AB SO LUT E LY B R I T I S H E D U C AT I ON | H O N G KO N G E D I T I O N
BRITISH
EDUCATION
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UNDER PRESSURE Homework: who needs it?
AUTUMN • WINTER 2019
To the TEST
WHEN SHOULD ASSESSMENT START?
HONG KONG EDITION
House rules
HOW TO CHOOSE A BOARDING SCHOOL
T- L EV E L S ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
WWW.ZE ST.LONDON
BUSINESS MINDS ENCOURAGING ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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Lancaster Royal
Grammar School State Day and Boarding School for Boys Aged 11 to 18 Coeducational Sixth Form
Founded in 1472 we are one of the UK’s top grammar schools for boys. Exceptional value for money with free tuition. Fees for boarding are only one third of the fees of independent schools. Excellent location with a direct train to London in under 2 ½ hours.
“Top state school for boys in the North West” Sunday Times
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“Sixth Form provision is outstanding. Standards are exceptionally and consistently high” Ofsted
Challenge
Academic excellence 75% of A-level students achieved grade A*-B in 2019. Teamwork, leadership and confidence are developed outside the classroom through music, sport, drama and over 100 clubs and societies.
Care
Happy pupils are successful pupils and we are fully committed to the well-being and development of each child in our care.
Home from home
“Outstanding for Boarding” Ofsted 2017
Sixth Form
Welcoming girls for boarding from 2020.
To arrange your visit call Emma Jones on +44 1524 580632 or EJones@lrgs.org.uk www.lrgs.org.uk @LRGSLancaster
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CONTE N AUTUMN • WINTER 2019
upfront
14 NEWS
What’s going on in the world of education
41
25 CHOOSING WISELY
Christ’s Hospital’s Andrew Wines on what to look for in a British boarding shcool
PREP
24 TESTING TIMES
Lisa Freedman looks at the benefits of pre-testing ahead of Common Entrance
30 THE HOMEWORK QUESTION Is it worth it? Debating the merits of homework for prep-aged children
32 BOTTOM OF THE CLASS What to do when it’s your child? By Libby Norman
35 HOUSE RULES
Stonyhurst College explains its horizontal boarding system
41 DRESS CODE
What makes a good uniform?
30
SENIOR
50 TALKING POINT
How to encourage entrepreneurship? Eight schools explain their differing approaches
54 HORSE PLAY
Equestrian activity can have enormous educational benefit
60 FASHION
The business of fashion at Heathfield School
64 POT LUCK
Inspiring work by ceramics students at Mayfield School
74 TALKING BUSINESS
What qualifications are best for business? The team at Gabbitas answer your questions
64
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NTS
92 ACTING EDITOR
Pendle Harte
EDITOR I A L ASSISTA NT
Abbie Schofield
EDITOR I A L INTER N
Zoe Delmer-Best
GROUP A DV ERTISING M A NAGER
Nicola Owens
SPECI A LIST CONSULTA NT
Andy Mabbitt
GROUP SA LES DIR ECTOR
Craig Davies
COMMERCI A L DIR ECTOR
Leah Day
A RT DIR ECTOR
Pawel Kuba
SENIOR DESIGNER
Mike Roberts
MID-W EIGHT DESIGNER
Rebecca Noonan
M A R KETING M A NAGER
Lucie Pearce
FINA NCE DIR ECTOR
Jerrie Koleci DIR ECTORS
54 79 ON THE LEVEL
Barnaby Lenon explains the new T-levels
Greg Hughes, Alexandra Hunter, James Fuschillo PUBLISHING DIR ECTOR
Sherif Shaltout
For advertising enquiries please call +44 (0) 20 7704 0588 or email: education@zest-media.com Subscriptions are available simply by emailing eva@zest-media.com
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@AB SOLUTELY_EDU ‘AB SOLUTELY EDUCATION’
83 SETTLING IN
Queen Ethelburga’s on helping foreign pupils with their big move to UK boarding
84 UK EDUCATION EXPO Hong Kong
s c h o o l’ s o u t
93 THE MAKING OF ME
How Robin Stevens’ schooldays at Cheltenham Ladies College inspired her crime novels
l a s t wo r d
98 LOUISE NORTH
60 seconds with the head of Framlingham College
23
F RO NT COV E R Pupils at Christ’s Hospital, a coeducational independent boarding school founded in 1552. Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 0LJ 01403 211293, christs-hospital.org.uk
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We l c o m e
From the
EDITOR
O
