continents. There was plenty of creative time and enthusiastic management support.”

Spice GIRL Recipes and stories celebrating authentic Sri Lankan cooking Words CYNTHIA SHANMUGALINGAM 28 ABSOLUTELY magazines

•

4 Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, wait 30 seconds for the oil to get hot, and then pour in the eggs. Keep cooking over a medium heat and use a spatula to pull the edges in as they set, tilting the pan to spread the uncooked egg around.

Continue this motion of pulling the edges in and tilting all around the pan, until the omelette is almost set, which will take around 2–3 minutes.

•

5 Fold in half and serve, dusting generously with peppercumin and a little extra salt.

6 Pour the whole temper, oil included, onto the cooked dal. Squeeze lime over it and sprinkle over the chilli ﬂakes, if using, just before serving, and black pepper. This is a favourite breakfast dish; one my mum cooks when she’s taking orders for breakfast at the weekends from her grandson, Thierry, who may be only six but knows what’s up. You can have it on its own with something fresh like a little dill, lime and watercress salad, perhaps with some so white bread, too. It’s very easy and quick: just so ened onions, a little garlic, curry leaves, turmeric and green chillies. Don’t skimp on seasoning, with plenty of salt, black pepper and cumin – an amazing mix called milagai seeraham in Tamil.

3 Drain o about 80 per cent of the liquid. You don’t want it to be too wet and soupy because you’re adding coconut milk.

INGREDIENTS

• A pinch of cumin seeds • A pinch of black peppercorns • 3 large organic or free-range eggs • 1 tsp salt, or to taste, plus more to serve • ¾ tsp ground turmeric • 2 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil • ½ red onion, peeled and finely sliced (or a nice alternative is 2–3 spring onions, chopped into 2cm pieces)

4 Stir in coconut milk and kale and allow to simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the kale is bright green. Take out a little kale to try; it shouldn’t taste raw, but should be soft with a ﬁrm bite. Remove from the heat and transfer to your serving bowl.

29 FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES ABSOLUTELY magazines

Coconut dal with kale Serves 4 In war or other times of national crisis, dal is rationed out by the Sri Lankan government as one of life’s essentials. Cooked with lemongrass and, if you can get it, pandan leaf (which adds a warm, vanilla ﬂavour) as well as coconut milk, turmeric, curry leaves, garlic and lime, this dal is distinctively light and restorative, and is worlds away from its Indian counterparts like black dal makhani made with cream, or tarka dal made with butter. There is no other dal quite like it, and I encourage you to try adding roasted squash or pumpkin or roasted sweet potato. This one is one of the ways my mum would cook it when she was too short on time to make a separate kale curry. She’d simply stir the leaves in very close to the end of cooking so they retained their bright green ﬂavour and nutrients.

• 1–2 green chillies, sliced • 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced • 7 or 8 fresh curry leaves METHOD 1 For the pepper-cumin salt, toast the cumin seeds and peppercorns in a small dry frying pan over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then blitz in a spice grinder or mini food processor until ﬁne, and keep aside for later.

3 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan around 20–25cm wide over a medium heat. Add the onion (or spring onions), green chillies, garlic and curry leaves. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes, so that the onion softens; don’t allow it to crisp, and don’t cook past the point that the chillies and curry leaves are still bright green.

METHOD 1

• ½

•

INGREDIENTS For the dal • 300g red split lentils or toor lentils 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved lengthways 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised • 1½ tsp salt, or to taste • ½ tsp SL curry powder Optional: 4cm piece of pandan leaf 1 tsp ground turmeric • 100ml coconut milk • 3–4 small handfuls of kale (approx. 200g) ½ lime • Optional: 1 tsp chilli ﬂakes For the temper • 1 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil 1 small red onion, peeled and ﬁnely sliced 10 fresh curry leaves tsp mustard seeds tsp cumin seeds Pour the lentils into a saucepan and rinse loosely under the tap then drain well. Cover the lentils with water until they’re submerged by about 5cm. Add the garlic, lemongrass, salt, SL curry powder and pandan leaf, if using. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Skim o any scum and turn the heat down, so the lentils are simmering. Add the turmeric and simmer for 12–15 minutes until the SriturmericLankanomelette Serves 1-2 lentils are tender. There’s no need to stir here, you can basically forget about them except to check they’re not bubbling too vigorously.

•

• ½

5 In a small frying pan, make the temper. Heat the oil over a mediumhigh heat (careful, it will splutter a little). When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 3–5 minutes until it starts to turn golden brown. Add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin seeds and cook for a couple of minutes until the curry leaves are bright green. Be careful not to burn the spices!

2 In a bowl, whisk the eggs together with the salt and turmeric until frothy. Set aside.

I love chocolate devil’s food cake and for a Sri Lankan chocolate cake, I didn’t just want a devil like any other. I wanted the King. Ruler of Ancient Lanka, the demon-king Ravana wasn’t just a garden variety devil with a red trident and fire, hopping from foot to foot like he needed the toilet. Ravana was the kind of hot demon your husband is stressing out about you meeting for lunch. He did have ten heads which is a little freaky I’ll concede – but he was also a magnificent musician, a warrior, a scholar and, by the rhapsodical account of ancient Tamil poet Kamban, a very good-looking guy with a lot of cool statement jewellery. Ravana wrote: Eating beef causes to infect ninety-eight new diseases to human beings’ and if this bit of 2000 BC veganism wasn’t ahead of its time, I don’t know what was. King Ravana was a lover and a fighter, most famous for kidnapping the beautiful married Princess Sita (under the pretext of asking her for lunch) and keeping her in Sri Lanka trying to persuade her to cheat on her husband. And

Extract taken from Rambutan by Cynthia Shanmugalingam, £26, Bloomsbury

7 While the cakes are cooking, make the icing. Beat the coconut butter until softened and then whisk in half the icing sugar. When smooth, add the rest of the icing sugar and whisk again, until all the sugar is combined and it’s nice and thick and smooth. Add a little more icing sugar if it’s too loose or a little more coconut butter if it’s too thick for your liking.

• 500g icing sugar • 250g fresh strawberries, green tops removed, halved • 150g coconut ﬂakes

Ravana cake Serves 10-12 30 ABSOLUTELY magazines

4 Add the lightly beaten eggs a little at a time, whisking until it’s all used up and you have a thin batter.

8 When the cakes have cooled completely, carefully turn them out of their tins and peel o the paper.

5 Divide the batter between the two cake tins. Although this feels weird, drop the tin a couple of times onto your kitchen counter from a height of about 30cm. It forces the air in the mixture to come to the surface.

2 Put the ﬂour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate into a large bowl and whisk to combine and add air to the dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle.

6 Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack still in their tins.

1 Preheat your oven to 180C/ fan 160C/Gas mark 4. Grease two 20cm sandwich tins with coconut oil and line the bottoms with greaseproof paper.

• 125g

FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES

• 2 large organic or free-range eggs, lightly beaten For the icing and filling • 250g coconut butter or coconut ‘bliss’

METHOD

INGREDIENTS For

9 To assemble, spread just less than a quarter of the coconut icing on top of one of the cakes. Cover in fresh strawberry halves. Place the other cake on top and spread with a layer of icing then cover the sides as well. Coat with coconut flakes. so this recipe is an imagining of a devil’s food cake with Ravana’s kind of irresistible sexiness, the kind designed to tempt the most loyal of wives. Strawberries for passion, chocolate for hotness, coffee for the late night musician and coconut for an island boy environmentalist with a love of plants. the cakes coconut oil, plus extra for greasing • 250g plain flour • 225g caster sugar • 50g cocoa powder • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda • 350ml freshly brewed strong co ee • 2 tsp kithul jaggery syrup (or maple syrup if you can’t find it)

3 Brew the co ee and pour it into a large jug. Allow to cool for a minute or two, then stir in the 125g coconut oil and let it melt. Then mix in the kithul jaggery syrup. Slowly pour the coconut co ee into the well you made in the ﬂour mixture and whisk together until everything is combined.

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TASTY TONIC TARQUIN GIN One of Britain's favourite summertime sips has become all the more portable. These new cans of G&T by Tarquins combine a light fragrant tonic with the brand’s award-winning Cornish Dry Gin. tarquinsgin.com SHAKE & GO LIBERATION COCKTAILS You’ll be able to make mixologistgrade versions of all your favourites from the comfort of your home. Simply chill, then shake vigorously and pour for the perfect cocktail anytime, any place. liberationcocktails.com HEALTHY HEDON BODEGA BAY A combination of three simple ingredients creates this refreshingly light, alcoholic sparkling water. With only 96 calories per serving, it is perfect for those wanting to indulge, but not over-indulge. drinkbodegabay.com APERITIVO HOUR THESE DAYS This aperitivo brand is on a mission to spritz up your life. Made from a mixture of organic white wine, natural fruit ﬂavours and soda water, these spritzes are the perfect day-drinking companion. thesedaysdrinks.com POCKET-SIZED KOCKTAIL The award-winning cocktail brand is making its ﬁrst foray into ready-to-drink cocktails. Two of Kocktail's most popular drinks have made their way into cans, and just in time for the late summer. kocktail.co.uk

1 3 4 5 1 2 3 2 4 5 FOOD & DRINK • DRINKS CANSCOOL PUT SPRITZ IN YOUR STEP WITH THESE PRE-MIXES

33ABSOLUTELY magazines

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Amelie 37 • The Shoot 38 • Jewellery 43 FASHION ROSE TINT STELLA MCCARTNEY These Cut-Eye sunglasses in shiny milky pink with solid light rose lenses are made of sustainable bio-acetate with stylish gold rivet details. £260 stellamccartney.com ABSOLUTELY magazines 35

for the finest British Alpaca socks perilla.co.uk tel: 01886 853615 PERILLA.indd 1 26/02/2021 13:14 Modern bespoke garments for women with quality Italian fabrics in St. Albans. www.ferrarimoni.com KINDREDTATTOO www .KINDREDTATTOO. CO.UK STUDIO@KINDREDTATTOO.CO.UK

ABSOLUTELY magazines 37

tterley.com is a fashion destination celebrating and redeﬁning the boutique experience in one seamless platform, providing access to a community of 400+ independent retailers, shoppable online and in one place.

