Absolutely Education Spring 2020 by ABSOLUTELY Magazines

EDUCATION SPRING 2020 • £5

Let’s PLAY Making music for life

The

A RT S ISSUE

SPRING 2020

STAR MAKERS

Elite performing arts schools

New

ORDER

How to teach Generation Greta

Bright

Z E S T. L O N D O N

FUTURES

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I N ST I L L I N G A C R E AT I V E M I N D S E T

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Every Heathfield girl has an irrepressible spirit. Uniquely hers, it drives her passion, voice and character. As well as providing an excellent academic education and top-class pastoral care, Heathfield identifies your daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distinctive strengths and encourages her to live her ambitions, embrace her spirit and talent so that she develops as the best possible version of herself. Live life like a Heathfield girl.

OPEN DAYS

EXCELLENT ISI inspection 2018

To book, email registrar@heathfieldschool.net

Boarding and Day for Girls 11-18

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We l c o m e

From the

EDITOR

large-scale Canadian study, reported in the international press last summer, found that students who take music lessons perform better across the board in maths, science and English. Other studies have shown similar findings, but this was a much larger-scale research project, also adjusted to factor in elements such as family background. We have a good starting point to argue the case for the arts as a pillar of our school curriculums – but surely that begs the question why do we even need to do that? This is certainly something that resonates throughout this artsthemed issue of Absolutely Education. Samantha Price, Headmistress of Benenden says that justifying a focus on arts teaching has become not an if, but a when. Her repost on page 73 is to consider a typical school theatre production then think about the life skills that have been developed in bringing it successfully to stage.

at the talent emerging through our schools. We explore the regime and alumni at some of ourt elite performing arts schools (see page 54), and we also go behind the scenes at Heathfield School (page 80), to find out how it maintains its long-held reputation as a hub for the arts, from fashion to fine art. What is apparent from talking to Heathfield and other schools is that the arts help to knit schools together. Very often, the most inspiring arts happenings are student, not teacher, led. It could be that rock band generating heat around the whole school or the brilliant group animation – art being made by a new generation with lots to say. This generation has plenty to say on the subject of climate change, as the #fridayprotests have shown. Finding an adequate response is certainly a challenge for parents and educators, and one that is not going to go away. In Generation Greta (page 70), Barnaby Sandow of ACS International School Cobham suggests ideas for embedding this in our schools and also keeping young people motivated. Art is one effective route he suggests for helping

“SURELY, LIKE THE RIGHT TO PROTEST, ART IS A HUMAN RIGHT?” In Music for Life (page 24) we look at how eight schools make music happen. What they told us is that music is such a shared activity and meeting point that it inevitably stretches across the school and way beyond the gates – with outreach and public performances making it a dynamic addition to community spirit. Oakham School's Director of Music Peter Davis talks about the pleasure of creating a culture where music is so 'normal' that a keen rugby player can play an instrument with equal enthusiasm; they don't have to choose a side. While I love the idea of music being a 'normal', I reserve the right to drop my jaw

young people to put their point across without losing heart. Surely, like the ability to stage a peaceful protest, self-expression through making and sharing art is a human right, so no justification needed for making it central to education. Long may it thrive, and let's hope young artists continue to make us look at what they see and listen carefully to what they say.

Libby Norman EDITOR

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CONTE S PRING 2020

upfront

12 NEWS What's going on in the world of education

22 DANCE OFF A day of dance at London's Pineapple Studios

24 MUSIC FOR LIFE Eight schools tell us how they make music happen for their pupils and their community

PREP

34 FAMILY TREASURE

A pioneering project is forging links between young people and their elders

50 ARTISTIC THINKING

40 MEET MARTY

How VR is being used to help children with special educational needs

The charismatic coding-enabling robot that even does disco

senior

46 READING INTO THE FUTURE Why early reading really counts

54 PERFORMING STARS We look at what it takes to make it at some of our most elite performing arts schools

63 BACKING THE IB Nigel Haworth of Sevenoaks School on why this is the best education for the modern world

70 GENERATION GRETA Barnaby Sandow suggests we need to refocus environmental education

80 AIMING HIGH

110

98 MOOCS

Heathfields School maintains its formidable reputation for producing creative stars

90 EARTH CALLING The new Earth Centre at Kingsley School, Devon

103 DAY IN THE LIFE One day in the lives of Latymer Upper School Captains Clodagh and Ali

106

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NTS

40 EDITOR

Libby Norman  EDITOR IAL ASSISTANT

Zoë Delmer-Best 

A DV ERTISING M A NAGER

Nicola Owens 

COMMERCI A L DIR ECTOR

Leah Day 

SPECI A L IST CONSULTA N T

Andy Mabbitt

GROUP SA L ES DIR ECTOR

Craig Davies 

SENIOR DESIGNER

Pawel Kuba 

MID-W EIGHT DESIGNER

Rebecca Noonan

M A R K ETING M A NAGER

Lucie Pearce 

FINA NCE DIR ECTOR

Jerrie Koleci  DIR ECTOR S

Greg Hughes, Alexandra Hunter, James Fuschillo  PUBL ISHING DIR ECTOR

Sherif Shaltout

54 school's out

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106 TOP SPRING BOOKS Great reads chosen for us by BookTrust

110 THE MAKING OF ME Actor Danny Mac on a childhood in Bognor and big ambitions for the stage

114 ADVENTURE LITE A perfect family adventure holiday in Portugal

l a s t wo r d

130 60 SECONDS... Christian Heinrich of Cumnor House Sussex

F RO NT COV E R Millfield School Street, Somerset, BA16 0YD 0145844 2291 millfieldschool.com

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Queen Anne’s is an independent school for girls aged 11 to 18

OPEN MORNINGS Friday 6 March and Saturday 2 May

• A B S O L U T E LY E D U C AT I O N ’ S •

CON T R IBU TOR S

Frances King

Former Head of Mill Hill, Rodean and Heathfield

Frances King is a highly experienced leader and educational thinker, having previously been Head of Mill Hill, Rodean and Heathfield schools. She has recently taken a sabbatical to focus on innovation, enterprise and play in education, and believes creative play should be made a part of the national curriculum. On page 46 of this issue, she discusses the profound benefits of reading aloud to young children.

OPEN EVENING Tuesday 16 June • Set amongst 35 acres • State-of-the-art music centre

Barnaby Sandow

• Outstanding pastoral care

Head of School, ACS International School Cobham

• Valued community spirit

Barnaby Sandow discovered his gift for teaching at the age of 14 while working as a sailing instructor during his school summer holidays. He still spends time at the end of each school year standing up to his waist in the chilly Irish sea teaching young people to sail and enjoy the ocean. In Generation Greta, he talks about the actions we need to take to ensure environmental teaching is placed more solidly within the school curriculum.

• Extensive co-curricular programme • Award-winning Sixth Form building • Excellent record of academic success

Book Today:

qas.org.uk

Danny Mac Actor

Paddington to Reading in just 26 minutes Day and boarding Full and flexi option Extensive transport network with a London service

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While he came to wide attention for his superb performances on Strictly Come Dancing (with some of the highest scores among celebrity competitors, including a perfect 40 for samba), Danny Mac's career began as a child, treading the boards as Gavroche in both the Southampton and London productions of Les Mis. In The Making of Me he talks frankly about his schooldays in Bognor and his onward journey, via Chichester College and ArtsEd, to a successful career as an actor.

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High Accolade

CUTTING EDGE

Highgate School has been shortlisted for four TES Awards: State School Partnership of the Year, Student Initiative of the Year, Whole School Community Initiative of the Year and Senior School of the Year. The school, renowned for its progressive ethos and philanthropic work, co-founded the free sixth form The London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham (LAET).

Kensington Prep School in Fulham won the Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award for its Creating Spaces for Growing Minds programme. Judges at the Education Estates Awards praised the design of the new learning spaces, imaginative Explore Floor and spacious classroom breakout spaces. Kensington Prep also received a commendation for pupil experience.

RAISE THE ROOF In December, Godolphin Vocal Ensemble headed to Westminster Cathedral to perform in the Barnardo’s Children’s Charity Carol Concert. Head of Vocal Ensemble Olivia Sparkhall said, “Godolphin enjoyed being a part of this event which raised over £25,000 for Barnardo’s. Our Vocal Ensemble loved performing in the Cathedral".

“Growing Minds programme has transformed Kensington Prep"

Cumnor House event Cumnor House School Sussex, located in Ashdown Forest, is hosting an event for families considering a move to the country on March 24 from 7pm at Fortnum & Mason. There will be talks from relocation and education specialists. Register at cumnor.co.uk/events or email events@cumnor.co.uk

S E E I N G STA R S ArtsED student Isabella Papas was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the WhatsOnStage Awards for her role as Cassidy in Appropriate, at the Donmar Warehouse. Isabella said: “ArtsEd has a 100-year tradition of promoting success in the performing arts and I’m proud to be a part of that tradition.”

“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.” W I N STO N C H U R C H I L L

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UPFRONT / NEWS By ZOË DELMER-BEST

Q uiz Time Heads from Benenden School, Tonbridge School, Brambletye and Eaton House, The Manor will debate how modern independent schools prepare young people for the careers of tomorrow. The event, entitled Next Steps: The Boarding Option, will be held on 21 March at the Saatchi Gallery.

PLENTIFUL S PAC E At Beaudesert Park School in the Cotswolds, children joining Nursery and Reception this school year were in for a surprise. Nursery has added its own outdoor classroom and a creative room. Meanwhile, children in the two Reception classes now have free-flow classroom and outdoor learning zones.

TO P N OT E Tonbridge School music scholar Sherman Yip has gained the highest mark in the world following his IGCSE Music exams in 2019. To mark his feat, he received a Cambridge Top in the World award. This prestigious accolade is made by examining board CAIE (Cambridge Assessment International Education) to those learners who achieved the highest standard mark in the world for a single subject.

I N V E ST I N G GREEN Slindon College is using money raised from its festive fundraiser to create an outdoor classroom and sanctuary for its pupils. The Sensory Garden Project will offer pupils the therapeutic benefits of nature and is designed as a transformative educational space.

Best Ever Pangbourne College received an ‘excellent’ across all Educational Quality judgements after a full ISI inspection. Headmaster Thomas Garnier said: “These are our best ever inspection results. We have worked tirelessly to improve all areas of the College and I am delighted that the inspectors recognised this".

“What we learn with pleasure we never forget.” ALFRED MERCIER

SOMETHING THEY SAID

“All children love to learn, but many have a hard time with education” SIR KEN ROBINSON

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ng di 7 ar age Bo m fro

Geographer Actor Sailor GRACE, AGE 12

Millfield and Millfield Prepâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next Open Days are Saturday 29 February and Saturday 2 May

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UPFRONT / NEWS By ZOË DELMER-BEST

LEARN FROM T H E B E ST

Chatty ‘Appy

Violinist Nicola Benedetti has launched her own educational music programme for children in Glasgow. 350 youngsters travelled from across the country to the city to take lessons from one of Scotland's most renowned musicians. The event was part of a series of workshops across the UK.

Guy Baron, head of modern languages at Aberystwyth University, says there had been "snobbishness" towards apps, but wants technology used in teaching. Many people choose apps to learn a popular language such as Spanish or French, Dr Baron said apps should be used alongside traditional classroom methods, but not to the exclusion of traditional teaching.

KEEP IT N AT U R A L

Big Hygge Katie Page, special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) at Belmont Grosvenor, has introduced weekly lessons to Year 4 pupils that embrace the hygge way of living and learning. Pronounced ‘hoo-ga’, the Danish concept translates as a feeling of wellbeing and cosy contentment. Page said: “As a SENCo, I am always interested in supporting how children learn best”.

A GCSE exam in Natural History is being planned to help teenagers reconnect with wildlife by learning the names and characteristics of British plants and animals. A major UK exam board is actively working up proposals for the new qualification, which is the brainchild of broadcaster and nature writer Mary Colwell and backed by Green Party MP Caroline Lucas. Mary Colwell said she was hopeful it could be taught in schools in England as early as September 2021.

S E A FA R I N G Known for its sailing prowess, Suffolk's Royal Hospital School has recently sailed to success, winning several high-profile races this year. In November, an RHS team took part in the School Keelboat Racing Championship alongside ten other schools at Queen Mary Sailing Club in London. The school won five of its nine races to finish overall winners.

A R T S PAC E

Talk the Talk Leading private schools are giving pupils FTSE 100 company boss-style training on how to be a “radiator” rather than a “drain”. Eton College, Charterhouse and City of London School for Boys are among the institutions which have started rolling out corporate leadership-style lessons for sixth formers. In the classes pupils are taught how to build 'self-knowledge' and how to 'show their best selves'.

Culford School, Suffolk has officially opened its new Art Centre. With work completed in one acadmic year, the school says that its facilities have been "revolutionised" with the completion of the new studio. The new glassfronted building has been designed so that it can be used for lessons, exhibitions and also events at the school.

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest ” B E N JA M I N FRANKLIN

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UPFRONT / NEWS By ZOË DELMER-BEST

Brexit Boost? Stephen Spriggs, managing director of William Clarence Education, suggests that Brexit may produce a monetary boost for the private school sector. While Brexit uncertainty means all eyes are on Europe, families from outside the EU are taking advantage of our weaker pound and grabbing the opportunity to purchase a world-class British education at a cut price.

B A L LOT BRAINS At Kingham Hill School, a day and boarding school in Oxfordshire for children aged 11-18, five sixth form Politics students put themselves forward to represent the Liberal Democrats, Brexit Party, Plaid Cymru, Labour and Conservatives. All pupils and staff were invited to vote in the sports hall, set up like a traditional polling station. By the time the polls closed at 1pm, 65% of the pupils had voted and Plaid Cymru came out on top. The pupils were highly engaged in the democratic process and the election became a hotly discussed issue in boarding houses and common rooms across the school.

TO U G H SUBJECTS It turns out that not all exams are equal and students across the country have had their say. History, English Literature and Language and foreign languages have reportedly been voted as the hardest GCSEs by students across the country.

Eco Changes Private schools' exotic trips could become a thing of the past amid rising concern among pupils about their carbon footprint, according to Jane Prescott, head of the £14,000-a-year Portsmouth High School. She said that pupils campaigned to introduce “Meat Free Mondays” and use biodegradable water bottles.

B O DY AWA R E Campaigners have called for nude art classes in schools to improve body image issues caused by social media, with teachers deciding if children should take part. Life drawing advocates believe sketching naked men and women should be part of a balanced curriculum to counteract social media images and young people's ideas of what a body should be.

“ Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” NELSON MANDELA

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IBROADEN MY MIND Openness to the outside world. The readiness to see other points of view. These are qualities we help students develop to broaden their minds while excelling at their academic studies. Places for 2020 entry are understandably strictly limited. Apply today at southbank.org/applynow

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UPFRONT / NEWS By ZOË DELMER-BEST

PHONE REALITY CHECK

SPLASH T H E CA S H Parents spend £1.7 BILLION a year on home tutors for their children. According to new research, parents are investing heavily in top up teaching for their children. A quarter of pupils are said to have extra lessons out of school, at an average cost of £34.22 an hour, but some so-called ‘super-tutors’ command far higher fees.

“A quarter of pupils are said to have extra lessons out of school”

Banning mobile phones from our schools is 'Luddite' and doesn't work, says Jane Prescott. The head of Portsmouth High School and new president of the Girls' Schools Association, said schools should instead teach children about “acceptable use”. “I’m not sure that banning phones actually truly bans them,” she said. “I think that what [pupils] do is they go and use them in spaces where it can’t be monitored, like toilets.”

HELPING HAND

IN A THRICE Millfield has become one of the first schools in the UK to appoint a full-time Triathlon Coach as the multi-discipline sport grows in popularity. Level 2 Triathlon Coach Christian Brown started working with athletes at the top sports school in late 2019, having joined Millfield from the prestigious Leeds Triathlon Centre programme. The appointment is part of a school investment in individual sports such as running, cycling and swimming.