ur school-leavers are facing ever-changing challenges as they leave the world of education. With traditional career paths increasingly becoming things of the past, a school’s task of preparing pupils for life is harder and harder to define. What skills will they need? What type of workplaces will they find themselves faced with? So many unknown factors are at play, yet schools must find ways to prepare pupils for all eventualities. Whatever the future holds, it is clear that the skills held by successful entrepreneurs – skills such as innovative thinking, charisma, creativity, originality and courage, to name a few – are ones that will always give people advantages in
creating and marketing a new chocolate bar in a fun exercise designed to teach skills including time management, budgeting and profitability. What Year 9 child could fail to be interested in chocolate? Meanwhile, Francis Holland invited Jenny Campbell from Dragon’s Den to work with girls on their entrepreneurship programme and at Beaudesert Park, they start them young, with lots of career-based roleplay and a Dragons Den Challenge day for prep-aged tots. We focus on these and other examples in our Talking Point feature on page 48. Also on the subject of preparing for the future, we have Barnaby Lenon enthusing about the new T-levels, which are aiming to bridge the eternal gap between academic and vocational study. Homework, a topic that can polarise parents and teachers, is another key
“THERE'S NO SINGLE ROUTE TO NURTURING ENTREPRENEURSHIP” life. It’s clear too, that without these skills, the next generation is going to struggle in an unpredictable job market. Michael Doherty of Canford School has aptly dubbed them ‘career chameleons’. So we have themed this issue around concepts of business and entrepreneurship, and invited schools and educational experts to contribute their thoughts on how these skills can be taught. There’s no single route to nurturing entrepreneurship. Pupils can be encouraged to be flexible in their thinking, commercial in their mindset and proactive in their behaviour in countless different ways. At Cranleigh, for instance, the Year 9s are tasked with
theme of this issue. Traditionalists often take the view that it helps to consolidate skills that have been taught in the classroom. But nightly battles (that end with parents picking up the pencil to get it done) leave others questioning when is the right age for children to start, if at all. On page 30, we find out that the research as to whether it benefits preparatory school children is somewhat inconclusive. If you're looking for a British education for your children, this issue is for you. We hope you enjoy it.
Pendle Harte ACTING EDITOR
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THE KEY TO YOUR FUTURE
• A B S O L U T E LY E D U C AT I O N ’ S •
CON T R IBU TOR S
Kent College Canterbury
Lisa Freedman
Education consultant and journalist
A Canadian by birth, Lisa Freedman remains fascinated by the bizarre intricacy of the English education system, and is currently completing a PhD in the History of Education at UCL. She is the Founder and Managing Director of education consultancy At the School Gates. On page 28, she writes about the emergence of Pre-Tests and how this has affected the traditional Common Entrance exam.
Barnaby Lenon
Chairman, Independent Schools Council
Barnaby Lenon taught at Eton for 12 years, was the deputy head of Highgate School, head of Trinity School Croydon and head of Harrow for 12 years. He then helped establish the London Academy of Excellence in East London, one of the most successful state Sixth Form Academies, where he is Chairman of Governors. He is also chairman of the Independent Schools Council and writes about new qualifications T-levels on page 79.
Find out more at our SENIOR SCHOOL OPEN MORNING 28th September 9am - 12.30pm
SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING 18th November 6pm - 9pm
Framlingham College in Suffolk is an independent boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 3-18, and Louise North has been Principal there since June 2018. Prior to that, she was Deputy Head at Stonyhurst College and Senior Deputy Head at Oakham School, to name a few of the prestigious establishments under her teaching belt. British Education interviews her on page 98.