Discover Amelie on Atterley.com, who curate a thoughtful selection of labels with a passion for bringing customers the best in fashion. How a global website helped Amelie in Berkhamsted to weather the pandemic and broaden its reach

SHOTHERO

And with Atterley, boutiques such as Amelie can broaden their reach and share that sense of community with shoppers around the world. “We are really grateful that Atterley has brought national exposure to our boutique and we enjoy consistent sales through the platform,” remarks Sharon. “Our partnership with Atterley has enabled us to reach a larger customer base. We were particularly grateful for the platform during the pandemic, during which we had to shut the shop at points and rely entirely on online engagement. We enjoy being able to marry the personal touch of an independent boutique with the larger clientele which we can connect with through Atterley.”

“Our buying ethos is to ensure we keep our customers at the forefront each season,” says Sharon. “We also are extremely passionate about maintaining sustainability within the business. Our buying is considerate and mindful, ensuring we have a versatile collection for our customers. Our collections touch on seasonal trends that will make us look and feel good. This being said, we avoid faddy microtrends and instead o er strong hero pieces that will last season after season.”

FASHION • PROFILE

One of Atterley’s boutique partners is Amelie, a womenswear boutique in Berkhamsted. Owner Sharon Mcilroy set up Amelie in 2006 with her husband Jon after relocating from London to Berkhamsted. The couple and their young daughter were ready to embrace a change of pace and wanted to set up a better work-life balance on their own terms. With Sharon’s background in fashion and retail, and Jon’s experience in the music industry, the duo were excited to combine their unique skill sets.

The Amelie boutique has built strong foundations in the community through its honest and genuine interest in all of their customers. “It has been a privilege to become part of the community and meet so many lovely people. This has got to be the most rewarding aspects of the business,” states Sharon. “In addition, collaborating with other independent businesses in the area has been beneﬁcial in building a connection to the Berkhamsted community. We are lucky to be located on a high street where independent businesses are embraced and supported. We like to reciprocate our customers’ loyalty and we consider their perspectives and lifestyles in the running of Amelie.”

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FASHION • JEWELLERY ABSOLUTELY magazines 43

MONICA VINADER Keshi Pearl Bracelet, £170 monicavinader.com

MARIA BLACK Baroque Twirl Single Earring, £44 maria-black.com MISSOMA Baroque Pearl Beaded T-Bar Necklace, £325 uk.missoma.com

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The Mindful Birth Group 46 • Beauty Notes 49 • Products 51 BEAUTY&HEALTH SLEEPBEAUTY SLIP X ALICE + OLIVIA You’ll have the most luxurious sleep of your life thanks to this whimsical collaboration between Slip Silk and Alice + Olivia. Some of the beauty brand’s multi-award-winning products, including the eye mask, a hair wrap, scrunchies, and a pillowcase, have been decked out in the designer's Spring Paisley print, from £39. slipsilkpillowcase.co.uk 45ABSOLUTELY magazines

46 ABSOLUTELY magazines Q&A How Emiliana Hall and her business, The Mindful Birth Group, aims to put parents-to-be at ease with what’s around the corner BUMPS IN THE ROAD By MARK KEBBLE EMILIANA HALL

A Our courses do not tell you what to do, they give you unbiased, inclusive information so that you know what your options are. We encourage parents to make informed decisions using evidence-based information rather than going by social norms or policies. This ethos hopefully then carries through to their parenting journey too.

A As a teacher and doula, have seen ﬁrst-hand that there is a need for an inclusive ante-natal course provider that provides up-to-date information. That means teaching for all paths to parenthood and all birth choices. When I ﬁrst trained in ante-natal education, the courses were very much about achieving a certain type of birth and no-one was talking about the unexpected turns or what could happen. I feel lucky my births were straight-forward, but it isn’t always like that and it’s so important we equip parents for all eventualities.

A I started The Mindful Birth Group in 2017 just before my second son was born. I really empathise with how people feel when they ﬁnd out that they are pregnant and I wanted to create a course that was for everyone, no matter how they conceived their baby or what their birthing preference was.

Q How do you look to instil conﬁdence in parents-to-be?

THE MINDFUL BIRTH GROUP HELPS BOTH PRE- AND POST-BIRTH

47 XXXXXXXX • XXXXX ABSOLUTELY magazines HEALTH & BEAUTY • PROFILE birth (wherever they are birthing) and in their home post-natally too. I feel this gives me a really solid grounding for creating ante-natal courses as I see ﬁrst-hand what parents need to know in advance.

Q Since you ﬁrst launched The Mindful Birth Group, how would you say you have evolved?

A We ﬁrst lived in Tring in 2014, moved away and then moved back in 2019 to raise our children here. We love the school, the community, the high street shops and restaurants, and we are very unlikely to move away anytime soon! We have an allotment too, which is where I go when things get a bit overwhelming. Nature is the best medicine. themindfulbirthgroup.com

Q What inspired you to launch The Mindful Birth Group and when was this?

Q How long have you lived in Tring and what do you love about it?

The UK maternity and post-natal care system is in crisis, and so antenatal education and support throughout pregnancy and beyond has never been more important. I truly believe this kind of support will impact parents’ long term physical and mental health, which will help to take some of the strain o of the care system too.

Q Before you had your ﬁrst child, what were your thoughts about giving birth?

A I was terriﬁed! I couldn’t understand how a baby was born, and I was very fearful of the amount of pain I’d experience. I had grown up with TV programmes and ﬁlms that depicted birth as frantic and traumatic.

Q How did that experience shape your attitude towards birthing techniques?

A It was my midwife that encouraged me to do more research into what happens before, during and after birth, and I soon realised that a lot of how I felt was due to my mindset. I had been conditioned to believe it was something awful to ‘get through’ and that was creating a lot of adrenaline and tension in my body. Once I understood what actually happens and what I needed to do, I felt so much more conﬁdent and in control. I just wish they taught it in schools!

Q In a nutshell, what do you o er? A I o er group and private Mindful Birth support packages, in-person in Berkhamsted and nationwide on Zoom. This includes support from the 1st to the 4th trimester, with beneﬁts such as weekly online yoga, monthly relaxation sessions, a moderated online community to meet others on a similar path, an ask the midwife online forum and online post-natal yoga and doula support too. I also now have a wonderful team of Mindful Birth teachers across the country who also teach the courses and o er the support packages. They trained with us and are members of The Mindful Birth Group, and we support them with marketing their courses, supplying them with teaching materials such as workbooks, teaching slides and a rmation cards and continuous training. We are a very strong community and it’s a total pleasure working alongside them. Alongside all of this, I’m also an accredited birth and post-natal doula, which means I support families during the “I had been conditioned to believe giving birth was something awful to 'get through' and that created tension”

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CHANEL Chanel’s newest nail collection includes six exclusive shades of polish, in a range of vibrant pastel shades. They are being launched alongside two new additions to Chanel’s nail-care product range, designed to nourish and fortify your nails, so you can make the most of these summer colours, from £25. chanel.com NARS Two of the brand’s most iconic shades, Orgasm and Laguna, have met in a moment of pure passion. This limited edition palette of the much-loved blush and bronzer duo has been launched just in time for summer, but with its irresistibly so and blendable application, you’ll still be glowing well a er the season ends, £37. narscosmetics.co.uk

BEAUTY NOTES

Perfect Pairing With the rate that taketoolshigh-qualitychanges,technologybuyinghaircanreallyitstollon your wallet and on the environment. Sometimes a product may only be state-of-the-art for a matter of months before something newer and more exciting comes on the market. So for those wanting to keep up with the latest in styling, but also wanting to keep their budget and environmental impact in mind, Cloud 9’s recently launched subscription service may be the perfect solution. For as little as £4.99 a month, you will have access to the brand’s award-winning styling tools, all you need to do is select the device that works best for you and pay a single annual fee. You can choose from Cloud 9’s core collection, which includes favourites such as the Touch Iron, Original Iron, Wide Iron, Airshot and Curling Wand. The device is shipped straight to your door and should a newer version ever catch your eye, you will be given the option to switch or upgrade after two years. You won’t need to feel guilty about wastage, either, because Cloud 9 will either recycle or refurbish the products that are returned at the end of their life. FACE HALO Leave face wipes ﬁrmly in your past, there’s a whole new way to cleanse. The new ‘Face Glow Skin Set’ by Face Halo will rejuvenate your skin in a few simple steps. It includes three tools: a makeup remover, a deep cleanser and an exfoliator, which work together to thoroughly cleanse and exfoliate your skin, £20. facehalo.com