To p St o r y

J OY F U L A N D TRIUMPHANT Cathedral choirgirls have finally overtaken the boys. After more than a millennium of male dominance, choirgirls narrowly outnumber choirboys in England’s cathedrals. There are currently 739 girls and 737 boys in cathedral choirs.

The private tutor market will be getting a boost with the launch of Sophia, a mobile application that provides students of all ages with tutors that have not only been carefully security and experienced checked, but are required to fulfil a paid-for Safeguarding Awareness course to ensure both students and tutors are protected.

N E W H E A D, NEW SCHOOL Susan Brooks, currently Deputy Head at Broomwood Hall, has been appointed Head of NorthWood Senior, Northwood Schools’ first senior school. Susan Brooks said: “By equipping our pupils with the necessary skillset and nurturing each child’s individual strengths, we will prepare them to tackle the future with confidence.” The school, for pupils aged 11 to 16, will operate at a site at Tooting Common.

SOMETHING THEY SAID

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it A R I STOT L E

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UPFRONT / NEWS By ZOË DELMER-BEST

C R E AT I V E C O M PA S S I O N

CA L L I N G A L L A R T I ST S The search is on to find a talented school artist aged 11 or under whose artwork will be translated into a stained-glass roundel for the Lord Mayor of London. The 2020 School Roundel Competition, open to London schools, is part of 'Reflections of the Lord Mayor', which celebrates the role of the Lord Mayor of London.

A new competition has been launched for schools which combines global animal welfare with creative skills. The free competition will contribute towards Eco-Schools accreditation under the global citizenship topic and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Awards. KS2 and KS3 pupils have been asked to illustrate the story of Ekari, an orphaned elephant in Myanmar, who was rescued by the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) after being snared by poachers.

“The search is on to ﬁnd a talented school artist”

B AC K TO SCHOOL Konnie Huq returned to her old school, Notting Hill & Ealing High School GDST, for a book launch. The former Blue Peter presenter turned author was welcomed at NHEHS for a science-fuelled workshop `Science, Explosions and Scribbling’, to tie in with the launch of her first book Cookie!... and the Most Annoying Boy in the World. Silvana Silva, Head of Junior School at Notting Hill & Ealing High School said: “It was wonderful having Konnie with us. Her enthusiasm for science is infectious".

To p St o r y

SKIING SUCCESS Emerson Proctor in Year 8 at Moulsford Prep School has been selected for the GB Junior Ski Team for the 2020 winter season. He is the youngest member of a team of ten GB athletes who will travel to Andorra in late January to compete against top skiers from over twenty countries.

N E I G H B O U R LY LOV E Bryanston School has introduced a loyalty card scheme to help support local businesses. Headmaster Mark Mortimer said of the scheme: “As one of the area’s largest employers, with frequent visitors to our campus, we are keen to do everything we can to support the local economy and to highlight the services available from shops and businesses on our doorstep”.

SINGING PRETTY Millfield’s chamber choir Camerata has been named as one of the top Senior choirs in the country after reaching the finals of the Barnardo’s Senior Choir of the Year 2020 competition, with the finals taking place at Royal Festival Hall in March. Millfield Director of Music, Matthew Cook, says, “To progress to the finals of this highly-renowned competition is a testament to the talent and hard work of our musicians, and we simply cannot wait to showcase the quality of this choir.”

SOMETHING THEY SAID

“We want young people to be conﬁdent, healthy and equipped to deal with the challenges that come with growing up” D E PA R T M E N T F O R E D U C AT I O N

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DISCOVERMORE

Embracing an innovative, modern approach whilst keeping traditional values at its core, Kew House School takes an exciting stance on 21st century education. With state-of-the-art facilities, a broad curriculum and excellent pastoral care, Kew House is a place where you would want to be â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a place of learning and discovery, laughter and friendship.

Open Open Events Days

February 12th (9:45am) November 1st/7th (9.30am/ 9.30am) February 25th (9:45am) November 15th/21st (7.00pm/ 9.30am) March 4th (9:45am) March 19th (9:45am) November 29th (9.30am) April 27th (9:45am) Book your place online:

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T: 0208 742 2038 E: info@kewhouseschool.com W: www.kewhouseschool.com An independent co-educational senior school for students aged 11-18 in West London

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SCHOOL NEWS / A RTS E V EN T

Dance OFF

P H O T O G R A P H Y: A I D A N O R A N G E

Girls’ Day School Trust family of schools gathered recently for a day of dance at London’s Pineapple Studios

ancers from across the GDST’s family of 25 schools experienced a day at the worldfamous Pineapple Studios to find out what life is like as a dance professional. Almost 180 girls met in Covent Garden to take part in workshops hosted by industry professionals who have choreographed for stars such as Beyoncé and Dua Lipa and worked on TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor. The girls were put through their paces in musical theatre, ballet, hip hop, commercial street, lyrical

ABOVE Aiming high at Pineapple Studios BELOW Students enjoyed dance workshops led by professionals

jazz and contemporary dance and had the opportunity to quiz choreographers in a Q&A session about life as a dancer. Esme from Newcastle High School for Girls was crowned Elite Dancer of the Day after performing a solo contemporary showcase. “Having taught at Pineapple Studios for more than a decade and at Putney High School for 14 years, I started Day of Dance to bring these two threads together,” said Kira Bishop, who organises the GDST’s Day of Dance. “I wanted to provide elite dancers within the GDST with a chance to immerse themselves in a professional dance space. The experience is a total game changer from a dance class in a school hall and I hope it encourages these pupils to go on and pursue a career in dance.” Alexis Williamson-Jones, GDST Consultant Teacher for Sport added: “The experience the girls gained from the Day of Dance was invaluable and we accomplished our aim of inspiring the next generation of dancers to believe that there are no limits to what they can achieve”.

“The experience is a total game changer from a dance class in a school hall” 22 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | XXXXXX 2018

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Considering Moving to the Country? Meet the relocation and education specialists

Fortnum & Mason Tuesday 24th March from 7pm Register at cumnor.co.uk/events or email events@cumnor.co.uk N U R S E RY, P R E - P R E P & PREP SCHOOL

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Danehill | Haywards Heath | RH17 7HT www.cumnor.co.uk | 01825 792006

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life

MUSIC FOR

Music brings academic beneﬁts across the curriculum, but it’s not just about the grades. There's overwhelming evidence that music improves everything from state of mind to physical well-being

Oakham School

t Oakham music is woven into the fabric of everyday life. The school is a core part of Rutland Music Hub – a unique delivery vehicle in the centre of this small rural county which previously had no county-wide music service. Sharing music has been a mission for the school and its Director of Music Peter Davis. “We are a centre of excellence,” says Peter. “We should be sharing and are uniquely able to share.” An example of this spirit of sharing was the 'Pied Piper' performance held at De Montfort Hall, Leicester last autumn. The music had been composed by Peter Davis during a sabbatical and was designed to give the children of Rutland the opportunity to sing. And sing they did – 420 pupils from across the county aged from 8 to 18 took to the stage for the county’s first

collaborative concert. It raised the roof and earned a standing ovation for its composer and conductor. He says this was a golden opportunity to engage young people and the endeavour found some very promising singers. While this is a large-scale project, music happens in every way and every day around the school and the town – lunchtime concerts, community choirs. There’s also Oakham Choral Society, fully supported by the school and able to use its facilities. With over 80 concerts performed by pupils each year locally, there are also national accolades to celebrate – the school’s chamber choir has won numerous awards. There are impressive numbers of pupils at the school who make music – currently around half the school’s pupils are involved with ensembles – and with eight core teaching staff working alongside over 30 visiting teachers, students have access to elite music tuition.

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UPFRON T / FOCUS

ABOVE A pupil at Oakham School LEFT Making music in the Chapel at Oakham

“OAKHAM’S MUSIC-DRAMA COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL PRODUCTIONS – MOST RECENTLY CHICAGO – ARE A DRAW FOR THE TOWN SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 25

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Forest School

Bromley High School

he joy of making music is at the heart of Bromley High School GDST, and with musical excellence also front of mind. There are three orchestras, more than ten small-scale and larger chamber ensembles and eight choirs, not to mention the two specialist iMac suites where girls are taught music technology on industry-standard equipment. Music scholarships are offered at 11,13 and 16+ and music scholars have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of musical experiences. Bromley High was also the first allgirls school in the world to be accredited as an All Steinway School in 2017. This accreditation is given when a school provides Steinway pianos for play and rehearsals in all practice and performance spaces. The school now has 10, including the Concert Model D and Model B. Being an All Steinway School gives students the opportunity to attend

masterclasses given by Steinway artists and perform themselves at Steinway Hall. When the accreditation was confirmed, the school’s music scholars had a masterclass from renowned concert pianist Joanna MacGregor CBE as part of the celebrations. Caroline Daniel, Director of Music at Bromley, says: “It has been incredibly exciting to become the first all girls’ school to gain the Steinway accreditation. We are pleased to see our girls embarking on a first-class musical journey as well as ensuring that other local young musicians can benefit from this.” Other musical initiatives at Bromley High include a new Musician in Residence to support the school’s exceptional musicians and develop partnerships with local schools. There are opportunities for keen musicians to give solo/chamber performances over the year and lead ensembles or workshops with local schools and the junior school. Music making is always about sharing, so the school also puts on an annual London concert – most recently at Cadogan Hall – inviting the public along.

orest School, Snaresbrook encourages musical learning as a vital part of pupils’ development. Children can join group or solo singing sessions, there are multiple choirs and ensembles and the annual House Music Competition raises the roof of the Sports Hall and Deaton Theatre. Less rowdy music-making happens with Chapel Choir, which sings at services and events. A lively band scene led by pupils includes ‘Live Lounge’ events. The music department’s large stock of instruments can be hired out to pupils and there is also a visiting composer, plus activities by cutting-edge professionals, who offer pupils the chance to develop skills in areas such as composition. At 11+ and 16+ entry pupils can apply for music scholarships to support their music education at the school. Community partnership includes outreach activities with both local schools and organisations such as Hackney Empire. Notable recent events include a performance of Faure’s Requiem by a choir of 80 pupils from Forest and five local primary schools, plus an adult chorus and orchestra – the culmination of eight months’ work to showcase the transformative power of group music making.

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RIGHT Orchestra at St Edmund's School

Parkside School

t Parkside School, Cobham, the Music Department, headed by Jeremy Attwood, believe that the cornerstone of any child’s learning adventure is, in a nutshell: “creativity!” This provides the foundation to shape children’s mindset. The sounds of YMCA being played on the ukulele with immense passion is frequent proof of a dynamic environment where music is to be celebrated. Parkside believes it is essential to create opportunities, offering new genres and different ensembles to suit every ability. Informal charity performances at local venues are performed alongside formal recitals on the grand piano in the school’s performance hall. By the time children leave Parkside, they will have learned to play djembe, violin, keyboard and ukulele as part of their music curriculum. More than that, children at Parkside are encouraged to enjoy the experience of music making – sharing it with other people and watching the ideas that emerge.

BELOW A pupil at Parkside

St Edmund’s School

t Edmund’s School, Canterbury believes that schools which fully embrace music and the arts provide the best possible grounding. “Music is part of everyone’s life from birth as we are immersed in the sounds, melodies, harmonies and rhythms from the world around us,” says Director of Music Spencer Payne. St Edmund’s pupils have dedicated practical and academic class music lessons on a weekly basis. Pupils make music together through a range of topics based around listening, composing and performing. Junior and Senior School House music and singing competitions give the opportunity for all pupils within the school to get involved. In the lower years, pupils explore sound, movement, pulse, rhythmic patterns, scales and melodies – all based on topics that introduce or consolidate these key skills needed for interpretation and performance at a higher level. They also have the opportunity to try

out orchestral instruments on a rota basis to encourage fine motor skills and experience real, acoustic sound. The school believes the health benefits of music making cannot be overstressed and, whether pupils enjoy singing in a choir, playing as part of a band, orchestra or in an ensemble, they can also draw upon these experiences to enhance emotional intelligence. “From the early musical experiences for pupils, the mastery of a great choral tradition by our Canterbury Cathedral Choristers to the highly skilled A level musicians in the sixth form, music is something we celebrate and fully support at St Edmund’s. We believe that music should be part of everyone’s daily lives,” says Spencer Payne. School music groups cater for everyone’s tastes – whether it be orchestral, choral, big band, small ensembles or soloists. Many of these groups are also available to the local community, and school musical life is enriched by a wide variety of music trips, masterclasses, workshops, lunchtime concerts, and larger scale termly concerts in awe-inspiring locations such as Canterbury Cathedral.

“FOREST SCHOOL HAS A LIVELY BAND SCENE LED BY PUPILS, AS WELL AS REGULAR ‘LIVE LOUNGE’ EVENTS COORDINATED BY SIXTH FORMERS” SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 27

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St James Senior Girls’ School

usic is a cornerstone of life at St James Senior Girls’ School in London’s Kensington Olympia, which has a strong tradition of choral and solo singing. It is a core subject up to Year 9 and remains perennially popular as a GCSE and A level subject. The school has a variety of choirs, orchestras and ensembles and encourages its pupils to take up individual lessons. Girls sing at services in St Mary Abbots Church, Kensington and the year end is marked by an annual joint concert with the Senior Boys’ School. Managing groups with mixed abilities is, says Head of Music, Myra Brunton, a matter of balance. The school’s Youth Dance Company and annual choreography competition, introduce another, often very contemporary element, while Arts Week is an opportunity to participate in myriad kinds of music and drama. An undoubted highlight of the calendar is the joint musical with St James Senior Boys’ that takes place biennially – widening both the dynamics of performance and the audience.

ABOVE Showtime at Tring Park

Tonbridge School

onbridge School, Kent has a long tradition of music to draw on and it is woven into school life. Chapel is a big part of pastoral life – the stunning building, which can accommodate the whole school, also houses a renowned Marcussen & Søn organ. Other superb music facilities include two recital halls (this is an All Steinway School), teaching and practice rooms, double recording studio and a sound-isolated rock and percussion suite to support bands and soloists who want to make some noise. Director of Music Mark Forgen says that all Year 9 pupils have the opportunity to study academic music in class. “Some pupils come to us with very little musical background, while others have a lot”. The Music Department’s ‘buddy’ system means more experienced pupils can help those with less knowledge. Boys who choose to pursue music at a higher level (and this year over a quarter have) go on to study the iGCSE. In Sixth Form, a number of boys choose to take the Music Pre-U. The school's Composer in Residence Hywel Davies adds to the rich musicality of the setting – his more recent ambitious projects include a sound installation with the Lower Sixth.