Book your place online at kentcollege.com or Call 01227 763231
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Louise North
Principal, Framlingham College
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Transformation through education An independent full boarding school for boys and girls aged 11 – 18. If you want a school with the ‘wow’ factor in abundance, look no further than Christ’s Hospital. Full boarding school 20 miles from London Gatwick Equal mix of boys and girls 7 day a week programme Low percentage of international boarders
T: 01403 246 555 E: hello@christs-hospital.org.uk Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 0LJ www.christs-hospital.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1120090
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S221-S230 Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
19 - 20 OCT 2019 11am - 6pm
A total of 27 leading UK boarding schools and colleges will participate in this year’s event and this is a perfect opportunity to meet with senior staff from a range of excellent institutions and make your right choice of school. Academic Asia continues to provide a very personal service and interviews and assessments can be arranged on both days. Please do bring along an original and a copy of students’ school reports and achievement certificates from the last two years and some passport-size photos. Participating Schools:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Ardingly College Ashville College Bede’s Senior School Bedford School Berkhamsted School Cardiff Sixth Form College Cheltenham College Christ’s Hospital City of London Freemen’s School Colchester Royal Grammar School* Cranbrook School* Gordonstoun Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools Lancaster Royal Grammar School*
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Loughborough Grammar School Monkton Combe School Queen’s College RMS (The Royal Masonic School for Girls) Royal Russell School Ryde School Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls St George’s School, Ascot The Stephen Perse Foundation Stonyhurst College Strathallan School Taunton School and Taunton School International 27 Whitgift School
*State School - applicants must be British or European Union passport holders, or have the right of abode in the UK
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We l c o m e
From
ACADEMIC ASIA
I
n 2020 Academic Asia will celebrate a very special anniversary. The company was established in 1980 and over the last 40 years it has provided families with the best possible advice as to which UK boarding schools they should consider for their sons and daughters. What were the values that families were looking for all those years ago compared to their reasons nowadays for continuing to send their children halfway round the world to be educated? A parent in Hong Kong will always strive to provide the best education for their children and 15 years ago, for example, one of the main considerations for choosing the UK, was so that their children’s English would be improved, which would help them gain the top results. Achieving the best possible academic results and gaining a place at a prestigious university remains the aim of most families. Nowadays, however, parents know that it is not just top grades that will secure
account for a much higher proportion of the overall numbers in a school’s boarding community. In some schools it must be very difficult for staff to insist that international students only speak English, particularly in the evenings and at weekends, when the number of British students is greatly reduced. What families in Hong Kong now have, more than ever, is choice. Although many will still aim for the best schools in the UK, they now have a wider range of very good options in Hong Kong itself. In addition to the well-established and successful local schools, there are now a number of excellent international schools that offer both A-level and the International Baccalaureate. Harrow School opened the first satellite in 2012 and there are now a number of British schools opening partner schools, including several preparatory schools. The number of British boarders in UK schools has declined over a number of years now and this trend has increased the number of schools that are now actively
“NOWADAYS, PARENTS KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST TOP GRADES THAT WILL SECURE A PLACE AT OXFORD OR CAMBRIDGE FOR THEIR CHILD” a place for their son or daughter at, say, Oxford or Cambridge. Higher education is now open to more students than ever before so as well as good grades, students must now be able to demonstrate passion for their chosen subject in their personal statement and be confident enough to be able to articulate their interests at interview. In recent years, concern has been expressed by some Hong Kong families that their children’s spoken English has not improved as quickly as they had hoped and this may well be a consequence of the everincreasing number of international pupils who now
recruiting international pupils to maintain their boarding communities. This does, of course, mean that international families have an even wider range of schools to choose from in the UK. UK boarding schools cannot afford to be complacent about their ability to recruit students from the Hong Kong market – although there is still a strong feeling that British is best!
Battie Fung
MANAGING DIRECTOR ACADEMIC ASIA
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Up Front THE LATEST SCHOOL NEWS P . 14
ST NICHOLAS
St Nicholas School encourages sport and physical activity for active learning and development. Here, two prep gymnasts show off their skills.
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Gamers' Glor y
R I S I N G STA R
More than 100 students gathered at Cambridge Regional College this weekend to compete in FXP Festival, a games design and development competition for young people in East Anglia. Winners included teams from West Suffolk College, North Cambridge Academy, Parkside Community College and Stephen Perse Foundation.