ABSOLUTELY magazines

The latest in luxury makeup and

CLOUD 9 Subscription fees start at £59.99 per year cloudninehair.com Conservation is at the core of Cloud 9’s new subscription service

By RACHEL HOGG

skincare HEALTH & BEAUTY • NOTES

SUBSCRIBETOSTYLE

WWW.CIENTE.CO.UK PHILIP MARTIN - EXCLUSIVE TO CIENTE HAIR HEALTH SPA ExperienceBERKHAMSTEDthedifference , because we care about you and you hair REFILL NOT LANDFILL TB.indd 1 26/08/2021 18:19 For more information on Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline and the valuable support and signposting work we do in the community please visit hertsdomesticabusehelpline.org Simply sign-up using the email address below and we will send you a host package with guidance on how to get started with your event. You can host it at home with friends, at work or fundraise in your local community. Full instructions and resources are in your package, as well as how to collect donations and send them to the charity. To celebrate our 20th Anniversary, Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline is inviting you to take part in Tea & Cake for HDAH. All money raised will go to supporting those affected by domestic abuse. Email your details to: friends@hertsdomesticabusehelpline.orgSIGN-UP TODAY! We are here to listen: 9am-9pm Monday to Friday and 9am-4pm weekends 9-4pm on bank holidays Confidential email: kim@mailpurple.org HDAH Clarion Housing – Tea & Cake announcement advert – Artwork – 134 x 190mm – 02.08.22.indd 1 03/08/2022 08:25

ABSOLUTELY magazines 51 HEALTH & BEAUTY • TREND These products will have your skin looking summerholiday ready in no time BRONZEBOTTLE CHANEL Les Beiges Illuminating Oil, £70 chanel.com EDITOR’SPICK JAMES READ Click & Glow Gradual Tan Drops, £25 jamesreadtan.com BY TERRY Tea to Tan Face and Body Bronzer, £59 byterry.com OSKIA Adaptive Tan Mist, £57 oskiaskincare.com FENTY BEAUTY Body Lava Body Luminizer in Who Needs Clothes?!, £46 fentybeauty.com JAMES READ jamesreadtan.com NARS Laguna Bronzing Creme in Laguna 2, £32.50 narscosmetics.co.uk SKINNY TAN Wonder Serum Gradual Tanner, £24.99 skinnytan.co.uk DR. HAUSCHKA BronzingTranslucentTint, £20 drhauschka.co.uk

Tired of waiting weeks to be able to see your GP? Do you feel like your GP is too busy to give you the personalised care you deserve? Dr Suhail Hussain can help Dr Suhail Hussain provides reliable private GP care in Hertfordshire and Greater London. He has been working with patients like you for over 20 years, helping both adults and children to get back on their feet again quickly. Services include: •Home and workplace visits to suit your schedule •Clinic based appointments (in Chelsea) •Remote consultations – telephone and video – for your ultimate convenience •Health screening (in Chelsea) •Blood tests, prescriptions and priority referrals as needed. Personal Physician & Home Visiting Doctor MBChB, DRCOG, DFFP, PG Dip Diabetes For more information visit - drsuhailhussain.com To book please call: 0203 633 6900 or email: care@drsuhailhussain.com (Please quote Absolutely Hertfordshire when enquiring).CQC registered via CP Medical Clinic Ltd

• Vitamin A, important for keratin, however an excess of can exacerbate hair shedding;

• Zinc is important for growth and melanocytes;

• Vitamin F – found in wheatgerm, soya and peanuts – reduces brittle hair;

• Iron deﬁciency can lead to hair loss, so an all round balanced diet is important for healthy hair growth. Blood tests should be taken prior to any supplements being recommended as high levels can be as dangerous as too low levels. You are what you eat extends to the top of your head too. The founder of Ciente explains the nutrients that are vital for healthy looking hair

BEAUTIFUL LOOKING HAIR TAKES WORK ENSURE YOU HAVE A VARIED DIET

Hair raising FACTS CIENTE

By TRISHA BULLER

• Selenium, which is important for thyroid function – thyroxine is the most important hormone for healthy hair growth;

caloriesbiochemicalDuringhealthyunderstandinghairgrowth.thiscomplexprocess,infoodand beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function. Hair only beneﬁts from whatever is left once our important organs have absorbed all the essential minerals and vitamins from this conversion. Our bodies utilise 22 amino acids, all of which are essential for growth, repair, and maintenance, and must be supplied by food sources, as supplements cannot be synthesised in the body, whereas it is a natural function for food consumption to be synthesised in a pleasurable way. Six per cent of adult body water is turned over daily and this exchange far exceeds any other nutrient replacement.

For your in-depth hair analysis consultation contact Ciente hair health spa 01442 877273 or visit ciente.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY magazines 53 HEALTH & BEAUTY • FOCUS

All products of digestion are contained in a water solution, fundamentally it contains a physical cushion and protects internal organs and lubricates joints and tissue. The most e ective way to absorb minerals, vitamins and nutrition is via the food that we consume. The body cannot usually uptake as much beneﬁt from supplements. This is where the bioavailability needs to be considered, as utilisation, absorption and excretion of the vitamins and minerals depends on how we consume our food and that the methods of cooking make such a di erence. To add nutrients into junk food is rarely e ective, as we can only absorb important minerals vitamins and nutrients in balance with other foods in our daily diet, along with lifestyle and nutritional changes. Nutrients that are important for healthy hair growth include:

• Biotin;

nderstanding how we convert food into energy is an important part of

• Vitamin C, important for cementing of material between hair cells;

• Glucose;

• Vitamin D and vitamin E for growth;

• All B vitamins, especially B12 found largely in lean red meat and o al;

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THEDOUBLEFUN

There are so many island combinations to choose from and Olympic Holidays can help create that perfect contrast; tailor-made to suit your needs.

• SKIATHOS & SKOPELOS A 7-night Island Hop package starts from £755pp* including return ﬂights with baggage, accommodation, all ferries and private car transfers between the ferry ports

Exploring Olympic Holidays islandhopping trips, from Rhodes to Halki, and Skiathos to Skopelos

SKOPELOS ISLAND

*Terms and conditions apply

hen it comes to Greece and its islands, it can sometimes be di cult to decide where to spend well-deservedthat break. Although some islands might be similar in many aspects, there are also those that di er signiﬁcantly in terms of size, atmosphere, popularity, and scenery. Maybe it’s an action-packed itinerary with the wild nightlife you are after, or perhaps a quest for authenticity, hidden gems, and deserted beaches for a more relaxing retreat. Olympic Holidays can provide fantastic bespoke island-hopping itineraries that showcase the contrasting characteristics of the Greek islands. Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese Islands. A luxurious, cosmopolitan feel engulfs the island while it still stays true to its fascinating history with a multitude of cultural attractions and a mesmerising UNESCO-protected Old Town. As one of the most popular Greek islands, there are plenty of great restaurants selling the freshest local and international cuisine and resorts with a buzzing nightlife. Halki promises a little more peace and relaxation and is where time really has stood still, a place to discover “authentic Greece” and where friendly locals welcome visitors like long-lost friends. With a few beaches and minimal transport, Halki is perfect for those looking for an insight into the Greek way of life. Rhodes and Halki make for the perfect pair on an islandhopping holiday, ideal for those wanting to experience two di erent sides of Greece.

Skopelos, known for its starring role in the ﬁlm Mamma Mia and its breath-taking scenery, is adored by artists, walkers and hikers. With a more laid-back atmosphere and beautiful architecture, Skopelos has over 100 tiny chapels that are dotted around Skopelos Town. Combine Skiathos and Skopelos for a holiday that reﬂects the contrasting characteristics of Greece. These pairings of island hops are just a taster of what is on o er when booking an island-hopping holiday.

THE ACROPOLIS OF RHODES

Get Going Olympic Holidays have an awardwinning, dedicated island-hopping team to plan your trip

TRAVEL • PARTNERSHIP

• olympicholidays.com

ABSOLUTELY magazines 55

RHODES & HALKI A 7-night Island Hop package starts from £639pp* including return ﬂights with baggage, accommodation, all ferries and private car transfers between the ferry ports

Skiathos boasts more than 50 sun-kissed sandy beaches which are among the best in Greece. The charming capital of Skiathos Town has chic nightlife, a lovely old town with charming shops in a maze of alleyways and a beautiful waterfront o ering an array of bars, boutiques, and restaurants.