Tring Park School

t Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, music making is a whole-hearted activity, whether or not students are specialising in musical theatre, dance or commercial music pathways offered here for 16+ (alongside acting). A lot of music that takes place is not part of formal or timetabled study. The school’s The Sixteen chamber choir (regulars in BBC Songs of Praise Senior School Choir of the Year) is made up largely of pupils who are not focusing the main part of their studies around music. All performances are opened to the public and students participate in many local events – younger students are stalwarts of Tring Christmas Festival. In-school shows at performance spaces such as the Markova Theatre present high-quality shows from tomorrow’s stars. Outreach activities happen throughout the years. While some attract young people who might be looking to take things further (for instance the Kick Start boys’ dance programme), others such as evening dance classes for people with Parkinson’s and adult dance classes in the school’s superb Park Studios work to bring music to life for a much wider audience – and show that music really is for life. SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 29

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UP FRON T / OPINION

HEAD

A Creative EDUCATION Headmaster of Kew House School, Mark Hudson defends the importance of a creative education

am told that I am rare. A design and technology teacher who has become a headmaster. I am also frequently congratulated on the facilities and provision for the creative subjects at Kew House School. So why do I believe that D&T, art, food technology and drama are so vital as subjects taught in schools? Firstly, they are exciting, fun and require inventiveness. These subjects teach problem solving, apply the concepts taught in maths and the sciences and provide solutions. They develop interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. They are in essence about making things that work, look good and make a difference to people’s lives. All require research, analysis, team work, planning and evaluative skills. They invite students to ask, “what if…?” and “why not?” and they inspire our future entrepreneurs,

“Creativity is a subject area that is undervalued in the UK, especially by government” engineers, designers and creative adults. There has never been more need for a generation able to optimise resources, to develop sustainable and circular economies. No other subject area will equip our students with these skills. This county holds a significant amount of the world's intellectual property in the design and creative fields. We are the envy of many countries. China is working with the UK subject association to introduce creativity into its school system. It is easy to see why and yet it is a subject area

that is undervalued, especially by design and manufacture exciting, ABOVE government here in the UK. This innovative sustainable products. Pupils at Kew house is evident in the failure to include I am always pleased at the any creative subjects in the Ebac reaction when I show parents and portfolio upon which all state schools prospective students the facilities are judged. This has triggered a significant here at Kew House. A food technology room decline in the number of schools offering full of busy students, an art room full of these subjects and in GCSE and A-level inspirational work, drama students gaining entries. The independent sector remains confidence and developing valuable skills a stronghold for these areas of study, for life. This area of the curriculum grabs developing them and enriching the attention of children and the students in our care. This parents alike; they see the is quite a responsibility. We are potential for imagination, for able to prepare our students fun, for innovation and the to play an active role in the facilities to enable it to happen. technological and creative The future of the creative society they have been born subjects at Kew House is safe. into, to become discerning It is my sincere hope, as a customers, critical consumers, devotee of the subject, that creative practitioners. Our students and future citizens MARK HUDSON economic future needs to be educated in modern schools Headmaster driven by young talented, do not become as rare as D&T Kew House School imaginative people able to headmasters. SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 31

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Prep FAMILY HISTORY ADVENTURES P . 34 VIRTUAL REALITY FOR SEN

PUPILS AT EATON SQUARE SCHOOLS

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Family TREASURE In a world where young and old seem increasingly distanced, Our Stories Now reconnects children with their elders through storytelling. Absolutely Education speaks to its founder Cosima Shaw LIBBY NORMAN

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n a mobile society, the links between generations are often fractured, and the problem with family ‘glue’ – those stories and memories that bind families together – is that they are very rarely written down. Enter Our Stories Now, a pioneering initiative that aims to reconnect children with their elders through the simple process of story collecting and recording, while there’s still time. Our Stories Now’s founder and project co-ordinator Cosima Shaw says it has been a “labour of love”, running it on a voluntary basis. The idea emerged from her own personal history. Born in Berlin to an American father and a German mother, her family story already spanned continents. She says: “Our family didn’t talk about the past – and with the German side of our history, they didn’t want to talk”. Her grandfathers died before she was born and both grandmothers had passed away by

It was in 2014, when her daughter was in Year 2, that Cosima began to consider how family stories could best be preserved. As an actress (credits include Dr Who and Zen), and a mother, now she had some time to carry forward an idea. Behind her initiative was a deep conviction that all children could benefit hugely from tapping into the histories of their grandparents and great grandparents. The project idea she developed and began taking into schools was deceptively simple. She designed it as something that schools could fit around their schedule and their curriculum. It has been run over weeks, condensed into short sessions and linked to specific school events, such as book or history weeks. Each time the project is run with a school, the feedback just gets better. Schools take ownership, not just of the way the storytelling project runs, but of the results that are produced. These are physical and tangible – a book containing a story from each participating pupil is produced by Cosima. But children are in

“THERE IS SO MUCH WISDOM TO DRAW ON, AND THIS GIVES CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WHILE THEIR FAMILY MEMBER IS STILL AROUND.” the time she was in her early 20s. It was after the birth of her own daughter that Cosima began to think more about her family’s past. One thing that put gaps in her own knowledge into sharp relief was the different approach of her husband’s family. “My husband is from Greece, and there the tradition is to tell family stories,” she says. Narratives and yarns were repeated every time family got together, told so often everyone almost knew them by heart – but still her Greek family would rework them to keep them alive. “My daughter’s great grandfather had three or four stock stories he’d tell every time with a glint in his eye. At first it seemed strange to me to have the same stories repeated. But what struck me after a while was how my daughter relished hearing him tell them again, and how they then stuck in her own memory.”

the driving seat as the history recorders, working with their chosen grandparent or great grandparent. Sometimes an uncle or aunt may step in if grandparents are no longer around or a family is divided by location or circumstance. Cosima says making children the historians is vital to Our Stories Now. Getting them to sit down with an elder from their family and ask the questions, find out a story and record it, opens up the past and becomes a gateway to sharing more. “There is a so much wisdom to draw on, and this gives children the opportunity to engage while their family member is still around.” At present Cosima works mostly with children in Year 4 and Year 5. She has worked with younger age groups and would love to see the project happen in secondary schools. What is important at

the outset is gaining the understanding of children and the support of parents or guardians – the latter is usually done via a letter sent with homework to explain the purpose of the project. The base children start off with is a simple interview format – where were you born, what languages did you speak and what clothes did you wear? This can move on to toys, schooling and a whole host of other questions. The focus is on gathering one story that can ideally be encapsulated in a side of A4 paper to form one ‘chapter’ of the class book that is the final outcome. What happens during the process can be surprising. Cosima says children take their responsibilities very seriously. Some will make an official ‘appointment’ with their grandparent, while for others it becomes a whole-family get together with SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 35

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RIGHT & BELOW Children are encouraged to share stories from their elders and create photos and artworks

other members of the family jumping in to listen, maybe provide more background. An important aspect of the project is that children reflect on the differences between their own lives and the lives of family who went before them. Sometimes the differences are stark – the child describing a grandparent who was in charge of donkeys at more or less the same age they are attending full-time school or the retelling of a family’s miraculous survival through the last days of wartime. Cosima says that sometimes you can almost feel the pain and anguish in a story that a child has gathered. Stories spark debate and, she says, sometimes the teacher may need to help fill gaps in children’s knowledge of history or geography. Stories span the world – there might be classes where different children tell two sides of a story of conflict in Europe, in the Middle East or further afield. She says she has heard amazing stories of seismic times in history that she believes have never been revealed before – one reason she would love there to be a permanent repository for this living-history narrative and a wider pool of volunteers to take the idea forward on a bigger scale.

For now, there are the books that every class produces, each story accompanied by a photo of the child and their elder and often with artworks in the mix. Sometimes videos are added to the class activities. The juxtaposition between the big stories that recall known world events and the little ones – an idyllic and secluded childhood in the countryside perhaps – are of equal value in the book, part of a shared narrative and a permanent memento for the children who have each preserved a moment in time from their family history. At the heart of Our Stories Now you have the opportunity for an elder to share –communicate a story of love or loss or place that may have been buried in their own memory for years. But what is most important as far as Cosima is concerned is the coming together of the generations. “There is a double dynamic. The story that mattered enough to be told by the grandparent becomes precious to the child.” .

Find out more about Our Stories Now at ourstoriesnow.com

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‘ Enjoying childhood and realising our imagination.’ “My favourite thing about Dallington School is that the teachers and students are very friendly and positive, there is a brilliant atmosphere in the classroom” - Johan “I think Dallington teaches you in a way no other school does and I really enjoy that” - Alex Dallington is a family-run co-educational independent school, with a nursery, in the heart of London.

Personal tours each day of the week, except Wednesday. Next Open Evening: Thursday 14th May 2020 from 6 to 8 pm

Headteacher: Maria Blake Proprietor: Abigail Hercules Founder: Evan & Mogg Hercules MBE Email: hercules@dallingtonschool.co.uk Phone: 020 7251 2284 www.dallingtonschool.co.uk

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DARE at the DRAGON

Director of the Dragon QUEST programme, Tim Knapp explains how it has already captured the imagination of the community

his is my 13th year at the Dragon and during my time here I have seen the school develop and grow. As director of Dragon QUEST, the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Saturday morning enrichment curriculum, I am very excited to help steer the Dragon in this new and adventurous direction. Launching in September 2020, Dragon QUEST will give children the opportunity to experience a wide range of inspiring activities to discover talents, develop new skills and dare to embrace new challenges. This bespoke programme, unique to the Dragon, will be offered to all children at the Prep School on Saturday mornings in place of the current timetable. Our existing Saturday mornings include academic lessons, and the aim of QUEST is to create a new curriculum which will enrich a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learning in a vocational and expansive way. We anticipate that Dragon QUEST will have a number of academic and pastoral benefits for the children. As a school, we highly value pupils' wellbeing, which has been a huge driving force behind this Saturday morning innovation. With senior schools placing an increased

"As a school, we place extremely high value on the wellbeing of our pupils" emphasis on the holistic development of each individual, in addition to academic and extra-curricular performance, the breadth of QUEST opportunities on offer will play an important role in developing Dragon children beyond the classroom. To complement our well-established full boarding provision, our headmaster Dr Hyde-Dunn introduced an additional new flexible boarding option in September 2019, providing Dragon children the opportunity of flexible or weekly boarding. In widening the range of boarding options now available, the Dragon acknowledges the importance of supporting local families, whilst remaining committed to our flagship full boarding provision for those families residing further afield. As with all adventures, QUEST will be driven by some key principles: discovering

new interests from a range of cross-curricular activities and pursuits, developing new skills within a supportive and encouraging environment, and daring to do something new by embracing the opportunities that life has to offer. During the planning phases of Dragon QUEST, not only have we been delighted by the wide range of skills and opportunities offered by current staff, but we have also been listening to the children themselves to hear about their ambitions and aspirations for QUEST. QUEST will run with five main strands, each with a different focus, to ensure a broad range of skills are on offer to give children a wide array of options to enjoy. These strands are: quiet and question, understand and create, exploration and adventure, skills and society, and train and play. The structure of Dragon QUEST allows each young Dragon to map out their own adventure path and develop their own personal curriculum experience. I truly believe it will enable each child to develop into a more complete and rounded individual, ready to embrace the many challenges of life.

TIM KNAPP Director of Dragon QUEST Dragon School SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 39

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M MARTY The MARVEL Marty the robot is setting children’s imaginations and STEM skills alight. Absolutely Education meets the inventive mind behind an educational toy that even does disco LIBBY NORMAN

arty is a robot you’ll be hearing a lot more about. First developed in 2016 as an educational technology (edtech) toy, a new v2 incarnation starts shipping this spring capable of doing a whole lot more – including copying human movements and disco dancing. While the dad dance moves are reassuringly old school, there’s nothing archaic about the technology and inventiveness that has gone into creating an accessible, affordable and challenging toy designed to inspire children aged from 8 to 18+ to get coding. The man behind Marty is Dr Sandy (Alexander) Enoch. He developed the idea after he was frustrated in his search for a robot birthday present to get his young niece interested in STEM. As a then robotics PhD student at Edinburgh University, he knew better than most what made a good bot – and a challenging toy – and discovered that there wasn’t anything he wanted to gift to a member of his family. “I was really disappointed at what was available,” he says. “I wanted something that would get kids engaged and hands on, as a gateway into coding and wider STEM subjects. Everything I saw was either novelty end or smart-tech and expensive. There wasn’t an educational product suitable for young users.” Still continuing his Robotics PhD (a special interest was walking robots with variable stiffness), Enoch began working on a very different type of bot as a side project. He garnered a lot of allies along the way – University of Edinburgh was, he says, incredibly supportive, supplying practical help through its student enterprise arm and commercial liaison unit. The Royal Academy of Engineering also got behind the idea, awarding him a grant and access to mentoring from Academy Fellows to help him commercialise the project and bring Marty to market. Other backers and awards came along. Support for the first Marty came from a crowdfunding campaign – parents, schools and individual teachers bought into the concept, and with individual support from investors in the worlds of

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LEFT Sandy Enoch, designer of Marty ABOVE Marty is suitable for ages 8-18+

business and technology. Marty v1 was road-tested in thousands of schools, warmly greeted by both pupils and teachers. While Marty may look like every child’s idea of a robot – and in an interview with The Scotsman, Enoch discussed how he deliberately designed him with character in order to engage young minds – very clever engineering goes into his crowdpleasing looks. “One of the interesting challenges in robotics is that it is very difficult to make a walking robot,” says Sandy. This means the simple everyday actions most of us would like to see a robot do are incredibly difficult to achieve, especially at a reasonable price point. One example of the efficiency of Marty is that he’s engineered to use half the motors you would normally expect, which helps to keep production costs down (and

there’s a patent pending for this aspect of the technology). But this motor efficiency isn’t at the expense of action. Standing just over 20cm tall, he can be programmed to do all manner of smart moves. The critical factor when it comes to engaging children is that they take control of the coding. While he can be bought pre-built or as a kit, the latter gives individuals and groups the opportunity to get ground-up skills in all manner of key STEM subjects, from engineering to electronics. He’s also customisable using 3D printing for extra parts. and that’s where the fun really starts. While Marty is suitable for primary school-age, keeping the challenge going is key to ensuring interest is maintained among older age groups. Marty is designed, says Enoch, to be easy to get started with, as children start to absorb basic coding the minute they get him out of the box. But as they develop their skills and explore his capabilities they move on to using more complex languages, such as Python. He’s also compatible with Raspberry Pi computers and you can add a camera. Marty v2 – still with an affordable price point – has a whole host of extra features thanks to a second Kickstarter

“Marty does disco, but there’s nothing old school about an accessible and affordable robot that inspires children from 8 to 18+ to get coding”

funding round late last year that raised almost £43,000 (the target was £30,000). With v2, there are smart sensors that enable the bot to mimic movements you make, motors that give him grabbing hands, obstacle detection, Bluetooth compatibility, sound capability and – best of all for many fans – an all new ‘Disco Marty’ setting complete with flashing lights. With a network of school users across the UK, but also Australia and the US, there are plans afoot to build on the interactive elements available via competitions. Don’t underestimate the power of a challenge, or the allure of the Disco Marty setting when it comes to building next-generation engineers and robotics whizzes. The team at Robotical have found that both really help to encourage children to develop technology skills and have fun. At a recent competition held among Edinburgh school groups, young people had to accomplish a set of challenges, including taking Marty through an obstacle course and creating a dance routine for a ‘dance-off’ finale. This tested the bot’s capabilities and the children’s coding, problem-solving and teamworking skills, but also their creative choreography. Sandy Enoch – who began his Robotical journey searching for a cool bot present for his niece – is proud that the competition attracted an almost equal gender split of coders. He’s even more proud that the winning team, which aced it with their stunning robot choreography, contained significantly more girls than boys. Marty v2, shipping from this spring, will retail from around £175 in kit form and £198 assembled robotical.io

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PR EP / OPINION

Play On

David Woodward, Head of Performing Arts at Dallington School, discusses the vital role music has in all aspects of education

usic, and the Performing Arts, play such a vital role in the development of a well-rounded child. The very pulse and vitality of life keep us as human beings growing and moving and seeking. But for some children, music is not just an extra-curricular activity, it is an outlet for inspiration and creativity, which forms the basis for physical and emotional development. Any visitor to a primary school will tell you that it’s not long division, equivalent fractions or fronted adverbials they are drawn to (though these skills are no less important) but the energy and pulse of singing and dancing echoing down the corridor, almost beckoning you to join in - music is infectious and totally inclusive. For me growing up and not being the greatest mathematician in my class, I