HALKI HARBOUR

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INTERIORS Interior News 58 • Home County Co 60 • Trend 69 OFF WALLTHE CURIOUSA & CURIOUSA Curiousa & Curiousa have added new designs to their Siren wall light range, layering colourful hand-blown glass with luxury UK vintage chinaware. Based on a selection of vintage pieces that work beautifully with their hand-blown glass, each combination is truly unique. curiousa.co.uk 57ABSOLUTELY magazines

By PENDLE HARTE

JOHN LEWIS HOME

This stylish Trestle Table (£599) has a central, pedestal base made with spindle rods, giving the table a tactile edge and adding a sense of light. The Motion dining chairs are sleek, with a streamlined metal frame and a curved back rest that's shapely and supportive; the back rest and seat are upholstered in corduroy velvet for a tactile ﬁnish. Set of 2, £199. johnlewis.com

TABLEMUSIC TALK

58 ABSOLUTELY magazines NOTES INTERIORS Ideas, designs and styles for your home

UDALL Rebecca Udall has collaborated with textile designer and illustrator Isla Simpson to create a limited-edition collection of bed linen. Italian woven cotton sheets feature ruﬄe borders and ribbon-tie closures to add a touch of the whimsical. rebeccaudall.com SHEET

59ABSOLUTELY magazines MINI MODERNS Mini Moderns have created their fi rst ever range of towels, each design created with a strong narrative based on personal memories, their passion for mid-century design, and popular culture. minimoderns.com STORY TIME Carafes TAKEFIVE MIMMO STUDIOS Recycled Glass Carafe, £22 mimmostudios.com DIPTYQUE Designed to cleanse, degrease and descale, this versatile solution delivers a thorough clean while enveloping your space with the French Maison’s delicate perfume. Combining effectiveness with a respect for nature, it’s housed in a refillable glass bottle. £32 libertylondon.com CURIOUSA Curiousa & Curiousa have added new designs to their Siren wall light range, layering colourful hand-blown glass with luxury UK vintage chinaware. Each combination is truly unique. curiousa.co.uk FANCYFRESH SEE THE SIREN TRUFFLE TABLESCAPES Emerald Dappled Carafe, £90 truffl etablescapes.co.uk INTERIORS • NOTES ROSE & GREY TortoiseshellCarafe,Glass£32 roseandgrey.co.uk SOFT STORE CO Green Tortoise Jug, £32.99 so store.co JOHN LEWIS ANYDAY Colour Pop Glass Carafe, £12 johnlewis.com

60 ABSOLUTELY magazines OLIVER AND HANNAH GOUNDRY

I am interviewing the 30-year-old entrepreneur while she and Oliver, 34, are in Atlanta, showcasing their hand poured, natural soy wax, biodegradable and vegan-friendly candles at their ﬁrst international trade show. “When people move away, having something that reminds them of home is often really important and so we’ve found there’s a great market among ex-pats in the US, as well as with companies that sell much-loved British brands that aren’t so easy to get here, like Marmite and Cadbury’s,” she says. “It’s a market that is strong in Australia too, so we expect to head there next.”

W hether it’s the delicious scent of freshly baked bread, salty sea air or soothing lavender, a smell can act like a portal, which transports us back to a place, reviving powerful memories.

For Hertfordshirebased couple Hannah and Oliver Goundry, the smells of their individual home counties were so evocative that they decided to bottle them up and pour them into a candle for their home. It was a decision that led the pair to start a home fragrance brand together that is literally sweeping the nation.

It all started with a friendly dispute over which of their home counties was best: “I grew up in Buckinghamshire and Oli in Bedfordshire and we’d always tease each other about which county was best,” explains Hannah, who previously worked in events management and marketing. “Then when we moved to Hertfordshire together, I would travel into Oxfordshire for work and it struck me that each county has its own very distinct character that could be packaged up in scent.”

While the pair are now travelling the world with their Home County Co fragrances, it all started from the kitchen table of their one-bedroom house, in Tring, four years ago.

SMELL OF SUCCESS INTERIORS • INTERVIEW

61ABSOLUTELY magazines Tring-based entrepreneur Hannah Goundry on how her awardwinning Home County Co.’s fragrances have the power to transform your home Words REBECCA PITCAIRN

To that e ect, the company recently moved to a new warehouse across the border in Buckinghamshire and is currently undergoing a rebrand that will see it diversify into other products for the home, such as linens and kitchenware. However, Hannah says candles will always be at the heart of the business.

“I'm a real lover of British lifestyle brands with inspiring founders – brands like Emma Bridgewater, The White Company, Joules and Sophie Allport,” Hannah admits. “We'd love to become a real Great British Heritage brand one day, and so we really look up to other brands who have really made a name for themselves in just one generation.”

“Oli and I had always talked about setting up a business together and so when he was unfortunately laid o from his job in January 2018, we bought a home candle-making kit to see if we could make some candles that represented the home counties closest to us: Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire,” explains Hannah, who chose to base The Buckinghamshire candle on her memories of blackberry picking with her sisters in Wendover Woods and The Hertfordshire, which remains the company’s bestseller, on the bluebells that can be found on the National Trust-run Ashridge Estate. Not long after they developed their ﬁrst candles, initially under the brand name Home County Candle Co, the couple began supplying National Trust shops, which Hannah describes as a real ‘pinch me’ moment. “The National Trust shops in Hughenden, Ashridge and Stowe have been amazing supporters of our products over the years,” she adds. “Since then we've celebrated opening accounts with English Heritage, Notcutts Garden Centres and, more recently, Klondykes Garden Centres in the North of England and we always view accounts with national chains as big pinch me moments. But we’ll never forget those retailers who helped us right at the beginning. The local support in Hertfordshire has been overwhelming.”

The type of scent that represents each county is also something Hannah and Oliver put out to the public. “We try to really throw ourselves headﬁrst into the culture and history of the county we are creating and speak with the locals to discover their 'scent

“Scent can often be overlooked when we're thinking about making a house feel like a home, but scents are so closely linked to our memories and emotions that it's really important to choose fragrances that mean something to you,” she says. “Lighting a candle is about so much more than simply burning wax with a wick, it's about the act of taking some time to make your home feel more homely – to me there is something magical about ﬁlling your space with a beautiful scent and the glow of candlelight.” homecountyco.com

OLIVER ADDING THE FRAGRANCE ABSOLUTELY magazines62

“The local support in Hertfordfordshire has been overwhelming”

stories’ so we can create products powerful enough to transport people back to that place,” Hannah says.

INTERIORS • INTERVIEW

With a number of awards under its belt, including Best Customer Service Award at the 2021 SME National Business Awards, as well as endorsement by Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday initiative, the company is set to follow in the footsteps of some of the country’s most successful modern lifestyle brands.

From The Cambridgeshire to The Cornwall and The Somerset to The Surrey, there are currently 27 Home County candles and di users with plans to eventually launch a fragrance to represent each of the 48 ceremonial counties in England. So, how do they decide which county to work on next? “We're currently running a poll on our website and via social media to allow our customers to choose which counties we should launch next,” explains Hannah. “So far Worcestershire is winning, so that's next on the list and we've got a beautiful scent planned. We also have some really exciting plans to introduce Scottish scents this year too.”

Cloisters Design is an independent 4th generation family run business with over 70 years experience. We pride ourselves on creating unique one-off spaces at a competitive price with an enduring commitment to both quality and service. With such a vast selection of materials from a multitude of suppliers - including our own workshop – we cater to a wide range of budgets and desires led by a passion for design and the way you live. ◊ www.cloistersdesign.co.uk ◊ 01442 231466 ◊ studio@cloistersdesign.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY magazines 65

The kitchen space itself was a fabulous space to work with, the room was well lit thanks to the large windows, and the sloped ceiling created a cosy and welcoming feel, making it the perfect room for lingering in once you’ve ﬁnished your morning co ee. When it came to the kitchen design, the homeowners wanted to use a combination of natural materials and textures, to further complement features of the new building such as the exposed brickwork and wooden beams.

So much more than a kitchen, this outstanding home in Hertfordshire has been transformed from a run-down bungalow into the striking and imposing property you see before you today. The property combines natural materials, with timeless industrial touches to create a warm and rustic environment –something that provided the inspiration when it came to designing the kitchen. Just like designers The Main Company, the owners We head inside an award-winning transformation project in Berkhamsted, which brought together some of the best in the design industry HIDE are passionate about reclaimed materials and furniture, making their values align perfectly.

INTERIORS • REAL HOME NOWHERE

A truly collaborative project, The Hide – as the property is known – was creatively reimagined and expertly designed by HollandGreen Architecture. As principal contractor Barr Group Ltd. worked alongside HollandGreen, together with a select handful of industry specialists such as The Main Company, to bring their vision to life. Built into the hillside, the original property was unrescuable due to its compromised structural integrity – starting from scratch was the only viable option. HollandGreen’s reimagining of the property is nothing short of breath-taking. Carefully considered dimensions, sympathetic and innovative use of materials, and intelligent structural form and fenestration come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Given the property’s location within the Berkhamsted green belt, and its proximity to a Grade II*-listed barn, all aspects of the build had to be carefully and sensitively designed. Shortly after completion, the project went on to win the 2022 Berkhamsted Citizens Environment Award for design excellence and contribution to the local community. The judges complimented the building as a great example of contemporary architecture existing in harmony with an historic building. maincompany.com • barrbuild.co.uk project won the

“The

excellence”designAwardEnvironmentCitizensBerkhamsted2022for THE KITCHEN WAS DESIGNED AROUND THE ISLAND 66 ABSOLUTELY magazines

INTERIORS • REAL HOME

The ex-display island was chosen first, and then the rest of the kitchen was designed around this, making the most of every nook and alcove, including a wooden work surface within the windowsill and a built-in bookcase. The cabinets were finished using Cordoba by Little Greene, with a reclaimed spruce worktop on the island, and a Westminter White worktop to the fitted cabinets. Every Main Company kitchen is bespoke, and designed perfectly to get the most out of your space. For the cabinets themselves, these were designed around the island, with wooden drawer fronts and reclaimed spruce worktops bringing the two together perfectly. The look was enhanced further by the use of exposed shelving, further elevating the cosy, but industrial feel of the space. The large space featured crittal doors and windows, so other touches were added to the kitchen to tie in, including the stainless steel range and sink, bespoke powder coated Armac Martin handles and the combination of metal and rattan lighting. The finished kitchen is truly outstanding, a place that can enjoyed from sunrise to sunset. All of the colours, textures and materials work beautifully together creating a warm and welcoming kitchen that really is the heart of the home.

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69ABSOLUTELY magazines By PENDLE HARTE INREDTHE Homewares in crimson, scarlet and cherry INTERIORS • TREND MINDTHEGAP Woodstock Anatolia Red Wool Kilim, £1,870 mindtheg.com THE WISTERIA TREE Glass Candle Holder, £14 thewisteriatree.co.uk EDITOR’SPICK CUCKOOLAND New York Metal Kids Bed, £245 cuckooland.com MINDTHEGAP Tribal Ikat Wallpaper, £135 mindtheg.com BEAUMONDE Recycled Cotton Throw, £26.99 beaumonde.co.uk NATALIA WILLMOTT Zulu Bowl, £20 nataliawillmott.co.uk NEDGIS Terracotta Ball Light, £78 nedgis.com FY Rialto Tumblers, £70 iamfy.co POOKY Dangly Wall Fitting with Red Silk Shade, £96 pooky.com FY Woven Round Placemats, £57 iamfy.co

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METAL WORK SCP From Maarten Baas' Aligned collection, these dining armchairs put a childlike twist on the conventional metal frame with slats design by mimicking roughly drawn lines. scp.co.uk LAID OUT JOHN LEWIS Create a beautiful summery tablescape with John Lewis's outdoor dining collection in colourful melamine. johnlewis.com SIMPLE STYLE CARL HANSEN Børge Mogensen conceived the Deck Chair Series of functional outdoor furniture in the late 1960s. Simple, slatted lines and solid teak construction provide durable functionality. carlhansen.com COOK OUT GARDENCHESSINGTONCENTRE The innovative, unique barbecue and smoker range at Chessington Garden Centre oﬀers solutions for outdoor dining, whether you prefer cooking on gas or something more traditional. chessingtongardencentre.co.uk HOUSE PROUD HARTLEY BOTANIC A Hartley Glasshouse allows gardeners to spend time savouring their plants. But in its role as a garden room, gardeners can curate the space – to indulge in a hobby, enjoy al fresco dining, practice yoga, or simply relax. hartley-botanic.co.uk 1 3 4 5 1 2 3 2 4 5 INT E RIORS • GARDENS ABSOLUTELY magazines 71 PREPARE YOUR GARDEN FOR AN INDIAN SUMMER OUTDOORLIVING

QUINCE COOK Gingham Mug, £13 quinceandcook.co.uk 73ABSOLUTELY magazines By PENDLE HARTE CHECKCROSS Gingham, tartan and other squares INTERIORS • TREND WEAVER GREEN Madras Check Pink Throw, £55 weavergreen.com GABRIELLA JAMES Ella Chair upholstered in Chubby Check by Kit Kemp, £845 gabriellajames.co.uk DIBOR Gingham Table Cloth, £42 dibor.co.uk TRUFFLE TABLESCAPES Gingham Ruﬄ e Placemat, £20 truﬄ etablescapes.co.uk ERCOL Marino Armchair in Forest Green Check, £1,650 ercol.com TORI MURPHY Woodhouse Check Frilly Cushion, £75 torimurphy.com TARTAN BLANKET CO Lambswool Blanket in Seagrass Cottage Check, £135 tartanblanketco.com EDITOR’SPICK TORI MURPHY Woodhouse Check Bow, £48 torimurphy.com SECRET LINEN STORE Magnus 100 Linen, from £22 secretlinenstore.com

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SPECIAL BACK TO SCHOOL p76 GIRLS FOOTBALL p79 SPORT IN SCHOOLS p82 BEST OF BOTH WORLDS p87 NEWS & VIEWS p96 Inside this section MOUNT HOUSE SCHOOL Mount House School celebrated the success of its GCSE and A-level results in August and they are proud of what their students have achieved during a very challenging two years. Small classes at Mount House allow students to thrive, to develop confidence and to achieve the very best results they can. mounthouse.org.uk OUTBRINGINGTHEBEST 75ABSOLUTELY magazines

The ﬁrst day of a new academic year means di erent things to parents all across the county – but you are not alone

MEMORY TEST By SUE LAIDLAW 76 ABSOLUTELY magazines

My youngest daughter finally graduated this week (it was delayed one year due to the pandemic), but this graduation proved to be a significant milestone. Our little girl properly launched into the real adult world. Reflecting on this moment, I realised, with a degree of surprise that, as parents, we have had a full stretch of over 80 terms of school years non-stop. As young parents, people always said to us, and no doubt have said to you too, “enjoy the moment – it will go in a flash”. We accepted the comment, but perhaps didn’t really believe as we carried on wrangling our tired and squabbling children or wiping yet another runny nose. Realistically it is obviously di cult to enjoy every single moment. The moments when you say to each other that one day we will look back and laugh at this, but actually this really has proved to be true. I ran the film of the last 26 years through my mind as each graduate walked across the impressive stage. I saw our first daughter standing at the front door, school bag in hand, ready to go to big school; I saw again the moments when our children constantly surprised us – the solo singing that we didn’t know about until the Carol Service; the day that one of them mentioned that she had told the Ofsted lady what she thought of her school (I hope it was complimentary); the little 10-year-old who was always running around like a headless chicken and then we saw her standing on the start line at the borough sports day in the middle of the pitch in Twickenham Stadium. It’s not just about successes, there are plenty of big learning curves, nights pondering and worrying that starred in my memory film too! But now, with the wisdom of hindsight, I feel able to reassure the many parents that we speak to each week at Laidlaw Education. However di cult, joyful, successful, stressful things may seem at the time, they really do work out. Loving parents find a way. It is rather like looking out of an aeroplane window over the patchwork of fields that we see coming into Gatwick. Everything meshes together and, oh what a ride it is! Reflecting this week, I have felt a little melancholy –how lovely it would be to do it all again.

So, at the start of another academic year, I, too, will whisper in your ear, whatever stage of education your child might have reached – starting Nursery, o to Senior School, Sixth Form or stepping in to University life – fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride. Even the bits that are di cult, worrying or where you simply don’t know what to do for the best, when you look back, you will see a bigger picture – and you probably wouldn’t want to change too much, after all. Have a wonderful new term, combine the work and the play – and enjoy all the small and precious moments that you will share with your children.

EDUCATION • FEATURE

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September is here again! A new academic year, and new changes of class, of school and even of family routine. There is excitement, apprehension and that feeling of another new start. New academic years have been like punctuation marks throughout my life – school days, university days, teaching days, days on the school run and teaching days again – and so it all keeps turning. Throughout the past decades, I have written countless articles about the return to school in September. There have been articles about new starts, settling your children into their new routine, embracing new opportunities, letting them go and so much more – but this year is di erent. For this new academic year, it’s time to write as a parent who has probably felt every emotion that every parent reading this will have felt or will feel in the future. This time, it’s time to share my reﬂections.

Sue Laidlaw is founder of Laidlaw Education LLP, and her team o er educational advice, lessons and courses for children of all ages through their centres, including Laidlaw Hall supporting children with special needs, and the Laidlaw Virtual Academy. Book courses and ﬁnd out more by calling 020 8487 9517 or visit laidlaweducation.co.uk “However di cult things may seem, they really do work out”

Barnet / Independent / Co-educational / Ages 11–18 Inspiring every individual – Small school with small class sizes – Highly effective pastoral care system – Excellent academic results at both GCSE and A level – A wide range of co-curricular activities and clubs SchooltransportroutestoEnfieldandCanonsPark For entry at 11+, 13+ and Sixth Form (in-year admissions may be available) www.mounthouse.org.uk/ 020 8449 6889 /admissions@mounthouse.org.uk Mount House School, Camlet Way, Hadley Wood, Hertfordshire, EN4 0NJ AIMING HIGH OPEN DAY Saturday 24th September Explore Mount House in Hadley Wood, North London SCAN TO BOOK YOUR PLACE

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Yes, you can… The Head of Girls Games at York

of female football By LAUREN KELLY Can I KICK IT? EDUCATION • SPORT

on the rising

he recent success of England’s Lionesses has captured the nation, inspiring new interest in women’s football across the country. Yet the popularity of girls’ football has always existed, dating back as far as the 1920s with Dick Kerr’s infamous ladies team performing to a packed stadium of over 53,000 spectators. Despite the ﬁrst golden age, females playing football was deemed ‘unsuitable and ought not to be encouraged’ based on a sexist judgement. This halted the female game for over 50 years; however, women’s and girls’ football is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and opportunities for young girls have increased signiﬁcantly, with a 54% rise in FA a liated women’s and girls’ teams since just 2017.