“Children grow in conﬁdence in a short amount of time through engaging in music” was drawn to music and the joy of coming together on a weekly and/or daily basis to sing and play. It was the establishment of a carefully designed curriculum, interlaced with music that guided me on my quest for a lifetime of music making. In the playground, we sang repetitive rhymes with a clear beat while hopscotching our way up and down the asphalt. We learnt the pulse of the skipping rope and when to jump in, and you aligned your inner pulse with the timing of the rope - if you weren’t too careful, you’d be hit by that rope. It only takes spending 30 seconds inside a Nursery classroom

background, love to sing. As an opera singer and now educator, the energy you receive standing in front of an audience or auditorium of children can be such a rush. Row after row of children singing their hearts out, beaming with energy and smiles. The incorporation of extra-curricular activities, be it whole school singing or orchestra practice or flute lessons, will bring joy to all children and might just give that one budding student the ABOVE opportunity of a lifetime. Music at I’ve seen children grow Dallington in confidence in such a short amount of time through engaging in music to understand the integral role that the ensembles where they can bond with other elements of music play in so many facets of like-minded children. the learning journey. The development of Having taught across a wide range of sound and phonics training, listening and schools and sectors in Australia and the critiquing, and the development of memory UK, I’ve found the most happiness in a and motor skills can all be enhanced by setting where children are in charge of a curriculum that is woven through the their own learning and are free to enjoy all Performing Arts. As an educator, on a daily subjects because they have been carefully basis I see the development of physical designed by teachers who really know their coordination (jumping, running, dancing, children. I am very fortunate to now work stepping and even walking) and listening in a school where the Performing Arts are through the use of the now a vital ingredient for elements of music. the development of all the The development of a children. All subjects are child through the arts can interlaced with music and the contribute immensely to their greatest cross-curricular links mental wellbeing (especially are being implemented. In my in a time where children are capacity as head of performing under such pressure to achieve arts, I am constantly seeking results in examinations- music ways to enhance the learning is such a great brain break of all children, and discussing DAVID WOODWARD for them). As individuals, we Head of Performing Arts ways of differentiation to meet all have our own strengths, the needs of all our students, Dallington School weaknesses and interests. But whether they be natural all children, no matter what musicians or not. SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 43

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PR EP / OPINION

“When both the analytical and creative sides of the brain are used together, we are developing the best thinkers and leaders”

Full Steam A H E A D

Alison Melrose, Headmistress of Princes Gardens Preparatory School, goes behind the education jargon to discuss why the arts are so critical to a balanced and rounded curriculum

TEM and STEAM have become buzzwords within education. While STEM – an acronym for science, technology, engineering and maths – has been much discussed and is widely understood, it is the addition of A for the arts that ensures a rounded education. Sparking children’s imagination is a key part of a STEAM curriculum, along with independent learning, hands-on and investigative activities. We often hear the four ‘Cs’ referred to within curriculum design, as they prepare our children for the future by developing the softer skills of collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking. While the four ‘Cs’ need to be integrated throughout every aspect of school life, they are very easily interwoven within arts programmes. This is because the arts are all about discovery

and problem solving, integrating principles and presenting learning. When both the analytical and creative sides of the brain are used together, we are developing the best thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. The arts encompass art and design and music, with dance, drama and debating integrated as important elements. Music is often at the heart of a Prep school and music lessons should be for making music. While we know that music has many cross-curricular links with language and mathematics, it is a brilliant means of giving children a creative outlet. Children love being able to raise the roof and sing their hearts out. Dedicated instrument lessons are equally important, with many schools developing whole-class teaching to enable children to learn a variety of instruments – from violins and recorders to drums – as a group. Not only do these lessons promote excellent listening skills, they are also key for building children’s confidence and their ability to collaborate and work together.

Dance is a great way to develop friendships, with many forms of dance being inherently social and fun. Learning how to move and, at the same time, being mindful of space and others around us can be both challenging and rewarding. Like dance, art and design lessons help to refine motor skills. There is also the achievement of creating pieces of art and sculpture. Children learn how to think and act as artists, makers and designers, working creatively and intelligently to achieve a task. They develop an appreciation of history and culture as well an understanding of how art has shaped our lives. Within a STEAM curriculum, children begin to see the links between arts, maths and science. The use of digital technology is closely woven within the arts, especially in art and design, so our children grow up with innate skills and an understanding of how to use technology seamlessly within modern life. As we prepare children for our fast-paced world, where they will be the global citizens and mobile workers of tomorrow, we must also remember drama and debating. Drama not only develops self-confidence but also emotional intelligence and empathy – the ability to see things from a different point of view. Having a strong moral compass is important and being able to explain and stand by your point of view within a debate is an essential skill. When children are assessed as part of the application process at key transition points schools are looking for academic achievement, but also for the skills interwoven within an arts curriculum. Studying the arts helps our children prepare for the future. They learn to collaborate, be creative, think critically and communicate, but also to be adaptable, responsible and, flexible – all are key to a successful future.

Alison Melrose is headmistress of Prince’s Gardens Preparatory School, Kensington, an independent preparatory school for children from 3 to 11 years old opening in September 2020. SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 45

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READING into the future

The beneﬁts of making time to read to children and encourage the habit independently are lifelong and profound

ow much time do you get to curl up with a book and switch off from the world for a bit? With our busy schedules and constant demands of work and life, this might seem to be an attractive resolution for a new year. You won’t be wasting time either. studies quoted by the World Economic Forum in June 2019 outlined how adults can do themselves a favour by reading books –

FRANCES KING

building empathy, warding off dementia and even living longer. While the advantages of book reading have been the subject of recent review for adults, the importance of introducing young children to the world of books have long been recognised. For a child, reading a book independently opens up a whole world of discoveries and wider interests, as well as helping them to develop confidence and access opportunities on their educational journey. But for many children, a lack of basic literacy prevents

them from developing crucial life skills they need. The National Literacy Trust has worked tirelessly since its establishment in 1998 in researching the issues concerned with literacy, as well as developing ways to promote reading. Most recently, it has focused on encouraging language development. In particular, it has linked the language deficit of many pre-school children to their lack of progress through school. The Trust’s powerful report on England’s language and literacy challenge,

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“Language Unlocks Reading” (published April 2019), found that the language and vocabulary gap between wealthier and poorer children is already apparent at 18 months of age. By the age of five, children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are starting school 19 months behind their better-off peers, and struggle to catch up from then on. In his 2018 book Other People’s Children, Barnaby Lenon quotes from a study by University of Bristol undertaken two years earlier. The study found that each year a quarter of boys in England (80,000) start school aged four struggling to speak a single sentence. And he notes that those children who are behind by age five find it hard to catch up. Indeed, 40% of the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and the rest at age 16 can be attributed to the gaps that were already apparent by age five. The impact is profound on these children’s life chances. Impacting health, employment, income and general well-being, these children seem to be crushed before they have even embarked on primary school. To tackle these issues, the National Literacy Trust has a wide number of outreach programmes. Lively and engaging activities are presented to families to show how simple, cost-free engagement can help support learning. (see Talking Sense) And such activities are not just for less disadvantaged children. The experts remind us of the critical role in language development that is played by talking to

“Children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are starting school 19 months behind their better-off peers and struggle to catch up” your children, especially to babies and pre-school children. Singing songs and nursery rhymes, as well as reading simple stories, all develop an interest in language. Recent research shows how critical neurolinguistic development occurs in these first years, stimulated through communication with others. To many parents, spending time reading to their children is a non-negotiable. However, the recently launched Google Assistant and Alexa options to ‘Tell Me a Story’ might be an acceptable substitute for others, or during the busiest days of family life. And, in an age when children from all backgrounds are often met at the school gate by parents glued to their mobile phones, it is also helpful to be reminded of the huge benefits of face-toface chatting, storytelling, playing and reading with your children.

TALKING SENSE The National Literacy Trust’s Small Talk website hopes to nudge more families into spending time chatting, playing and reading with their children – especially in the critical early years. The website gives guidance and ideas for stimulating children to talk, interact and read. Ideas it gives are age appropriate, beginning from 0-6 months and working up to 3-5 years. For more information, see small-talk.org.uk

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PR EP / OPINION

HEAD

Art Lifeline The Principal of Sinclair House School says that a focus on the Arts in early years is essential

n October 2019, the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education published its final report. A partnership between the Arts Council England and Durham University, the Commission was convened to look at how the education system – and wider systems of learning for children in the UK – can grow their capacity for creativity. This enquiry was in response to a concern that young people are emerging into a rapidly-changing world, in which knowledge-focused skills prioritised by the current, exam-focused education system will no longer be adequate. The authors argued that it is not only knowledge that will be valued in the future workplace; as important will be the ability for employees to think creatively in response to heightened uncertainty. As a key driver of economic growth

“A quality Arts programme is vital for nurturing creativity”

and entrepreneurial ingenuity, creativity and the capacity for creative thought are relevant not only in the Arts, but across all disciplines. Schools’ cultural and arts programmes are a primary route by which we can nurture and encourage imagination, exploration, innovation and creativity – yet Drama, Music, Art and Design Technology are too often perceived as “soft subjects” – the first to be threatened by cuts. As Independent Schools, we need to take advantage of our greater freedom to create an enriching environment within and beyond the curriculum, where creativity is embedded throughout School Life – in the way lessons are taught, how children learn and importantly, via their exposure to creative arenas within the Arts. Coming from a partly Danish background, I’ve seen the benefits of education systems that strongly value creative play, cultural enrichment, and learning through the Arts from an early age. In most Scandinavian countries, the performing and creative arts are central ABOVE & BELOW Sinclair House

to early school life. Aside from the intrinsic benefits of creative learning, there are also well documented cognitive, health, and social gains from participation in creative subjects. A quality Arts education can assist in building a child’s confidence and agency, as well as encouraging social interaction. Through Drama, Music and Art particularly, pupils are encouraged to develop views and find new ways of expressing them, which is particularly important in shaping their individual identity, self-belief, communication skills and empathy. Creative and cultural activities have been found to tangibly enhance pupils’ sense of self and overall well-being. Additionally, many skills acquired through studying the arts are directly transferable in other areas, such as discipline, rigour and concentration. Equally as important, research indicates the Arts have a beneficial effect on developing emotional resilience, helping children bounce back from adversity imaginatively in later life.

C A R LOT TA O ’ S U L L I VA N Principal Sinclair House School SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 49

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Artistic

THINKING Absolutely Education explores how one art therapist is using virtual reality to help children with Special Educational Needs ABBIE SCHOFIELD

echnology has transformed the world of education. Chalky blackboards and copying lines have been replaced with smart boards and digital homework programmes, and online resources have made teachers’ administrative duties more bearable. But there is a new realm yet to be fully explored by education professionals: virtual reality (VR). Sabine Ben-Haim was working as a private art teacher when she found increasing numbers of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) were coming to her for lessons. Eager to look deeper into how art could help children who didn’t fit into the traditional education system, Sabine trained as an art therapist and set up her own studio, Ruby Red & Crimson. “Art therapy uses art to start a conversation. The art is the visual language used to dig deeper inside and discover what people cannot say with words. I work with a lot of people who suffer from trauma who find it very hard to express themselves,” Sabine explains. “For example, a child with ADHD can be given a block of clay and we might discuss ‘what shall we do with it?’ but as soon as their hands touch the clay, the creation takes on a life of its own.” Sabine’s son Yoni spotted that

there could be a link between his interest in virtual reality and her occupation as an art therapist. “I saw my mum give a child that couldn’t focus on traditional mediums an iPad for drawing. They found the technology exciting and they could focus on it, whereas a canvas and paintbrush posed too much of a challenge,” says Yoni. “I then told her about a Google software called Tiltbrush, where you can paint in a 3D space – it’s incredible.” Tiltbrush is indeed a fascinating experience. Putting on a VR headset plunges you into a 3D blank canvas where you can paint and build whatever you like, see your creation from a ABOVE An example of the google 360-degree perspective and software Tiltbrush even walk through it. With with is highly effective. no visual distractions, you “We have children who can become fully immersed are debilitatingly shy, in the creative process. but after a few seconds you “I thought, ‘This could be see them move and start to ask hugely beneficial for children my questions. They don’t feel self conscious. mum works with’,” Yoni says. “If a We also have children who are really child suffers with ADHD or anxiety, hyperactive or have heightened emotions the smallest noise or disturbance can and they can end up falling asleep if upset them. In a virtual reality you we do relaxation programmes like our can completely control a person’s VR guided meditation,” says Sabine. experience, what they see, hear and do.” VR can also help build children’s The impact that VR art therapy has on self-esteem. “One kid is building a model the children Sabine and Yoni now work

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LEFT VR is a space where children can experiment with confidence BELOW Creating new worlds

desert,” says Yoni. “When he’s in the 3D world it comes up to his waist and he has made a river and trees and a cactus – he’s really taking his time to build a landscape and it’s a huge confidence boost for him.” VR can even help people who have difficulty leaving the house or travelling due to anxiety or disabilities. “We offer them a 360-degree Google Earth Street View and the chance to either visit somewhere far away or go somewhere familiar,” Yoni says. “Children with autism can be afraid of new journeys, but you can do the VR version with them to show what it would be like and how to prepare for it. How would it be to go from the front door to the bus stop? And if we get on the bus, what would we go past? This helps them deal with leaving the house

for the real journey.” The future of VR in education is unclear, but both Yoni and Sabine would like to see it become widely used in classrooms, for all kinds of pupils. “I would love to introduce it to schools and offices,” says Yoni. “It’s incredible for team building and it’s fun to experience something as a group. Offices sometimes have a games room or meditation studio, and this is another tool you can offer for relaxation and escapism. I’m hoping to start running workshops or experiences for people. VR helps people with SEN, but it goes beyond that. It can

be used for stress relief and escapism. On the flip side, we have games that are very active and energetic. We tailor each session to the person’s needs.” The versatility of VR is immense. For people who are anxious and need less stimuli, it makes their world small and focused, allowing them to be fully present to create or simply relax. For others, it can widen their world with a wonderful escape.

“ART IS THE VISUAL LANGUAGE USED TO DISCOVER WHAT PEOPLE CAN NOT SAY WITH WORDS” SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 51

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Senior PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOLS P . 54 GENERATION GRETA P . 70

HEATHFIELD SCHOOL CREATIVE, SEE PAGE 80

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I STARS Performing

While many schools across the country offer exceptional teaching in music and drama, an elite band raise the bar still higher, with alumni lists that read like who’s who. So what does it take to study at a top performing arts school? BERNADETTE JOHN

f a Christmas trip to The Nutcracker or a show has left your child longing for a career in the spotlight, you may want to do your homework on schools for performing arts. First thing to note, your child needs to be resilient: there is stiff competition to get in (only one in 10 will get through the audition stage at some schools). There can be some weeding out mid-school – particularly in the ballet schools, when a change in physique or anything below top-level performance can result in the child being asked to leave. Apart from aptitude and resilience, the biggest consideration is the depth of yearning your son or daughter shows for dance, drama or music. The regime is punishing. They must fit in GCSE studies alongside several hours of tuition and practice each day, and they need to be highly disciplined and singleminded. If it’s a hobby rather than a compulsion, they may be better placed at a mainstream school with a strong performing arts department,

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“The curriculum is designed to give them several hours to indulge their passion each day” or a good halfway house between mainstream and truly specialist – such as Bede’s, with its in-house Legat dance school. With all those caveats, if you have a star waiting to come out of the wings, they will be in their element in a place where the curriculum is designed to give them several hours to indulge their passion each day and with exceptional tuition and opportunities. Unsurprisingly, this comes at a cost. Fees at elite performing arts schools will take your breath away, as they cover intensive coaching on top of academic tuition and, due to location, most children need to board. Children at some specialist schools qualify for the Department for Education’s Music and Dance Scheme, which provides means-tested grants to encourage homegrown talent. A similar scheme, Dance and Drama awards, provides assistance for pupils aged 16+. Added to this, most schools offer scholarship and bursary schemes.

not a stage school, however casting directors do regularly come-a-calling when seeking new talent. Every year there are around 250 applications for 75 places. Gaining entry is all about potential and passion – academically, it is non-selective. Pupils in years 7 to 11 specialise in either dance or drama (although they will be taught both). Once in, there are long days to fit in both academic and vocational work – younger pupils stay until 5.30pm a couple of days per week, while sixth formers – who are taking arts-based A levels and BTECs – have a late finish every day. Most go on to further vocational training after sixth form, although a few will go straight on to professional careers. Entry: Fees are between £16,080£16,990. Means-tested bursaries are offered and there are eight full-fees scholarships for sixth formers. Arts Ed offers day school only, although a few sixth formers board with host families.

Elmhurst Ballet School

Birmingham elmhurstdance.co.uk

t’s really exciting when we meet young people who have only recently discovered ballet and have raw talent which can be developed when they join the school,” says Elmhurst’s principal Jessica Wheeler. While raw talent is there, usually children applying will have several years of dance experience. Around 400 children audition each year; staff are looking for ‘physical ability, musicality and passion’, and only about one in 10 will make it through. The school offers day and boarding places to boys and girls aged from 11 to 18, and trains them in classical ballet, as well as jazz, tap, contemporary dance and choreography. Pupils up to year 11 spend one-third of their time

LEFT Elmhurst Ballet School

BELOW ArtsEd

Arts Ed

London artsed.co.uk

or Arts Ed pupil Thomas Dennis, it was a short hop from sixth form to playing Christopher Boone in the National Theatre’s Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and then on to another lead role in War Horse. Another former pupil Ella Balinska stars in the recently released film Charlie’s Angels, and Samantha Barks will play Elsa in Frozen: The Musical this year. So there’s a well-trodden path to the limelight with an exceptional alumni list of talent on stage and screen. Arts Ed is clear that it is SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 55

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Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts London italiaconti.co.uk

T dancing, and the remainder studying an average of eight GCSEs. It is is two-thirds dancing in sixth form, as they work towards a National Diploma in Professional Dance. The academic side is not neglected – one-third of the school’s GCSE entries last year achieved top grades. Competition is harsh too for that future in dance; there are formal assessments in years 9 and 11, when those who are not on track to make it to the top are asked to leave. A place at Elmhurst gives children a true taste of a career in dance – as does the opportunity to perform regularly with Birmingham Royal Ballet and in the school’s many productions. Entry: Register early in the autumn term of the year preceding entry for the two-stage audition process. Fees range from £19,503 to £26,949.

“Staff are looking for ‘physical ability, musicality and passion’”

The Hammond Chester thehammondschool.co.uk

boarding school which is doable from London – two hours by train – The Hammond is most certainly worth adding to your list of schools for a talented child. It offers an all-through education, from prep joiners at age seven, to a degree course in Musical Theatre and Performance at 18+. Success in the dance audition is the foremost requirement. Around 30 per cent of applicants make it through. Prep school children get an all-round grounding in performing arts, then from years 7 to 11 pupils opt to specialise in dance, drama or music. This leads on to a choice in sixth form – a three-year National Diploma in Dance or Musical Theatre, a two-year BTEC Diploma Level 3 in Performing Arts and optional A Levels. Entry: Apply a year ahead of entry. Auditions run from November to March. Fees range from £11,781 to £28,152.

ake a casual look at the roll-call of past pupils here and it’s clear they reach the top in a multitude of disciplines – alumni include Daniel Mays, Leona Lewis, Martine McCutcheon, Russell Brand and Naomi Campbell, to name a few. This is an opportunity-rich setting, as Italia Conti also has its own agency, which puts pupils in front of casting directors and producers The Theatre Arts School for ages 10 to 16 teaches up to 10 GCSEs. These are studied alongside training in acting and voice, ballet, tap, jazz and modern dance, plus singing and musical theatre. After GCSEs pupils can stay on to take a threeyear diploma in musical theatre and work up to degree level with a BA in acting. Virtually all graduates gain employment in the industry. Entry: The entrance audition involves three types of dance, two drama pieces and one song. Prior training is highly recommended. Fees range from £12,975 to £15,990.

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The Royal Ballet School London royalballetschool.org.uk

TOP RIGHT The Royal Ballet School

The Purcell School Bushey, Hertfordshire purcell-school.org

he bar is set high at The Purcell School, with a daily timetable that usually involves two hours of music lessons and three to five hours of practice, with individual instrument lessons and GCSE/A level studies on top. Children can study here from age 10, although most are older when they join – almost half of the pupils are in the sixth form. The school is non-selective academically, as long as children can cope with the curriculum. The school offers superb opportunities, with teaching from distinguished visiting music staff who are all performers. This sits alongside exceptional music facilities and regular opportunities to perform in full symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles at major London

venues. Large numbers head after school to the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Former pupils include BAFTA-nominated film composer Mica Levi, BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014 Martin James Bartlett, Leader of the ENO Orchestra Janice Graham, and twice Grammy Awardwinning Jazz pianist Jacob Collier. Entry: The deadline for applications is at the end of March. There are initial auditions followed by panel interviews. Pupils need to show a commitment to a career in music, which is more important than having already achieved the highest grades in music. Fees range between £26,748 and £34,152.

“Distinguished visiting music staff are all themselves performers”

ollow in the en pointe footsteps of Darcey Bussell and current Royal Ballet principals Lauren Cuthbertson, Francesca Hayward, Steven McRae and Edward Watson, who all trained here. The school takes boys and girls aged from 11 to 19. Years 7-11 are based in Richmond Park, and the older pupils are located in Covent Garden. Virtually all pupils are boarders. There’s ballet for two hours of every school day, plus more classes and rehearsals during evenings and on Saturday mornings. Pupils also sit for a full range of GCSEs. Year 11 pupils must audition again for the upper school, where pupils take A levels and a three-year BA in classical ballet and dance performance. Entry: Children must demonstrate outstanding talent and commitment; your child’s ballet teacher should be able to advise whether they are in with a prospect of succeeding in the audition process. Apply in September for the following year. Fees range from £19,500 to £34,500.

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Tring Park School for the Performing Arts Tring, Hertfordshire tringpark.com

ownton Abbey, Peaky Blinders and Poldark have all showcased Tring alumni, while its ballet dancers grace the English National and Birmingham Royal ballet companies. The school takes boys and girls aged from eight to 19 (day and boarding). Those in years 4 to 6 try out acting, singing and dancing, before specialising in either dance or performing arts at secondary level. Successful children need to be steely; there is continuous competitive casting for 100 annual performances at the school, as well as parts in the English National Ballet’s production of

The Nutcracker, when they must weather the disappointment if they are not chosen. While this immersion in all the performance possibilities is a dream come true for those who would rather spend their days at the barre or treading the boards than with bar charts, that’s not to say there’s any shirking from academic study. Students are expected to achieve a full set of GCSEs. In sixth form the performers take three A levels, while dancers substitute one A level for the Trinity National Diploma in Dance. Entry: At the entry auditions, staff are looking for evidence of great talent and potential; about one in seven applicants meets these requirements. Fees range from £14,865 to £35,760. Up to 100 per cent assistance is available.

“Successful children need to be steely; there is continuous competitive casting”

Yehudi Menuhin School

Cobham, Surrey yehudimenuhinschool.co.uk

o squeaking violins to endure at parents’ concerts here; you are guaranteed a sublime performance from some of our most gifted young musicians. The audience’s seats have been graced by the parents of Nigel Kennedy, Tasmin Little, Nicola Benedetti, Kathryn Stott, Melvyn Tan and Charles Owen, who all studied here. The vast majority of the pupils board. The few who don’t are known as day boarders, an indication of the lengthy days (8am to 6.30pm). Each day’s schedule is split between music practice and academic study. There’s Saturday school as well, so your child needs to want to live and breathe music. Children train in a main and second instrument, as well as studying choral singing, improvisation and composition. Sixth formers stay for an additional year 14, in preparation for a near dead-cert move to a music conservatoire. The Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music regularly mop up leavers, while others go to other elite institutions around the world. Entry: Pupils can join from the age of eight. There is no academic selection, but musical ability is tested before a three-day residential assessment to check that children are going to thrive. Fees range from £43,068 to £44,208.

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SENIOR / INSIDER

BACKING THE IB The Director of the IB at Sevenoaks School argues that the International Baccalaureate is the best education for the modern world N I G E L H AW O R T H

ast year over 160,000 students from 153 countries took the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The IB’s outlook is invaluable, instilling in our young people the capacity to understand and prosper in the global community, as well as providing an outstanding entry to university. Designed to promote a global perspective, understanding and communication, the IB’s values and identity have remained consistent, and Sevenoaks believes it is the best education for the modern world. The programme encourages students to value conflict resolution, to respect cultural heritage and the environment and to develop an attitude of responsibility to the wider community. Students take six subjects, including their native language and one other, Mathematics, and at least one science and one humanity subject. They take a ‘Theory of Knowledge’ course developing critical thinking and reasoning skills, and they follow a ‘Creativity, Action and Service’ programme in sport, the arts and voluntary work.

A key feature of the IBDP is the Extended Essay, an independent, 4000-word project on a subject chosen by the student, with a tutorialstyle model of supervision. It fosters independent learning and deep subject knowledge and is superb preparation for undergraduate essays. Universities really like the IB; by maintaining its standards, free from state interference, the IB has succeeded in achieving a consistency of assessment unparalleled elsewhere. Its 45-point scale enables universities to make more nuanced offers to candidates than are possible under other schemes. IB students start their undergraduate careers with numeracy, literacy and language competency, a broad understanding of a range of disciplines, and strong employability skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. They are experienced at managing a varied workload and can question, reflect and think critically. As a result, a number of universities, including King’s College London, Leeds, Bath and Birmingham have substantially reduced their offers as a deliberate attempt to attract IB students. The offer and acceptance rates for IB Diploma students are notably higher than those for other post-16 qualifications, and in the US, it is a ABOVE sought-after passport Sevenoaks pupils to top universities. BELOW As Lord Jim Knight, The grounds former education minister, recently said, “The IB is the best curriculum in the world right now. It combines academic rigour with real world skills in a global context.” The IB has equally been endorsed by employers, with Becci McKinley-Rowe,

“Universities really like the IB... the offer and acceptance rates are notably higher” Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, commenting “Managing a wide range of subjects to a high level encourages a mature approach, and the style of the IB programme teaches pupils to take ownership of their own learning. From an employer’s perspective, an applicant who has gone through the IB is already pretty familiar with having to juggle an awful lot, be efficient and prioritise, and that organisational element is very useful for employers.” Sevenoaks has been a flagship school for the IB for many years. The IB provides what parents, universities and employers want – access to top universities, very impressive students and well-rounded, resourceful employees.

N I G E L H AWO R T H Director of the IB Sevenoaks School SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 63

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Cavendish Education has a distinctive 4Cs approach which inspires children and young people to have:

the

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the

competence to achieve

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creativity to shine

character to succeed

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SENIOR / OPINION

HEAD

LEAD ON

The Director of Pupil Development at Charterhouse on how to build tomorrow's great leaders

ur rapidly changing world needs great leaders. How exciting then to be part of a school where developing the great leaders of tomorrow is at the heart of what we do. A talented leader is someone who inspires, who cares, who selflessly contributes to the greater good of those around them, someone who perseveres and gets things done. So the concept of tomorrow’s leaders should be far broader than conventional images of captains of industry, the military and government. The character values we work to instil at Charterhouse from the very outset prepare our students to become tolerant, openminded and considerate members of society. Misconceptions about leadership are widespread, especially among the teenage generation, with many believing that leadership is all about power, prestige and control. In truth, leadership is about developing a set of values that enable individuals to have the confidence to do what is right, not just for themselves but

“The focus is on learning to lead oneself before serving others” for the community in which they live and work. When people act with respect for themselves and others; when people demonstrate moral courage by standing up for a point of principle – even when it runs contrary to popular opinion; when people pick themselves up after they’ve failed to achieve their goal and have another

A B OV E

Kindness is integral to leadership

go and when people show kindness, then respect, Charterhouse is blessed with a they are demonstrating good leadership. fertile environment. With over 60 clubs Leadership is about moving people to follow and societies, 21 different sports, four your example by behaving with integrity. choirs, orchestras, theatre productions Teaching has its place too, so part of our and a thriving pupil council, there are lots pupil development and leadership philosophy of opportunities for pupils to hone their is to provide education in the ways of leadership skills. Our boarding houses, leadership for all our pupils, including communities in themselves, are also great offering our sixth form a 20-week taught examples of pupil leadership at work every course providing world-class day; whether it be a Head of personal and professional House quietly setting the tone development. The focus is on by holding the door open for a exploring one’s own values visitor, a sixth former running and learning to lead oneself rehearsals for a House play before serving others. or even one of our youngest Education in leadership will pupils sharing their views as only take young people so far, part of the House Council. however. What they really It is a privilege helping JON TULLY need are opportunities at students on their way Director of Pupil Development and Leadership, all ages to practice and to becoming the leaders Charterhouse develop skills and, in this of tomorrow. SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 65

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Talking

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Artistic LICENCE The arts equip students with the creativity they need to thrive in the modern world, says Marymount Headmistress Margaret Frazier

he late great Pablo Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once she grows up.” At Marymount, a proudly International Baccalaureate school where the arts are front and centre, we create an environment where every girl is an artist. We place a premium on the self-expression and creativity that the arts encourage and do so on a practical level by ensuring their place in our timetable. For example, each Middle Years Programme student (ages 11-15) takes visual arts, design, drama, music, dance. There is an interdisciplinary approach to science with our new STEAM Hub, a place where science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics come together in a symphony of real-world problem solving through risk taking. This interdisciplinary approach is not a new point of emphasis; we have been teaching the International Baccalaureate curriculum since 1979. In fact, the IB Learner Profile sets out the principles of our common humanity with its declared attributes of being knowledgeable, inquirers, communicators, risk-takers,

“We know that the arts provide a space for the critical life skills… ability to ‘think outside the box’, and ability to make your own box”

teacher, believes that art “stimulates discussion, reflects new ideas, and can be enjoyed purely for pleasure. It is a universal language.” We gather together at assembly, share in music assemblies regularly, encourage ‘pop- up’ art shows, all with the hope of inspiring more students to explore the arts. The student voice and experience – as performer, visual artist, designer, A B OV E : actress, set designer, Arts in action lighting tech, at Marymount dancer, writer, and more – are at the heart of what we reflective, open-minded, principled, and believe. “It is an incredibly emotive and balanced thinkers who seek to make powerful journey the students go on, a difference in the world. Fidelity to where they develop understanding and these attributes allows our students also relate to their own existence,” says to explore the connections between Helen Szymczak, our Head of Performing history, philosophy, theatre, and dance. Arts. The arts allow for personal We know that the arts provide a expression and development in a way space for the critical life skills and that often is not immediately present in future success: resilience, other academic subjects. adaptability, listening, I am proud that accepting constructive Marymount girls are criticism, time management, in a transformational collaboration, ability to ‘think environment where they can outside the box’, and ability unleash their imaginations to make your own box. In and exercise their unique addition to interdisciplinary creative superpowers. Quite content and skill building, naturally, they are artists they provide a showcase as students, and we are MARGARET FRAZIER Headmistress for public performance, more successful as a school Marymount International enjoyment, and joy. Rachel because we allow them School London McMahon, our art and design to be who they are. SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 67

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MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC! Neil Matthews, Director of Music at Hurst College, tells Absolutely Education how music should be inclusive

usic surrounds us in our daily lives, whether we are choosing to listen to it or simply hearing it as we go about our business, wherever that may be. Music speaks to every single one of us in some way or another and the process of creating it is something that everyone will experience at some point. From the nursery rhymes of our childhood to the hymns and sporting anthems of our adulthood, we will all engage in ensemble music-making. Music in any school is about creating as many opportunities for that music-making in as many styles as possible and making those opportunities engaging, worthwhile and enjoyable whilst striving for the highest quality outcome possible. Music plays a huge role in our children’s culture, so fostering a genuine appreciation of styles and genres is key. Many studies have concluded that there is a correlation between learning music and academic achievement and this is easy to see. The single-minded determination required to succeed when playing an instrument is massive and the longitudinal approach towards any musical outcome helps to foster that way of working and thinking elsewhere. Music is both a solo and collaborative activity and, through honing their skills individually before making music with others, children develop socially and are encouraged to push themselves to achieve. Ensemble music-making and sharing music collectively sparks

"Music is the adhesive which binds together our civilised society"

intellectual thought and fosters the ability to listen, learn and lead. Both listening to and performing music can stimulate all manner of emotional responses, from despair to sheer joy, and for many pupils this is an important outlet to express their emotions. That is why it is so important that as much music-making as possible is available to all pupils. Nobody should ever be discouraged from taking part. Music is the adhesive which binds together our civilised society and, as music educators, we are at risk of closing the door on music completely for our pupils. It is important that we always remember there is something for everyone and no opportunity to perform or take part should ever be squandered. Musical opportunities do not need to centre around music created by traditional means either – with pupils having access to laptop and tablet devices, it is perfectly possible to create a unique and meaningful piece of music in a comparatively short time using readily available apps. Music at Hurst has a key role as part of the weekly timetable – curricular and

co-curricular. It is an inclusive activity where all pupils are welcome to participate in all aspects of music, regardless of experience and ability. The choir contains some 120 pupils and, for many of them, this will be their first experience of choral singing. Similarly, all of our instrumental groups are open to all and this means that in many of our smaller ensembles, more experienced pupils can take the lead and play an important role in shaping the sound and direction ABOVE of the group. All styles of Hurst College pupils music are accommodated – there are jazz, rock and classical concerts every term. We value the importance of live performance – barely a week goes by without a concert or recital of some sort, either here on campus or in the wider community. Our team of visiting music staff are found in our suite of practice rooms coaching and guiding our students preparing for performances and competitions both in and out of school – alongside leading and playing in ensembles with our pupils. We have a large network of professional musicians who have become connected with the department over the years who often give mock auditions and feedback to those who are preparing to apply to conservatoires. Many of these musicians teach at the country’s top institutions so are well placed to give expert advice and insider’s insight. No matter a student's ability, music at Hurst is always inclusive.