The most recent multi-million-pound deal for the broadcast rights to the Womens’ Super League has ensured top-ﬂight matches are being aired on the BBC and across the main Sky Sports channels, o ering young aspiring female footballers positive role models and exposure to opportunities, which match their male counterparts. The House School Croxley Green success

EDUCATION • SPORT

DITCHING STIGMAS Despite the stigma around football being ‘masculine’, the game has evolved, including a greater focus on strategy and tactics other than purely physical attributes. This relates to the classroom, where individuals are encouraged to analyse, think critically and problem solve. Football has proven to be a powerful tool in ingraining core values and developing key skills in life, such as social skills, discipline and respect to name a few. It is important that we expose girls to high level sport as much as possible. Exposure to high level sport is only one piece of the participation puzzle though. All students’ sporting participation is heavily inﬂuenced by opportunity and support, be it from school, home or their community. Students should be given the opportunity to experience a range of sporting activities – even those labelled more traditional male or female sports – and when doing so they should feel safe, secure and supported.

80 ABSOLUTELY magazines increased female presence on screen and radio when presenting, commentating and o ciating is another huge step in the right direction for females in sport.

OPPORTUNITIES ARE LIMITLESS I am lucky enough to work with a number of young girls who have the opportunity to play in a number of fixtures at prep school level, including co-ed mixed matches, which I believe is hugely beneficial for both boys and girls as it sets the tone for the future, disregarding stigmas and promoting equality. At my school we try to push the drive of girls’ football, which includes supporting our local community with the opportunities they receive. On an annual basis, we run many football festivals and tournaments to promote the sport and our e orts have been recognised with a FA Women’s and Girl’s Participation award, winning Best Education Sector for 2019/2020. This ISFA Hub status has enabled us to expose schools in the local community to the sport too. The landscape for women’s sport is ever evolving and the legacy of the Lionesses is undoubtedly a game changer for women’s football. I hope this positive momentum continues and through educating students from a young age both in the classroom and on the sports field, we can all build our future trailblazers to believe that their dreams are limitless and achievable. york-house.com

“Pupils should be encouraged to take risks in girls' games, to have a go and give their all”

LAUREN KELLY

hubs to potentially deliver co-curricular or specialist sessions. These opportunities are extremely valuable for pupils to experience sports that they potentially would not usually have access to.

It is also important to recognise that a coach’s objective coincides with the teachings within a classroom. Ultimately, building conﬁdence, developing young girls and reinforcing messages in order to promote life skill development and facilitate learning. The competitive nature of team sport is essential in building resilience, personal control and leadership skills, which are all attributes that shape character, not necessarily building the complete footballer. Pupils should be encouraged to take risks in girls’ games, to have a go and to give their all.

Where schools are limited in terms of timetabling, it is worth establishing links with external clubs and specialist sport

ROLE MODELLING As sta , we hope to be role models for our girls by openly discussing our own participation in sport and actively encouraging the girls to participate in physical activity in and out of school. Further to this, we must strive to improve and continue to develop our own skill set professionally, to be able to deliver the best possible training to our girls.

Excellence, integrity and distinction since 1561 For boys 3 - 18 www.mtsn.org.uk Tel. +44 (0)1923 845514 Email. admissions@mtsn.org.uk Merchant Taylors’ School, Sandy Lodge, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2HT Coaches: St Albans, Harpenden, Radlett, Elstree, Borehamwood & Stanmore Moor Park (Baker Street 35 minutes) Open Morning for 11+ & 16+ Saturday 24th September 10.00-12.30 Scholarships and bursaries available

Independent schools go way beyond the classic team sports, to bring on the champions, and also help every pupil ﬁnd their sporting spirit Fantastic GAMES By LIBBY NORMAN 82 ABSOLUTELY magazines BRIGHTON COLLEGE STUDENTS PLAY BEACH VOLLEYBALL ON SUSSEX'S MOST FAMOUS SEAFRONT

Dulwich College may not be on the waterfront, but its students also love water polo. Boys are introduced to it as a lunchtime club in Years 5 and 6 – provided they can swim well in deep water – and it’s become a really popular sport, with six friendlies against local opponents each year. When they get to senior school, there’s the opportunity to compete in all age groups within the

The tendency still when we talk about school sport is to think of the classic team games – rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, and so on. While these remain core, the menu of sports opportunities in independent schools is far richer and broader, and ultimately feeds into success at national and international events. Sports directors recognise that not everyone is a natural for mainstream team games, and it could be the individual tests and endurance challenges – or the less usual team sports – that ignite a student's enthusiasm. A drive for excellence is really important here, but so too the fun factor. For instance, Brighton College makes full use of its beach access by hosting the annual Independent School Beach Volleyball Competition. O season, the school hones team skills in its double-height sports hall, but once the summer comes, students head down to Sussex’s most famous seafront for proper play. Brighton is deadly serious in its endeavours – the school is current Independent School champion. The College also has highly active sports clubs in fencing (one female pupil was recently selected for the U17 GB squad in Cade Sabre) and in water polo, where it regularly competes in tournaments.

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n the foreword to the 2014 Ofsted report ‘Going the extra mile: Excellence in competitive school sport’, the then Chief Inspector of Schools Sir Michael Wilshaw namechecked Alan Wilkinson, PE teacher to a keen would-be footballer called Mo Farah. Wilshaw noted that it was Wilkinson who steered the Olympic legend away from the beautiful game based on a hunch that the lad would go much further on the running track. No-one can have any doubt of the positive inﬂuence that a steer in the right direction has on potential elite sportsmen and sportswomen, but the Ofsted report was highlighting the broad opportunities independent schools o er, how this impacts whole-school culture as well as sporting success – and also considering how all schools might improve sporting achievement.

WATER POLO IS A DULWICH COLLEGE STRENGTH

Merchiston has a great tradition in another Scottish sporting invention, with a highly regarded Golf Academy that enables talented players to pursue their sport without compromising on their education. The school approach is broad – it has a winning reputation in many individual and team sports – and with a clear focus on bringing on all the talents. It is fortunate in its facilities and location, so sailing (at a club on the Firth of Forth) and shooting on its own range and within the grounds are both popular. These are two sports in which Team GB has an excellent track record at international events.

FENCING AT BRIGHTON COLLEGE

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Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh honoured a win in the Olympic arena even more recently. Merchistonians Hammy McMillan and Grant Hardie won silver for curling at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Notably, the women’s curling team led by Eve Muirhead (alumna of the independent

MERCHISTON OFFERS A RICH CHOICE OF SPORTS, INCLUDING SHOOTING Schools League and the English Schools Swimming Association national event. Teams are coached by former international competitors and have been on overseas tours. As it happens, Team GB remains one of the most successful competitors in Olympic Water Polo historically, but the last time we carried home gold was 1920, so there’s plenty for young people to play for. Like Brighton College, Dulwich also has form in fencing. Recently, it celebrated

the achievements of Old Alleynian Oliver Lam-Watson, who was part of the silver and bronze-medal winning GB wheelchair fencing teams at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Sports sta at Merchiston and every school work hard to bring on the most able and rightly celebrate each win by a student or former student, but it’s a lesser, albeit vital, part of their remit. All research points to the same thing – if students leave school with an enjoyment of physical activity, they are more likely to stay active into middle and later life. Medals apart, this is why the rich diet of sports and the quest for excellence in many competitive arenas is a positive thing. After all, most young people hang up their rugby boots and hockey stick when they leave school. But a spot of sailing or beach volleyball on holiday or a round of golf or clay pigeon shooting at the weekend is there to be enjoyed for many years to come “O season, Brighton College hones team skills in its double-height sports hall, but once the sun comes out, students head down to Sussex’s most famous seafront”

Morrison’s Academy in Crie ) brought home gold. These were the only two medals for the nation from Beijing, and so all the more likely to generate interest and enthusiasm for the sport of curling among young people over the next few years.

t Columba’s College and Preparatory School is an independent Catholic day school for pupils aged 4-18 in St Albans. The school was founded in 1939, and since 1955 it has been a member of the Brothers of the Scared Heart’s global community of schools. It is unique in being the only such school in the UK. In 2021, girls joined each year group in Lower Prep (Reception, Year 1, and Year 2) and the Lower Sixth Form (Year 12). From September 2022, girls will be welcomed into Form 1/Year 7. This will be followed by a phased transition, which will eventually see St Columba’s o ering its unique, high-quality Catholic education to both boys and girls from ages 4-18. St Columba’s is proud to be a Catholic school and welcomes pupils and sta of all faiths and of no particular persuasion. According to Headmaster

David Shannon-Little: “We teach our pupils the Columban values of courage, courtesy, and compassion, to enable them to become conﬁdent and well-rounded individuals who aim to leave people and places better than they ﬁnd them.”