N E I L M AT T H E W S Director of Music Hurst College SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 69

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GRETA How can we refocus education to address the global climate crisis movement? Barnaby Sandow, Head of School at ACS International School Cobham, suggests some solutions BARNABY SANDOW

t was just over a year ago that newspapers and broadcasters around the world reported the United Nation’s statement that we had a little over a decade remaining to stop the devastating onset of climate change, by capping future global warming at +1.5C. “It’s a line in the sand and what it says to our species is that this is the moment, and we must act now,” said Debra Roberts, a co-chair of the working group on impacts, as reported in The Guardian, adding: “This is the largest clarion bell from the science community, and I hope it mobilises people and dents the mood of complacency”. As dramatic headlines flooded the media with environmental warnings, I looked to our students – to the children currently sitting in classrooms – and their passionate responses to the news. I watched the protests, listened to student concerns and considered how it might feel for the generation inheriting the world in its current state. What I also considered is that environmental education is not consistent in the UK. While it encompasses multiple topics and skills, there is no defined syllabus, which means in practice it’s a subject matter that ‘falls through the gaps’. It’s entirely possible that a student

could do 10,000 hours of contact time in the classroom, and only hear about environmental issues in ten of them. As each #FridaysForFuture protest passes, it’s starkly obvious that we need an education ready to support ‘Generation Greta’. But what is an environmental education, and how should it be included within a school curriculum? Broadly speaking, the foundation of an environmental education encourages students to embrace their global citizenship and stand up for causes they believe in. In order to achieve this, we must develop their understanding and tolerance of other nations, teaching from multiple perspectives and fostering a culture of TOP RIGHT collaboration across borders. Protesters take their If students develop an message to the world international, open-minded ABOVE and progressive social mindset, Role model for Gen Z, activist Greta Thunberg use their influence to it follows that environmental protect the environment. concerns form a filter through In the world our teenagers which their academic subjects are and children inhabit, the most considered. I am evangelical in the recognisable climate activist is belief that this, an international education, Greta Thunberg, the girl from Sweden, is exactly the type of education that the who decided to skip school to protest world needs right now. It’s imperative that climate change. Put simply, she felt the children experience different cultures and need to step out from the confines of perspectives – that is what education is her education to speak – and she felt the about. This helps them develop crucial absence of an adult leader or role model critical thinking skills so that they can doing enough. It appears that Generation make judgements independently on how Z feel the same way, to the extent that they they choose to live their lives and, in turn,

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5 ways to inspire change makers

“AS EACH #FRIDAYSFORFUTURE PROTEST PASSES, IT’S STARKLY OBVIOUS THAT WE NEED AN EDUCATION READY TO SUPPORT ‘GENERATION GRETA’” have championed the leadership shown by a child over adult policy makers. One thing seems likely, future cohorts of politicians, businesspeople, board members and trailblazers will consider environment first, profit second. Kate Robertson, co-founder of the youth notfor-profit organisation, One Young World has said that at the heart of every global threat we have a “failure of leadership”. Ahead of One Young World’s summit, she added: “This new generation is the most informed, most educated, most connected generation in human history”. This being the case, what can we teach the new generation to prevent another age of failing leaders? Environmental education can exist across numerous study subjects. But perhaps the most important areas for this generation to focus on include climate change (and

global warming as a symptom of this), water scarcity, droughts and flooding, pollution (including plastics), and deforestation. These are the critical issues that students the world over should be educated about. Environmental education doesn’t have to be limited to the classroom. We should encourage our students to consider these issues in the context of their extra-curriculars, whether they are penning a screenplay, creating their own documentary, protesting at Westminster or developing technological ideas that can have a positive environmental impact. A deeper understanding of the environment and a range of strong leadership skills should be woven into all areas of school life. But it’s within the context of a global mindset that this can become the generation that will action meaningful change for us all.

UNDERTAKE RESEARCH It is helpful for students to read about and engage with other movements that have changed history and understand why movements are important COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS Writing letters to politicians and people in power is a great way for young people to engage with those who have a direct impact CREATE ART AND MEDIA This is an effective way to communicate opinions, frustrations and hopes around a particular subject KEEP THE THREE R S HABIT Encourage reducing, re-using and recycling and suggest they explore the recycling habits of other nations for good ideas that might be borrowed here at home KEEP ON ASKING QUESTIONS Remind young people to keep on asking questions so that they can make informed choices about how best to participate with the issues they care about.

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Life SKILLS

Benenden School Headmistress Samantha Price considers the range of skills on display in a school theatre production

owards the end of the Autumn Term, our pupils gave four performances of this year’s musical, Sister Act. Inevitably, many of those involved harbour a genuine passion for drama and for singing and for dancing, and some of them will undoubtedly pursue careers in these fields. Yet as I watched this marvellous production from the audience, it was clear to me that this was a meaningful experience for all those involved. Whenever the value of the arts in schools is next questioned, I will cite this week of Benenden’s Sister Act performances in defence of the arts. I struggle to think of many school activities that offer young people a greater experience of vital life skills in one place. Beneath all the sequins, wigs and laughter, many of the traits these girls will need in the workplace were there for all to see. For example, we talk a lot in the education sector about the pressure on young people – be it from exams or university applications or from social

A B OV E

complexity teaches the sound and lighting, in charge of the props importance of meeting and hair and make-up. The pressure deadlines. This is as true on these roles to be fulfilled to exacting in a musical production standards is, in many ways, as great as those as in a boardroom. on stage. We all know how much those in the The on-stage performers are adept limelight rely on those behind the scenes. at ‘putting on their game face’ yet this Sitting in the audience at school events, is a so-called softer skill that resonates I watch girls who struggle with confidence throughout our working lives. How often commanding the stage. I see those who do we feel not at our best prefer working alone thriving but nevertheless take a deep as part of a team. I see those breath and stride out on who habitually miss academic stage to face our audience? deadlines putting in the effort Of course, what we saw on to be ready for the big night. stage was only a part of it. The next time the value Those running the front-ofof the arts is questioned, house operation were meeting I will look back on a week and greeting, showing guests of nuns and gangsters and SAMANTHA PRICE to their seats and resolving feel reassured that such Headmistress Benenden School any ticketing issues. We had endeavours are vital for several girls operating the young people’s education. Benenden pupils in character

“Beneath all the sequins, wigs and laughter, these girls were learning key skills for the future” media – yet the pressure to go out on stage and perfectly deliver your lines in front of a live audience is a pressure like no other and will be transferable to other situations. Rarely is working together as a team more important, adjusting to all the shared highs and lows of a demanding rehearsal and production schedule, and a show of this

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SENIOR / INSIDER

Thinking ICT Sam Shallcross, Trust Consultant Teacher in digital learning at the GDST, says children should be taught the why of ICT in order to make sense of a digital age

hange is afoot in ICT education, with growing awareness that the focus on teaching computing is shifting from how to teach the necessary digital skills to why we need them. Essentially the focus is now about giving children the knowledge and skills that will enable them to make sense of and contribute to a digital society. The ‘why’ of a computing education is supported by using computational thinking – essentially understanding how a computer ‘thinks’ and how it can be made to work to reach a goal. Computational thinking encourages us to take a complex problem, understand what the problem is and develop possible solutions presented in a language a computer can understand. The great thing about this approach is that you don’t need a computer in order to think like a computer scientist. Children in nursery can understand the importance of sequencing and pattern making. We can grow problem solvers, careful sequence checkers, creative thinkers and logical predictors long before the word ‘algorithm’ is even mentioned. But why teach it to children as young as five? First, because the job market is changing rapidly. Students need to develop problem solving alongside digital skills so they will be better prepared for future jobs where it will be algorithmic and creative thinking that are most highly valued. We must start to broaden the horizons of our primary-age students with

“Without knowledge, we are in danger of raising a generation who think computers know best”

SAM SHALLCROSS

real-world problems and give them the tools to be able to solve them. Secondly, computers are here to stay and are already part of children’s lives, but most don’t know how they work. Many children have access to Alexa in their bedroom and may believe this is an all-seeing, all-knowing entity, rather than a machine that has been programmed with coded algorithms. Without knowledge, we are in danger of raising a generation of children who think computers know best. Of course, understanding how tech works is fairly sophisticated stuff. So how do you teach it to five- or seven-year olds? I debated this recently with other primary teachers at a coding conference. Some felt they don’t have the training or knowledge required to teach computing. I’m not so sure; junior teachers may not be specialists in the subject, but they can make links across learning for pupils and help them to recognise these transferable skills. TECH ICT helps develop problem solving skills

When I teach younger children, I try to make lessons relevant to their everyday lives. I might ask them to describe and plan their walk to school. Or we might use Rapid Router – a coding programme that mimics delivering parcels. I relate it to Amazon (they all know about Amazon!) and ask them how they think the driver is able to get their presents to them so quickly. Sat nav is already part of their vocabulary but now they can see what its purpose is. Subjects such as writing and maths – indeed, anything that involves planning or problem solving – can lay the foundations of a computationalthinking mindset, but it is through the practical experience of programming as children progress that computational thinking can be developed and exercised. This then teaches students how to think through a problem, continuing to work at it even when the result is not as expected. At every school stage, computational thinking helps children to make connections between computer science, other areas of the curriculum and the real world.

S A M S H A L LC R O S S Trust Consultant Teacher at the GDST Bromley High School SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 75

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SENIOR / INSIDER

ARTS & W EL LB EI N G The Deputy Head of Pastoral at Emanuel School discusses the impact that the arts generate in school co-curricular programmes

teacher is often advised when interviewing for a post at a school that they are interviewing the school as much as they are being interviewed for the role. Finding an institution that truly shares your values can be a disheartening exercise in compromise. Having taught Drama for over 15 years, there was little doubt in my mind that my next post would be at a school that shared my belief in the importance of the creative arts – not merely as an annual showpiece, but as a cherished and embedded element within the curriculum. This means Drama is an accessible outlet for all pupils, not just those with the confidence to get involved. This ethos is at the very heart of Emanuel: whether it is Art, Music or Drama, pupils are given a chance to explore each within timetabled lessons and through myriad co-curricular opportunities. What continues to fascinate me is that the creative arts, far from providing a distraction from the core curriculum, prove to be some of the most enriching, invigorating and pastorally beneficial of our pupils’ experiences. Moreover, the All-Parliamentary Group’s 2017 report, ‘Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing’ concluded, among other

TOP & RIGH Participating in creative arts helps pupils to strengthen wellbeing

R AV I K O T H A K O T A

“We understand the important role creative arts play in developing character, resilience and self-esteem”

things, that the arts can help to keep us well. So how do we see this in action at Emanuel? The outstanding Year 9 drummer I speak to talks animatedly of how playing each day is both a literal and metaphorical release after a busy day. And she also talks of the community she has established through being involved in groups and bands at the school. She says to me, “they’re like a second family”. This theme of support is echoed by our talented drama students. The lead of the senior play, who is in the midst of drama school applications, shares with me, “you spend so long with this group of people, you can’t help but become close and call on each other for advice”. Informal peer mentoring takes place across year groups without teacher direction and the community becomes closer and stronger through a collective experience. The cast talk about the thrill of rising to the

challenge and performing in front of a live audience as the weeks of rehearsals come to climax. One pupil proudly reels off his school acting CV starting with Year 6 and 7 plays, junior and senior musicals and a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe. The tangible sense of achievement provided by these opportunities should never be underestimated. “I like the fact that at end of it all I get to show my parents and friends something I have created”, a Year 11 Art student tells me as we sit in one of the many bright studio spaces in the impressive Dacre building, home to the creative arts at Emanuel. His art classes, though challenging, provide a restorative pause in a busy week. A final word from a somewhat reticent boy in my Year 8 drama class who I regularly encourage to be brave, alongside creative and committed: “Even though it’s quite scary and I don’t always want to do it, I feel really proud of myself after each lesson”. This weekly immersion in the creative arts is key to our approach, as Clare Fearnley, Head of Drama, describes. She says: “While we are delighted for our pupils who have appeared in Netflix series, BBC dramas and on the West End, it is our focus on the day-to-day transformative impact of the arts for all pupils that often proves most inspirational for me”. We understand the important role the creative arts play in developing character, resilience, self-esteem, friendships and helping students to find balance in their studies. It is why opportunities for all to enjoy them remain at Emanuel School.

R AV I KOT H A KOTA Deputy Head: Pastoral Emanuel School SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 77

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LEFT Linda Macrow of LAMDA

Conversation

STA RT E R LAMDA chief examiner Linda Macrow says good communication skills form a key foundation that helps across the curriculum and builds student conﬁdence

et’s do a quick experiment. Find the nearest young child and ask them to tell you about their favourite toy. What sort of response did you get? Chances are it was a short one. An Elsa doll, or perhaps it was a Blume doll. Peppa Pig. Minecraft. Barbie’s Dreamplane. Lego or maybe that bike you bought them for Christmas. It may be a one-word answer for some, but for others such a question is merely an opener for them to construct an entire story: where they bought it, who was with them, the silly joke the cashier made while packing it up. They’ll tell you about how different it is from their friend’s one, and why theirs is better. And soon you’ll be deep in conversation together. What makes these children different? Some might call it extroversion, or an inherent charisma, but on my travels around the world as chief examiner for

“Good grades may open doors, but an impeccable interview is what gets you welcomed inside” LAMDA, I’ve met thousands of these brilliant storytellers. I’ve seen first-hand how, through inspired teaching, the skill of speaking confidently can be learnt. Yet teaching communication is so often dismissed as a frivolous add-on in an already packed timetable. When parents see acting lessons, or speaking verse and prose, or miming, on the list of extracurricular activities, they may wonder what the end-goal is here. Their children don’t want to become actors. But just as

weekly football practice isn’t going to make a team full of premier league footballers, communication and performance classes aren’t about training up the cast of future Hollywood blockbusters. While a kick-about builds fitness, coordination and teamwork, learning to recite a poem for an audience creates capable and confident adults. In order to speak effectively, there has to be an element of the actor in you: an awareness of the audience, and how to tell a story, how to structure a narrative. It introduces styles of writing which go on to support essay composition for history, geography, and wider areas of the curriculum. You’re embedding a skill that’s going to be there all the way through their school years and beyond into adulthood. Communication is the key to unlocking all sorts of other knowledge. At its most simplistic, if a child is not a confident speaker they cannot ask for help in other subjects. I believe with all my heart that during the early years at school it should be equal in value to learning to read, learning to write and learning to count. To speak competently, to be able to engage with people, is a skill every bit as important. Despite the constant encroachment of technology, we are still living in a society where we constantly have to make performative presentations of ourselves. Good grades may open doors, but an impeccable interview is what gets us welcomed inside. We all have our own examples of that one person who manages to get their point across in meetings, lands those tricky clients and always gets the job. Mine is someone who didn’t quite make the grades for medical school but was still awarded a place – all because she managed to convey to her interviewers the deep level of her passion for the vocation and her intense empathy for other people. This singled her out of as enticing candidate among a sea of on-paper academics. The flip side is also true. We all know that brilliant person who is endlessly overlooked because they have difficulty getting their ideas heard. The truth is, our children’s CVs can be packed with every STEM subject going, but all these qualifications won’t prepare them for anything in their future lives and careers unless they can also communicate. SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 79

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Aiming

HIGH

Heathﬁeld School has a formidable reputation for arts, with an alumni list of dizzying talent. Absolutely Education ﬁnds out what makes it a place where creative talent shines

eathfield School’s star shines bright when it comes to the arts. Let’s start with the alumni list. Spanning the worlds of fashion, interior design, acting and fine art, it includes names such as Jimmy Choo CEO Tamara Mellon, Isabella Blow, Nina Campbell, Sienna Miller and Amber Le Bon. Many leavers who pursue an arts career go on to top institutions such as Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, Falmouth and Parsons in New York. The school’s creative bent has been recognised by the creative industries. Not many schools have works by Alexander McQueen on display at their fashion show (this happened at last March’s show – courtesy of Daphne Guinness, who once worked for Isabella Blow). Ahead of the same show, Stephen Lisseman, the former creative director of Karl Lagerfeld, Gucci and The White Company, collaborated on ideas with pupils. He also found time to deliver masterclasses on areas such as fabric selection, theory of design, new aesthetics and building a collection. As

you might expect, Heathfield’s fashion show is a hot ticket among parents and alumni, as well as creatives looking to see what the girls have dreamed up for their live runway production. So what is the magic that draws out so much talent in pupils and brings creative support through the school gates? Head of Art & Design Eve Feilen says the school is unapologetic about its approach. “We set the bar high and our students respond really well to the challenge.” In practice this means the art team inspire children to think ahead – to aim higher – and produce work that is at least a key stage above where it needs to be. GCSE students work as if they were at A level stage, while A level students are preparing work in a way you might expect to see at degree level. “We meet them at their level, as a creative practitioner. We don’t talk down to them,” says Eve. The tutorial system the department has adopted feels very much like the kind of environment the girls will find down the line – at university but even more so in the world of work – with students encouraged to sketch, keep diaries, collaborate,

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ABOVE Students are allowed to run with creative ideas

discuss, reflect and articulate their perspective on work they are producing. The facilities support the ideas generated individually and in tutorials, and include an art library, sewing and pattern cutting rooms, fine art studio, 3D sculpture room, computer suite and a kiln for ceramics and glass. These facilities become a hive of ambitious – sometimes unusual – activities thanks to a can-do approach. Eve believes that students should be allowed to run with ideas. “If a child can imagine it, we should at least try to help them realise it,” she says. The results are testament to this approach – animations, furniture designs and boat artworks have all been in the mix as recent art projects.

LEFT Heathfield's famous fashion show

While ambition and boldness is encouraged, this is underpinned by the idea that art and design is not about perfection. “ Fear of failure is paralysing, so our approach is about coaching girls that it’s OK to make mistakes – and if it didn’t quite work out as you expected it might become something else.” More than anything else, it’s the confidence of self-expression in the artworks that earns Heathfield its reputation and so impresses visitors. Parents at open days often say they wish that they had had the opportunity to study art this way. As Eve Feilen says: “If we believe our students can do it, they start to believe it themselves”.

“IF WE BELIEVE OUR STUDENTS CAN DO IT, THEY START TO BELIEVE IT THEMSELVES” SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 81

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Creative OUTLET The Head of Mayﬁeld School says it's vital to encourage arts and music at secondary level, not just to bring on talent, but also as an outlet for relaxation ANTONIA BEARY

e live in a world where our children are under constant pressure to achieve academic excellence in the face of constantly moving goalposts and expectations. They are bombarded with advertising messages that impact their body image and self-esteem, not to mention seeming permanently connected to online interactions that prevent them from 'switching off' from the stresses and strains of their young lives (so much so that even they are beginning to worry!). It is hardly surprising that the value of music and the arts in a child’s education is often ignored, and its role in providing an antidote frequently overlooked.

BELOW Art provides students with a creative outlet

“Creative arts have an extremely positive impact on physical and mental well-being, building conﬁdence and allowing students to relax while they learn” The Creative and Performing Arts have an extremely positive impact on the physical and mental well-being of many students, building confidence and allowing them to relax while they learn by becoming truly absorbed in something that inspires and challenges them. Whether a student intends to pursue Music, Drama, Textiles, Ceramics or Art as a career, or whether it is just for fun and relaxation, it is vital these subjects are available to students at secondary level, and that they are encouraged to take part. At Mayfield School we encourage everyone to become involved in the arts,

whether they appear to have a natural ability or not. They are frequently surprised by the results. The benefits of singing, playing music or performing on stage, no matter how nerve-wracking it may seem initially, are vast: from boosting self-confidence (if you can sing solo in front of an audience, you can do anything) to teaching the discipline that is required to learn lines or music. A large number of our girls also enjoy Art, Ceramics and Textiles, although not all necessarily choose to study these subjects at A level and beyond. Those who do often combine them with maths and the sciences, our most popular subject choices. Five years ago, we appointed an Artist in Residence, not only to support arts graduates in developing their own work, but also to provide additional inspiration to our students, and promote creativity in the wider community. The pleasure and satisfaction girls derive from planning, experimenting with and creating artwork or garments is considerable – as is the sense of achievement gained from seeing the creation exhibited. Again, creativity and imagination – but also commitment, attention to detail, critical analysis and patience – are required to succeed. These skills are eminently transferable, and cross-curricular links between the arts and those subjects considered more traditionally academic are hugely valuable, not least contextual detail and background information to enrich learning. The value of the fruits of these creative labours is not purely aesthetic. An individual response needs to be cultivated and should be informed by an understanding of others’ perspectives; different cultures; experiences other than your own. In the world in which we live, and increasingly in the future, surely this sort of understanding needs to be championed? SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 83

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An ‘Excellent’ rated, vibrant and supportive school community, set in 220 acres of

beautiful North Yorkshire Countryside.

We welcome day

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from 6 years to 19 years.

The No.1 performing

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Academic, sport, music and drama scholarships available for students in Years 7 to 13.

individual tour or book into our next OPEN DAY on 2 May 2020

Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate “To be the best that I can, with the gifts that I have.” www.qe.org | admissions@qe.org | 01423 333330 | York YO26 9SS

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HEAD

A sport for all The Headmistress of Sydenham High School GDST believes dance is for all and offers lifelong beneﬁts for health, well-being and conﬁdence

nyone can dance. It can improve mental health, creating a wonderful feeling of happiness, and provides an opportunity to engage in a low-impact cardio workout. This is an activity that can reduce feelings of isolation, is social, helps with coordination and balance, increases stamina and fitness, reduces stress levels and, above all, is fun and enjoyable. One of the major benefits is that it can help boost self-worth and confidence for people of all ages. It can also be competitive, exciting, involves enormous skill, talent and discipline, as a career or as a hobby. Like a number of sports it is an activity that is accessible for all. Breaking, a type of street dance, has been provisionally added to the Paris 2024 Olympics schedule. Whether or not dance The reality is that creative and individual, helps with our girls dance is sometimes self worth and allows girls to be at ease even more physically with themselves. For teenagers grappling demanding than other with the many pressures upon them, it sports. It is also a is a welcome form of release and a key highly accessible and enjoyable activity opportunity to remain active. which carries with it huge benefits for the Many of our girls choose dance because individual. At our annual Girls’ Day School it is fun, enjoyable and takes them into a Trust Day of Dance at Pineapple Dance whole new dimension of self-expression. Studios, girls from across our schools Perhaps of all the sports on offer to young celebrate all that dance has to offer girls people it is maybe the only one which really today. Dance is an important ticks all the boxes of fitness, feature in our schools and confidence building, risk most deliver dance through taking and generates a sense the PE curriculum or through of joy in movement. clubs outside the school day Among the age group of run by professional dancers. 13-16 only 10% of girls achieve We recognise the huge the recommended 60 minutes potential dance has for helping of physical activity every day. girls with their wellbeing, as Allowing dance to become well as offering a physical accessible to all in schools is KATHARINE activity for those who might one way to reduce this statistic WOODCOCK not choose a traditional sport. and ensure that our girls Headmistress Above all else, dance continue to value both their Sydenham High School offers an opportunity to be physical and mental fitness. ABOVE dancing skills

“Dance has huge potential for helping girls with their wellbeing” is classed as being a sport is perhaps merely a technicality as it is, after all, an activity “involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” Agreed, not all dance is competitive, and you might be hard pushed to find schools holding dance fixtures against each other, but dance competitions are on the increase. These include The Great British Dance Off, as well as other national and local dance competitions aimed at schools.

SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 85

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‘The unicorn of education’ the stuff of childhood dreams. - Tatler Schools Guide 2020

Registered Charity No. 312038

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A DISTINCTIVE ROUTE TO HIGH ACHIEVEMENT FOR YOUR DAUGHTER Situated in rural Surrey, since 1902 11+, 13+ and 16+ entry +44 (0) 1483 810551 www.priorsfieldschool.com

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MODERN LANGUAGES The Admissions Registrar at The Laurels on the value that learning a modern language offers students C A M I L A PA R R A

he importance of learning a modern foreign language has been widely discussed and accepted. However, when languages were made non-compulsory subjects at GCSE level in 2004, there was a sharp decline in modern foreign language GCSE entries. In the past 15 years, since 2004, this decline has been of 48% on average, with some languages being hit harder than others, German being a case in point. When we look at languages at A Level, the situation is even worse. In a modern world, where language helps to build bridges and bring down walls, this trend is increasingly worrying. The professional advantage of speaking foreign languages in a globalised world is clearly understood, as is the use of modern foreign languages as a vehicle for cultural understanding. However, beyond

“The use of modern foreign languages is a vehicle for cultural understanding” this enhanced cultural awareness and increased professional opportunities, learning a foreign language helps children begin to establish links between subjects which would not otherwise be evident. I will illustrate this with a basic example; the word “money” in French is “argent” which literally means silver, and the chemical symbol for the element silver is Ag which is an abbreviation of the word “Argento” which, again, is Latin for silver. These connections become obvious and start being made, almost automatically, when a language is learnt. The establishment of connections both enriches and facilitates

ABOVE Many students at The Laurels opt to take two modern languages

the learning of other subjects. We know that pronunciation is one of the most difficult things to master when learning a foreign language, due to the fact that languages have very different phonetic compositions. If students are not sufficiently exposed to the different phonetic nuances they find it very hard to distinguish between the different sounds. Spanish, for example, is a highly phonetic language where there are only five vowel sounds which are always the same and never change. English, on the other hand, has 14 vowel sounds which change depending on the meaning of the word being used, so the word tear, for example, can have a completely different pronunciation as a noun if you mean to shed a tear or tear a dress. This makes English particularly difficult to learn as a foreign language and Spanish easier. In order to be able to hear these different sounds, students need to be exposed to them regularly and

early. Due to the different linguistic connections, once a foreign language has been learnt, the effect of being able to hear different phonetic sounds and understand different sentence structures (as these vary from language to language) is enhanced and thus learning a second foreign language becomes much easier. At The Laurels, we recognise the many advantages of being multilingual and one of our GCSE option blocks includes only modern foreign languages, therefore all of our students sit at least one modern foreign language at GCSE level, with many girls opting for two. We have established links with outstanding schools in Paris and Madrid offering highly successful school exchanges. We also take advantage of the multiculturalism of London and many of our native speaker parents run weekly language one-to-one conversation sessions. This has helped us to attain exceptionally high GCSE grades in languages, with over 70% attaining grades 7-9. This is also the case at A Level, where 43% of our students have chosen a language subject.

C A M I L A PA R R A Admissions Registrar The Laurels School SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 87

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ABOVE Maida Vale School LEFT Students develop independence and confidence

SUPPORT INDEPENDENCE

Early in their first year, our pupils will go on a residential trip to Devon. This is a valuable opportunity to establish a child's independence and confidence.

BOND WITH FELLOW PARENTS

THE BIG

MOVE

The Headmaster of Maida Vale School provides tips for Year 6 parents STEVEN WINTER

t Maida Vale School, with new pupils coming from a wide variety of schools, a great effort will be made to help pupils settle in. Here is some advice for families during the transition to secondary school.

INVOLVE YOUR CHILD Take time to speak to them about what they want from a school; do they want to remain with friends or experience a new challenge? Go to open days together to make an informed choice.

The early social events are important as they allow parents to form useful links. One of the keys to success with this transition is to minimise the anxiety around making friends. Take opportunities to connect with fellow new parents and set up playdates and sleep-overs for your children to get to know each other before they start school. Also, consider joining the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PTA or friends' association.

STAY INFORMED At Maida Vale School, we offer a new-parent evening in the first few weeks of the year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a presentation ranging from IT safety and school reports to grades and daily routines. We also introduce parents to the heads of department for each subject.

TAKE PART IN TASTER SESSIONS

ENSURE YOUR CHILD IS WELL RESTED

Where possible, encourage your child to take part in taster sessions to help with the orientation process. This will help ensure that the school will be a good fit for them, especially for those starting at non-standard points in the year.

The first term of a new school will be full of opportunities, but change is mentally tiring. Children need plenty of rest at weekends so that they are fresh for the start of each new week. At Maida Vale School, we put the child at the heart of every decision. Our approach ensures that students will settle in quickly, make friends and make good academic progress.

TAKE PART IN INDUCTION OPPORTUNITIES Once our pupils have accepted their places with us, we quickly offer induction days for team building and familiarisation in the terms before they join the school community.

M A I DA VA L E S C H O O L Opening September 2020 maidavaleschool.com SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 89

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Earth calling With environment and climate top of the agenda, Kingsley School in Bideford, North Devon has opened a pioneering Earth Centre in its grounds

ustainability and the future of the planet have never been more front of mind, and now Kingsley School Bideford has broken new ground by creating an Earth Centre in its school grounds. As far as the Bideford, North Devon school is concerned, this is just the beginning of a journey where, for the first time in the UK, environmental sustainability and the challenge of climate change sit at the heart of mainstream school education.

The approach adopted by the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Earth Centre provides a myriad of educational opportunities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both vocational and academic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for students of all abilities. Students can choose to focus on any aspect of environmental studies and sustainable agriculture, from ecology and biology to politics and economics, and from practical horticulture to marketing, sales, and business skills. The Earth Centre houses a modern laboratory and workshop, dedicated teaching areas, facilities for growing

vegetable seedlings, and equipment for the harvesting and packing of produce. Not only will the school be supplied with its own vegetables, but students will also hone their business skills by providing the local community with fresh food. The facilities and hands-on approach means that all children will be immersed in key issues surrounding the challenges of climate change, including how to manage land, plant and soil ecology, the role of oceans and fresh water and the economics of environmental sustainability.