The school knows that in addition to an ambitious classroom curriculum, participation in a broad range of extra-curricular activities and service opportunities is equally important in their overall aim of preparing young people to ‘not just to make a living, but to make a life’.

In recent years, St Columba’s has invested millions of pounds in new facilities including a ﬁtness suite, and Science, and Design Technology labs in the Senior School, and a modern IT suite in the Prep School. Plans are currently underway to upgrade the sports pitches, for use by the whole school. stcolumbascollege.org

EDUCATION • FOCUS

In the ISI Inspection of St Columba’s College in May 2022, the school was recognised as ‘Fully Compliant’ and ‘Excellent’ in all areas. The ISI report stated that ‘pupils have an excellent attitude towards their learning, and that their knowledge, understanding, and skills are highly developed’. Pupils were also found to have a high level of social awareness and valued diversity within the school community.

The school prides itself on providing an education of the head and heart, placing academic success, happiness, and conﬁdence at the centre of its mission. Throughout each phase of education, the curriculum is ambitious and varied, rooted in a long tradition of academic excellence. Through small classes, the school creates a nurturing environment where each pupil is challenged to achieve their own best academic standard. Pupils receive excellent support from dedicated sta , where every pupil is known, valued, and treasured through a well-structured pastoral system.

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BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Why at St Columba’s College, pupils can follow their head and their heart

your SixthNewFormOpeningEarly2024Discoverremarkable Sixth Form Open Event 16 Septemberberkhamsted.com Book your place future ourJoin

BERKHAMSTED Find out more about Berkhamsted and the new Sixth Form opening in early 2024 at their upcoming open event on Friday 16 September. Book a place on their website at berkhamsted.com

Making a DIFFERENCE

t takes character to achieve under adversity: by that definition, this year’s Berkhamsted Y13 leavers have demonstrated their character to great e ect in their record-breaking A-level results. Berkhamsted saw their students work hard to continue their studies throughout Covid-19, and, as these results show, they have certainly developed resilience and the ability to persevere through di cult times. “I am extremely proud of all our 2022 leavers and how they have performed in these public exams,” comments Martin Walker, Headteacher of Berkhamsted Sixth. “Their results are all the more impressive when we take into account the adversity they have faced in recent years and the fact that they did not have the opportunity to sit their GCSE examinations in 2020. The students’ hard work, determination, and mutual support have paid o with 90.1% achieving A*B. They can now reflect on their school education with a sense of completion.” In all, 28 students achieved straight A*s in their chosen subjects, whilst 121 students of this year’s cohort achieved three A grades or better. One third of A-level grades awarded to their students this year were A*, more than two thirds were A* or A grades and more than 90% of A level grades were at A*, A or B. In addition to achieving their best ever results achieved by pupils at Berkhamsted, these remarkable students have fulfilled the school’s value of ‘Serving Others’ by dedicating time: over 270 hours of volunteering, to support and raise funds, nearly £41,000, for charities who needed the additional support following a di cult couple of years. Students in the Sixth Form have taken part in additional co-curricular activities to enhance their studies and develop their knowledge by undertaking a broad range of experiences from Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards, to Student Consultancy – providing the opportunity to develop commercial solutions for local businesses through to introducing new initiatives at Berkhamsted to help improve the education of their younger classmates.

Why it’s about than just results at Berkhamsted

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SOME OF THE A-LEVEL SUCCESS STORIES “The determinationhardstudentswork,andmutualsupporthavepaido”

Richard Backhouse, Principal of the Berkhamsted Schools Group, states: “This cohort have demonstrated how they are developing and growing to be remarkable young adults who we expect to go on and continue to learn and make a di erence in our world. The results today are just one element of their personal development, but the skills and knowledge of how to use this success for the better is one that we hope these former Sixth Formers will demonstrate in the next stage of their career development.” Students from Berkhamsted Sixth are looking forward to starting their new paths later this year at universities in both the UK and US; starting on apprenticeship schemes with JP Morgan; or taking the time to learn more about the world around them whilst travelling. Whatever path they have taken, many will be displaying their remarkable character and their school values of ‘Aiming High with Integrity’, ‘Being Adventurous’ and ‘Serving Others’ on the next step of their life journey.

If speciﬁc learning support is needed or there is a pastoral situation to be managed, it can be helpful for schools to link parents up with experts in the school community and to start preparing ahead of time so that September lands more softly. Moving up, or moving schools, is a big transition for children and helping Be

By LARA PECHARD a child and their family to feel more connected to the school and to other families before they arrive is a big positive. Yet most important of all is the social aspect around joining a new school or moving up a year. If a child can make the move smoothly, and settle in and make friends quickly, then academically speaking, the rest should follow.

StartingPREPAREDanewschoolthisyear?The Head of St Margaret’s School in Bushey on how to get ‘ready’

WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK It is important to communicate with your new school and to ask the right questions. Thinking about aspects such as co-curricular activities is also a strong way to secure interest from your child and will help to reassure them that they will be meeting like-minded children. Here

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Starting a new school is an exciting time, but it can also be a daunting time for parents and children as they prepare to adapt to a new way of life. Once families have made their school choice, parents often ask how they can help to get their child ready. Most school joining packs or handbooks will cover these o , but there are also the more complex questions to consider around getting children ready socially, as well as academically, for their new school.

When a child is starting a new school with no, or few of their existing cohort, parents will often want to know how the school’s ‘buddy’ system works, whereby they will pair a child up with another, to provide support socially. Parents are also keen to understand how the school will look after their child and get to know them personally. Questions will be asked in the lead up to the induction, and parents and children will feel reassured if the school has a programme and channel of communication to connect with them post o er and before starting the academic year.

“If a child can settle in smoothly, then willspeaking,academicallytherestfollow”

• Are there opportunities to visit before the end of the summer term and to connect with other families within the school community?

This year, there are lots more questions about school trips and travel opportunities. Parents feel that their children have missed these events over recent years and so there are many more questions about what trips will run and when they might resume properly again. Schools still get questions related to how they would manage another lockdown too. We are very hopeful that this won’t be the case again in the future, but if a school can demonstrate that their track record is strong, that goes a long way. Every year schools like mine also get more questions from parents about pastoral care and since Covid there has been a pick up here. There is lots of interest around how we identify issues and how we support and communicate with families. This reduces some of the anxiety around how we can get children ready academically.

• Is there a PTA or a system of class and parent liaison representatives?

WHAT’S NEXT Take your child to visit their new school on a summer’s day; low stakes visits when there is a summer fair or an openair play will give children the chance to see what other pupils achieve in a way that excites them. Ensure they have a chance to make a friend or two before they start school if possible. Attending school summer camps or an induction day will help create this opportunity. Giving a child time between holidays and the start of term can help to alleviate any worries. If you are screeching into Heathrow on 4 September, and the term starts on 5 September, it might not be the best preparation for the term ahead. Ideally, children need a quiet day or two before term starts. This will give them the time to mentally prepare while giving parents time to do the same. stmargarets-school.org.uk

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are a few other suggestions for questions that you might not have considered:

Parents often ask about practical expectations fuelled by the questions that their children ask. These are often linked to activities they enjoy, hobbies, food and allergies or dietary requirements and things that they may be worried about. Questions are usually all part of an attempt to visualise the school day. If children can see the school in operation, this helps to reassure them. Schools will still get asked questions related to how they can help a child get ahead academically, are there any recommended book lists or work that they should do over the summer holidays. Some of this is post-Covid anxiety from previous disruption to learning, but my advice to parents as a Head is, give them a holiday, but try and whet the appetite for September.

FRESH CONCERNS

LARA PECHARD

• What co-curricular provision is there for your child and their personal interests?

Literature, geography, foreign languages, art, music and drama must embrace this change, but history in particular can do so much to broaden minds.

PREPARING PUPILS TO INHABIT A GLOBAL WORKPLACE

I vividly remember crying with laughter the first time I came across ‘1066 and all that’. Having been brought up on Ladybird history books, Sellar and Yeatman’s pastiche of English history struck a chord, brilliantly lampooning a story of ‘One Hundred and Three Good Things, Five Bad Kings and Two Genuine Dates’. And yet, almost a century after it was written, it feels as though the school history curriculum still bears too many similarities to their intended target. It is still England first, then Wales, Scotland and Europe (and then the rest of the world if there is time). It is still a story dominated by elite, white, heterosexual men; if we do look further afield, it tends to be from a British perspective (India or Africa are relevant only in so far as they interacted with Britain, imperial ambition, etc). In recent years, Black History Month and LGBT History Month, among others, have captured our consciousness for brief periods, but we too often revert back to the tried and tested narratives that have dominated for so long.

The challenge exists, of course, for all subjects to broaden their scopes of study to recognise the fact that our pupils are diverse and that they are the true future citizens of the world.

Yet in 2022, we are preparing young people from all backgrounds to inhabit a global workplace. To move seamlessly between cultures and continents and to respect and understand the incredible di erences that exist within our society and planet. Are we doing this well enough?