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Enhancing biodiversity is a key part of the Earth Centre’s ethos, and with a whole-school approach to making this happen. A range of fast-growing indigenous trees will be planted around the school grounds, improving the local native tree population while also providing a nutritious biomass for vegetable growing. The school’s other ambitious plans include turning the rugby pitch into a garden, growing vegetables and storing carbon by using no-dig techniques based on the latest ecological understanding of soil biology (and its ability to reduce carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere). Studying at the centre will be focused on practical work experience in the field, investigative science and ‘learning by doing’ across all subjects. The centre will include a commercial horticulture farm called the Ecology Zone, which will grow vegetables and store carbon. At a special event held on Earth Day at the end of November, Eden Project founder Sir Tim Smit KBE gave his support to the school’s pioneering project with a keynote speech to pupils, parents and VIPs guests. He said: “Here in North Devon we are on the verge of making environmental studies rock ‘n’ roll. Let’s build the magic here in the South West! ABOVE Working with the grains of Learning about carbon nature and understanding storing natural cycles should be the BELOW start of every pupil's learning”. Earth Day celebrations All normal timetables included a beach clean activity had been suspended for Earth Day to give pupils the opportunity to get involved in hands-on environmental activities. These included beach clean sessions, building hedgehog habitats, creating bird boxes for the new woodland to be planted in the Kenwith Valley and making bird feeders. The children also planted oak

“The school will be supplied with its own vegetables and students will hone their business skills by providing the local community with fresh food”

trees in the school grounds and created artworks from microplastics and natural pigments to communicate environmental concerns. Thought-provoking activities included brainstorming ideas based on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and then pitching them, Dragon’s Den style. Many guests from organisations were also involved in celebrating this grand opening. These included Earth Centre partners Greene’s Education, KSI Education and many local businesses, as well as representatives from the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere and the Cleaner Seas Group. Speaking about the arrival of this most future-thinking facility at the school, Pete Last, Kingsley Headmaster, said: “Bideford is within the UNESCO North Devon Biosphere, and many of our students have a strong rural and agricultural connection. The Earth Centre recognises and speaks to our role in the community and the environmental values that we have chosen to foster. The Earth Centre is simply the right thing to do.” To find out about activities and opportunities at Kingsley School Earth Centre, visit kingsleyschoolbideford.co.uk SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 91

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Global VISION A hospitality management qualiﬁcation is a valuable passport to a sucessful career in leadership C L A I R E R E I D - WA R R I L O W

or many students, choosing a career can be a daunting task. What is clear is that students have many options to gain the skills and qualifications to move into a creative and international career. One of those careers is hospitality, which goes beyond hotels and restaurants and encompasses events and entertainment, luxury retail, finance, as well as travel, tourism and culinary arts. In 2015, the industry created 284 million jobs – one in 11 jobs on the planet. Accounting for around 10% of global GDP, hospitality is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. For many the journey to an international career in hospitality begins with the Bachelor in International Hospitality Business at Glion Institute of Higher Education, which has campuses in Switzerland and London; or the Bachelor in Global Hospitality Management at Les Roches, with campuses in Switzerland, Spain and China. Our students tend to be outgoing, are already well travelled, and some speak more than one language. The students’ motivational letter of application and interview is key to them being offered a place at our hospitality business schools. While a comprehensive academic education is the bedrock of both undergraduate programmes at Sommet

“In 2015, the hospitality sector accounted for 284 million jobs - one of the world’s fastest-growing industries”

ABOVE Hospitality Students

Education, we teach the theory and the practice of hospitality. In their first Practical Arts semester, students gain hands-on experience in all the key hospitality departments and roles. They experience the pace of working in service, the pressure of the kitchens, and the attention to detail needed in the rooms division. This is the foundation to preparing students to become a leader or good manager in whatever career they choose. The experience they gain offers them so many transferable skills to so many careers. This foundation is then followed by the first of two six-month internships, also a vital part of their preparation for future roles. Students return from internships completely different in their demeanour and are ready to start the ‘business’ part of the degree. Students develop resourcefulness and discover the secrets of the best and most innovative, hospitality companies. We help each student secure internships to match

their ambition and personality, and My advice to young people considering the next step is to look at factors such as graduate employability and the destination of alumni in order to visualise what studying at a particular institution will do for them. With 85% of career-seeking students at our institutions returning for their final semester having already received at least two job offers, the value of a Sommet Education qualification is clear.

C L A I R E R E I D -WA R R I LOW Director of Undergraduate Recruitment UK and Europe Sommet Education SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 93

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NEW HORIZONS The move to Sixth Form can help students to develop a fresh approach to their future, says director of admissions at MPW JAMES BARTON

here are some experiences you will only find in traditional school; for everything else, there’s college. In the Post-GCSE landscape, Sixth Form becomes a chance to reinvent yourself. To many this seems daunting. To others, it is an opportunity. It can be difficult to know what to expect from the whole Sixth Form experience, which may cause even the most confident to stumble a little from the outset. Is the day structured very differently? What will the timetable look like? Will you feel like the new boy or girl again or will you be joined by others going through the same process? Every student’s journey is – and should be – different. One size does not fit all, nor should it. Sixth Form years should be a holistic experience and that is not diminished at all by going to a college. Sixth Form colleges still have some ‘myth

RIGHT MPW offers students a flexible environment

“A new environment for sixth form can be the source of inspiration for the next step”

busting’ to undertake. The stigma that they are only crammers or for those who have left mainstream school is nonsense. Colleges have diversified, grown and built upon their strengths and can be a number one choice – not a backup choice – for many students. Not least, this is because of the variety and diversity they can offer within a more flexible environment. Other than the historical misinterpretation of what a Sixth Form college is, the other concern among students and parents/guardians may be whether this is too big a jump. In truth, colleges are not as far removed from school as most expect – especially when you consider where the majority of students come from. There is a difference though, in that they do promote a stronger sense of independence – though I would caveat that by saying that independence here still needs to be taught. To anyone who believes college may be

too much of a jump, I would respond by saying that so is moving from GCSE to A-level, wherever you go. Regardless of the choice a student makes, they are now at the business end of their school career and they should use these two Sixth Form years to work out what they want to do next. Expect more focus on careers and university courses, a sensible discussion on gap years (now they are old enough to work out the merits of one), university visits and CV awareness. They should make good use of their university counsellors and, if going for specific programmes or universities (dentistry, medicine, Oxbridge), make sure that they make use of the specialist programmes on offer. This is the stage where an element of proactivity is not only expected, but should also become a given. A new environment for Sixth Form can often be the best source of inspiration for the next step and students can expect a more adult learning experience. And what colleges expect from you, is a more adult outlook. At this point in your life, you will be defined by what you do and what you make of the opportunities on offer. My advice to students is to always write your own narrative, be the person you want to be and use the Sixth Form experience as a way to break free from what you had at GCSE level. At the very least, consider the Sixth Form options out there.

JA M E S BA R TO N Director of Admissions MPW SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 95

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HEAD

NEW 16+ APPROACHES

Head of the soon-to-open Eaton Square Sixth Form, John Wilson belives we need a fresh and innovative approach to the post-16 learning environment

he post-16, sixth form landscape has changed more rapidly in the past decade than at any other point in time. A sixth form offering the opportunity to achieve good academic results alone is likely not to provide enough to allow aspirant undergraduates to achieve their ambitions. Students now expect to leave university with large debts and having invested at least three years in making themselves more attractive in a competitive employment market. Few can afford to make a mistake in picking the wrong course or wrong university. Unlike those of us attending university a generation ago, it is even a gamble to begin university without at least some idea of what you want to do when you leave. The increased number of ‘unconditional’ offers being offered to sixth formers suggests that universities have gone beyond looking for than academic strength alone and our young people need to develop a purpose for their futures as well as studying for their final exams. Furthermore, 16 year olds are increasingly sophisticated and mature. These young people, quite rightly, have high expectations of the institutions that claim to be preparing them for the next steps in their lives. Many will be attending excellent schools that have served them well to GCSE and yet they are looking for something a

“Young people have high expectations of the institutions preparing them for their next steps”

earnings in ensuring they are as prepared as possible for whatever opportunity may come their way. Sixth forms have to respond to this expectation and can’t expect to pack students off to university or the world of work with nothing more than three academic qualifications in vaguely related subjects. Two-years in a sixth form is not a huge amount of time in which to change habits, develop independence and prepare students for these challenges. Were I a student today considering my options post-16, I would want to know that the institution I chose would allow me to develop skills as well as knowledge, develop a strategy, as well access information. I would want the institution to prepare me for what is to come as well as support me with what is happening now. little more bespoke, personal and selfreliant as they prepare for the next steps Eaton Square Sixth Form College (ES6) on their journey. This means sixth forms opens soon in Belgravia and will recognise face a number of challenges. First, while we its students’ expectations for independence want our young people to be independent and a more adult approach while also learners and to take responsibility for understanding that independent learning their own learning, they have often come is a skill to be taught. Students at ES6 will from schools which have, with all the best experience a 9-5 day with independent study intentions, spoon-fed their pupils toward training, research skills and business-like GCSE success. Young people personal strategy as part of at 16 often have no idea how to their curriculum. They will study independently or how have much of the freedom to plan an effective future for and independence they crave themselves. Secondly, it has but within a rigorous and become somewhat of a cliché purposeful environment where to say that, as educators, we working toward their aims will are preparing young people for be a significant part of their careers that currently don’t day. exist. Yet the cliché may well JOHN WILSON Sixth form education be true and certainly today’s Head providers need to adapt to an sixth formers are ambitious, Eaton Square Sixth Form ever-changing landscape and determined and prepared College (ES6) high demands of the students to invest their own future they hope to attract. SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 97

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Affordability Test The Headmaster of Millﬁeld School believes it's time to reassess school fees G AV I N H O R G A N

n the decade to September 2018 the cost of private education in Britain rose on average by 49 per cent. This rise was 19 per cent above the rate of inflation over the same period. Put another way, 15 years ago, average independent school fees were affordable in households with one higher earner in the house. Now, to afford such fees requires two higher earners and even then it’s a stretch. Independent schools are doing more than they have ever done to support transformative, means-tested bursaries and it is right that they do. Last year schools provided £422m in means tested bursaries, up by a staggering £162m since 2011. The press rarely quotes this figure preferring instead to focus on headline fees and maybe it is right that they do as there are two quite separate issues at play here. One is the fundamental affordability of full fees at independent schools and the other is the capacity of such schools to transform lives

“In 2018, Millﬁeld provided £5.7 million in scholarships and bursaries beneﬁting 834 pupils.” through the provision of big bursaries. Millfield has provided transformational bursaries for pupils since its foundation in 1935. Boss Meyer, founder of the school, had a Robin Hood ethos whereby those who could afford to pay did, which in turn helped local children who couldn’t access outstanding education. This was groundbreaking – social mobility in modern education in its infancy – and the ‘Millfield Mix’, a principle of diversity and inclusion, was born. Fast forward to 2018, Millfield provided £5.7 million in scholarships and

bursaries benefiting 834 pupils. That is not enough because it does not address the affordability of our fees to hard-working parents who do not qualify for a bursary. That is why we announced last year that we would cut fees by 5-10% in the coming years, and why we hope others will do the same. We have made the commitment because we believe that it is right and we are lucky that we are in a position to be able to do so. Fee reduction is not straightforward: the ever-rising costs faced by schools on every front are eyewatering. Add to that the way in which a 40% rise to the employer’s contribution to Teachers' Pensions Scheme arrived and the spectre of loss of rates relief and the need for Heads and Governing Bodies to be a combination of entrepreneur, accountant and magician has never been greater. It is time for schools to be more entrepreneurial and bolder in business. There are many forms of independent education in the UK and that is as true on ABOVE Millfield students

fees as it is on school roll, culture, ethos or specialism. There is a desire in the press to homogenise the representation of independent schools. Parents need to be wary of that and schools need to do all that they can and more than ever before to emphasise their distinctive differences. It is possible to find independent schools charging very modest fees and it is, of course, possible to find the opposite. My core assertion still remains though: our fees have risen by too much for too long and we need to work hard to reverse that.

G AV I N H O R G A N Headmaster Millfield SPRING 2020 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 99

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QUESTION TIME The experts at Gabbitas Education have the answers

CATHERINE KELSEY DIRECTOR OF ELITE CLIENTS

How do we decide whether our child is best suited to a prep school that finishes at Year 6 or Year 8?

A well-chosen prep school will provide a solid foundation for a child’s academic career. It will play an enormous part in determining the options available to them when it comes to senior school and will prepare them for a smooth transition. If consideration for the prep school is intrinsically linked to the senior school, one must look at the intake ages at the desired senior school. Does the senior school provide entry at age 11, age 13, or both? This is vital not only so there is

“It is vital to avoid a ‘small ﬁsh in a big pond’ scenario whereby an unprepared 11 year old goes to senior school”

A B OV E

Hanford pupils on a winter’s morning

a smooth flow from prep to senior, but also to avoid a ‘small fish in big pond’ scenario whereby an unprepared 11 year old may be overwhelmed by the additional demands and expectations of their new environment. If the child is assessed as being confident and ready, then a prep school with progression into a senior school at age 11 would make sense. If there is doubt, however, then a two-year gap can be a useful testing period. There is never a 'one-size fits all' solution to choosing the best prep school for

your child, and that's what makes my work so interesting. From our experience, the best decision ultimately relies upon an unbiased (and unemotional) perspective on a child’s abilities and needs. Every family has a different set of circumstances and its my job to understand themand advise objectively. Some parents are surprised to hear that their first choice prep school might not be the best place for their child to thrive and prosper, but with hindsight they are always grateful they took good advice.

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SENIOR / AGON Y AUN T

HELEN SEMPLE

SENIOR CONSULTANT, EXECUTIVE TEAM

KIRSTY REED

LEAD TUTOR CONSULTANT

My daughter's school friend has told her that she is already being tutored for an entrance exam for our preferred senior school which they will sit in 2021. Is this over the top or are we falling behind?

First of all, don't panic! It's very easy as a parent to worry about what other families are doing but common sense will tell us that each individual child should be treated as just that. What we would suggest you do is take a look at your child and decide whether there are any areas that a private tutor could help you with. If the entrance exam is written by the school it will normally focus on verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning , Maths and/or English. If the school uses the Common Entrance, core subjects are Maths, English and Science. If your child is at a prep school, then the school should have already given your child some coaching. If your child attends a state school then it might be sensible to prepare your child. In either case, use a good tutor agency who can provide an objective assessment test and a mock interview so you can understand where your child is now and recommend a plan of action. And although starting a year in advance seems excessive, it's never to soon or too late to start: remember, preparation is everything!

There is a lot of talk about gender and diversity at our school gates, in the press and in general. How are schools changing to adapt to this new environment and how can we as parents help?

Whilst it is positive that increasingly young people feel comfortable identifying as who they wish to be (straight, homosexual, non-binary, trans, faith, no faith etc), with this comes a responsibility for schools and families to understand what this means for their young people. Written by educators, educational specialists, consultants, diversity practitioners and parents, Inclusion Matters is the first resource of its kind to provide background information on English state and independent schools’ statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010. It offers practical questions in an easy-to-use checklist format to help empower parents and carers to consider and discuss a school’s commitment to LGBT+ inclusion. More and more young people are rejecting the rigid boundaries that society puts on gender labels. Schools need to catch up in order to provide an environment that young people can thrive in. Encouragingly, steps are slowly being taken; last summer saw the first independent school participating in the Pride March in Brighton, a growing number of schools are embracing the need for inclusion training for staff, and more schools are providing non-gender specific uniforms. But there is still a long way to go. The Inclusion Matters guide is available online at: diversityrolemodels.org.

“ALWAYS USE A GOOD TUTOR AGENCY WHO CAN ASSESS YOUR CHILD AND MAKE A PLAN OF ACTION”

DANIELLE FLOOD STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES & GUARDIANSHIP MANAGER

A family at my son's school recently became the guardian family of a nine-year old girl from Thailand. I have a son the same age and am interested to find out more about what it involves, the rewards and how it could affect my son.

International students who study in the UK should have a UK-based Education Guardian appointed by their parents to represent their child and act on the parents’ behalf in the event of an emergency. Some families choose a family friend, but many families now appoint a professional Guardianship Agency to find, check, approve, support and monitor their Guardian Family. Guardian Families come in all shapes but most importantly they will all be caring families who like the idea of supporting an overseas student in the UK. Guardian Families also need to be homeowners and provide a room with some space for clothing and a desk for studying and they will be paid according to the amount of time a student stays with them. Having a younger child should not be a concern as the agency you choose should work hard to ensure you have the right student to fit in with your family. So whether you would prefer a similar aged child so that they can grow up together, or an older child who can act as an elder sibling, it can work to suit you. It is a wonderful experience for UK families to participate in, and to know that you and your family have helped a young person to settle in and make the most out of their UK school experience is a rewarding achievement. Friends are made for life.

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10/09/2019 12:06

STUDEN T LIFE

Day in the life Clodagh and Ali, joint School Captains at Latymer Upper School, talk us through a day in their lives

personal favourite is Latin Jazz Band, despite my lack of rhythm!