By GUS LOCK HABS BOYS GUS LOCK

Last summer, for obvious reasons, and probably for the ﬁrst time in centuries, we did not run internal examinations in Years 7 and 8 at my school. Suddenly we had the most precious commodity of all – time. There were no repetitive revision lessons, no time lost to silently scribbling

Diversifying the CURRICULUM

toadaptagilewhilstduringAsconservativenaturallyinstitutions.wehaveseensoclearlythepandemic,smaller,moreorganisationsmightinstantaneouslytheunexpected, schools need time and space to evolve and adjust to new priorities or ways of working. We value stability and tradition for good reason; they help provide our pupils with solid, clear and consistent foundations upon which they can grow.

THE ROLE OF HISTORY IN BROADENING MINDS

Schools are

The Headmaster of Habs Boys in Elstree on why more needs to be done to open our children’s minds to the world around them

We can transport pupils to completely di erent times and places. We can meet a range of the most improbable role models to inspire us and warn us. We can ‘usualise’ vastly di ering cultures, both enjoying our own di erences and yet seeing beyond di erence to those human patterns that recur, regardless of time and place.

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According to a recent poll, four out of every ﬁve teachers believe we can do more to celebrate diverse cultures, people and experiences in our education.

EDUCATION • TALKING HEAD

EVERY PUPIL SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEMSELVES IN OUR STORY Naturally, they had relished every minute spent on the Counter-Reformation or the Protectorate Parliaments (honestly), but they really came alive as we explored the Underground Railroad or the challenges of ruling a sprawling empire across 17th century India. Many did their very best work of the year, including some who had never looked like the most natural or enthusiastic students of history. History is endless and there is only a ﬁnite amount we can choose to study. The curriculum cannot realistically be re-written every year and there should inevitably be a core of British history that must covered. However, there is so much more that needs to be done to ensure every child sees themselves among the actors we study. Even a cursory look at examination syllabi at GCSE and A-level, will give a striking indication of how little women feature. When do our LGBT students have any opportunity to see themselves in our story? It may emerge that some of the lesser Kings of England were gay, but is this likely to reinforce selfconﬁdence, when in fact there is evidence of homosexuality and transsexuality throughout history in many varied contexts that could, if we chose to study it, provide insight and understanding. Find out more by visiting habsboys.org.uk in sweltering classrooms, no time spent going back over past papers, correcting details or honing exam techniques. What to do with the time? We decided to get out of Europe and in to Africa before the European slave trade, to discover the world of west African Empires and Mansa Musa, then to understand the impact on this world of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. We moved to India before the arrival of European colonialism, to the world of Mughal Emperors Akbar and Aurangzeb. Rather than studying these worlds through the lens of the British empire, we consciously chose to explore them in their own right. We all learned so much in those weeks. Besides just learning a lot of amazing history, we made connections and comparisons with the European history we had previously studied, seeing similarities and di erence across continents and

ABSOLUTELY magazines 93 XXXXXXXX • XXXXX cultures. Personally, I learned that getting out and learning some di erent history was inﬁnitely more valuable and enjoyable than any summer examination. But what struck me most was just how much my students enjoyed and engaged with it.

“We too often revert back to the tried and tested narratives that have dominated for so long”

AmbitiousJoinusnowatanopeneventhabsboys.org.uk&habsgirls.org.uk

“We celebrate all our

xam results days are a rite of passage. All children, and their parents, have to go through them. The exams themselves are bad enough, but then there is the waiting – and inevitably the more time that elapses the easier it is to focus on the things which might have gone wrong in the exam hall. I remember it from my own school days, and as a teacher I re-live it every year. As a parent, this year I experienced the double whammy of GCSEs and A-levels in the same year!

The Head of Mount House School in Hadley Wood on why all students are achievers, no matter what their exam results are

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Aiming HIGH

Some students perform exceptionally well in exams, others – despite just as much e ort – do not. At Mount House we celebrate all our students’ achievements, no matter how ‘good’ the outside world might judge them to be. We are a small school and we know our students well. We know that our results will go up and down in each year, depending on the ability of our mixed and inclusive cohort. Our expectations are clear and they are high: we expect that every student will do their best, will focus in lessons, will complete homework and we encourage them to ask for help when they need it. If they do that, they will achieve results of which we are all proud. Of course, teenagers don’t always work as hard as they can, and things can go wrong in the exam hall – but learning to fail is also a rite of passage. As a parent, I do know it is terribly hard to ‘allow’ your child to fail. As a teacher, I know how important it is that children get things wrong, because without this they cannot learn to deal with adversity. As adults we all need to know how to manage set-backs, how to pick ourselves up, how to focus on what we might do di erently next time.

We all know there is more to life than exams. Exams are a blunt instrument of judgement and no young person should be made to feel inadequate on the basis of their exam results. I congratulate those whose children have achieved great results, and I commiserate with those whose children have not. I urge you to celebrate your child’s other achievements, in art, sport, music, drama and good citizenship.

If you have not yet visited Mount House, they would be delighted to welcome you to their next Open Morning on Saturday 24 September. Visit mounthouse.org.uk to ﬁnd out more

matterachievements,students'nohow'good'theoutsideworldmightjudgethemtobe”

By SARAH RICHARDSON SARAH RICHARDSON

EDUCATION NEWS

Exploring the world of opportunity in Hertfordshire

Gifted Edge Edge Grove, an independent Prep school in Radlett, is celebrating a range of impressive scholarships as leavers prepare for new destinations. Head Boy at Edge Grove, Ediz Karakas (pictured), will become a King’s Scholar when he joins Eton in the autumn. The process is highly competitive, and the Radlett pupil is one of just 14 boys from across the country to have been awarded a scholarship for September this year. The school is also paying tribute to Lucas Hao, a Year 8 pupil who has achieved straight A grades in the prestigious and incredibly challenging Westminster Challenge Scholarship Papers, which assess an individual’s reasoning at A-level standard, requiring a great deal of determination, hard work and commitment. As well as securing success at Eton and Westminster, the school is celebrating a range of other successful scholarships, with Year 8 leavers’ destinations including Harrow, Wellington College, Merchant Taylors’ School, St Albans School, St Margaret’s School, Aldenham School, Bede’s School, Shiplake College, Mill Hill School and The Leys School. edgegrove.com Seeing believingis Deciding on a new school should be exciting, but it can also be daunting. By visiting an Open Day or one-to-one tour your whole family can not only start to have a sense of a school and its facilities, but also begin to really get to know them as a community. St Margaret’s School’s next Open Day is on Saturday 24 September and they would be delighted to welcome families to join them. They are an independent, co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 2 to 18, nestled in a 60-acre site, just outside of London. If you are looking at school options and have not yet visited, allow them to show you the love of learning, culture of achievement and relish of challenge that is the essence of St Margaret’s. stmargarets-school.org.uk/admissions/visit-us

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BACK TO NATURE From practicing yoga and mindfulness beneath the trees to building on key areas of development with exciting outdoor activities, the idyllic surroundings of Hertford Barns Day Nursery provide the perfect backdrop for children to thrive. Armed with magnifying glasses, pre-schoolers at the newly refurbished setting on Cole Green study inhabitants in bug hotels, create habitats for wildlife using natural materials and monitor the growth of plants, learning simple maths and science messages, as well as the importance of good nutrition and exercise to healthy lifestyles. Inside, the bright and spacious classrooms are filled with purpose-built facilities including a children’s shaker-style kitchen for cooking, art tables to inspire creativity and cosy corners for reading. With state-of-theart resources, each child from six weeks to nearly five years is able to immerse themselves in the vast learning opportunities on offer. For more information contact the nursery on 01707 392999 or hertfordbarns.nursery@childbase.comemail

02082929222 Registered charity no 1012369 www.chickenshed.org.uk Sponsoredby FOR CHILDREN AGED 6 WEEKS TO 5 YEARS OPEN 7.30AM TO 6.30PM Fun is an essential ingredient in all our nurseries where the care and education opportunities for each and every child are as extraordinary as our colleagues who provide them. T: 01707 392999 E: hertfordbarns.nursery@childbase.com Hertford Barns Day Nursery, Cole Green, Hertford, SG14 2NL T: 01582 792060 E: @childbase.comnurseryonthegreen.redbourn Nursery on the Green, South Common, Redbourn, Hertfordshire, AL3 7NG www.childbasepartnership.com registrationstakingNow WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU Anco-educational,independentprimaryschoolforchildrenaged4-11yearsold. Toarrangeavisit,pleaseemailadmissions@manorlodgeschool.com orcalluson01707642424 #bepartoftheadventure

IF YOU THINK YOUR LAND OR PROPERTY HAS DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, THEN GIVE US A CALL WITHOUT OBLIGATION AND IN CONFIDENCE. Many of our clients retain our services and, in the majority of cases, pay our fees saving property owners significant costs. For more information contact Stephen Donnelly on: 07739 514350 01892 steve@sjd-projects.com579937 We are always on the lookout for land and property with developmentpotential PROPERTY WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL Contact Stephen Donnelly on 07739 514350 or 01892 579937 website: sjd-projects.com email: steve@sjd-projects.com For regular updates, visit us at twitter.com/projects Commercial buildings for residential conversion, former public houses, redundant buildings for redevelopment, buildings for conversion or replacement, houses for improvement, large sites on the edge of town, barn conversions, large gardens in residential areas and major regeneration projects. sjd-projects.com ORPLOTNOT?