Albie Marber, a student at Portland Place School, has showcased his admirable acting abilities while starring in the newly released biographical drama film, Tolkien. Albie commenced his professional career at the age of 11, during which he has taken on a plethora of diverse roles from acting as the ‘young’ Tommy Cooper in ITV’s Tommy Cooper, and more recently assuming roles in Amazon Prime series Outlander and ITV's Trauma.
“Albie commenced his professional career at the age of 11”
PROUD PA R T N E R S H I P
Creating Bonds
As part of Forest School’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Forest and its community through collaboration, the school is delighted to announce that it is the proud partner of Hackney Empire’s Creative Futures programme reaching 4,000 disadvantaged young people every year.
Malvern College has reinforced its close links with an investment to Abberley Hall, a significant feeder school which will secure a bright future for the two schools. Both Headmasters believe this will put them in a stronger position to deal with the demands of a rapidly changing market sector.
LO N G LO ST Deep in the grounds of Beaudesert Park School in Gloucestershire, a forgotten Victorian lake has been brought back to vibrant life. After decades of being cordoned off, the lake has been beautifully restored. Dragonflies, newts and butterflies have already taken up residence, and from September pupils will be exploring the new nature haven.
“I think private school children on the margins are no longer going to get in [to Oxbridge]. I think that is perfectly fine, even if you are a pupil at my own school.” R I C H A R N C A I R N S O N FA I R AC C E S S T O OX B R I D G E , S U N DAY T I M E S
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UP FRONT / NEWS By ABBIE SCHOFIELD
Career Guidance King Edward’s Witley has appointed Moira Davies as the Head of Careers and Higher Education. Having previously worked at schools in Zimbabwe and Mauritius, she has been running her own business as an independent Career Coach since returning to the UK.
B R AV E D O G Britain’s bravest police dog Finn, who was stabbed in the line of duty, visited Heathfield School, Ascot, with Finn’s Law campaigner and owner PC Dave Wardell. PC Wardell discussed with students aged 11-18 life in the police force, the role of police animals, facing adversity and the importance of perseverance and resilience.
SKY’S THE LIMIT Repton School’s 1st XI football captain Matthew Bowman has signed a professional two-year contract with Dunfermline Athletic FC. The club currently plays in the Scottish Championships after being promoted in 2016. Matthew was part of Middlesbrough and Hull City’s youth academy before he joined Repton School to combine studying for his A-levels with an excellent football programme.
P L AY O N Cheam School has announced that its recently established Foundation is now funding its first dedicated music bursary for a child aged 8-13. The Cheam Foundation was launched in 2019 in order to offer life-changing bursaries to as wide a cross-section of children as possible.
Farming and Food The Food, Farming and Environment competition, managed by leading education charity LEAF Education, saw teenagers from six schools from across the UK take part in a broad range of activities designed to give them hands-on experience with the science and technology used in farming.
“Teaching children about healthy eating is just as important as teaching them English and Maths” T H E G R E AT B R I T I S H B A K E O F F ' S P R U E L E I T H
SOMETHING THEY SAID
“We need to start exciting girls and young women about technology subjects as early as possible.” TO N I S C U L L I O N I N T E S D I S C U S S E S T H E G E N D E R I M BA L A N C E I N T EC H
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Developing Remarkable People Since 1541
A Day and Boarding School offering outstanding academic teaching and pastoral care Boys • Girls • Sixth 30 mins from London Euston 40 mins from London Heathrow berkhamsted.com NBERK.indd 1
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UP FRONT / NEWS By ABBIE SCHOFIELD
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
R eal Talking
Taunton School has been recognised for its environmental achievement with a Green Award in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards. It was awarded following the success of the ‘Zero to Landfill’ campaign, where it became the first Somerset school to recycle all its waste.
Pupils from Kings Monkton School in Cardiff debated peers at a public school in New Delhi, India. The Skype debate was centred around issues of abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and Trump’s wall. It was the second in a series of debates between the two schools.
GOING GREEN
R ecord Breaking Sixth Form students at ArtsEd celebrated the school’s best ever results in BTECs with a superb 100% Triple Distinction and above, with 85% achieving Triple Distinction. A-levels also saw a 100% pass rate with 30% of all A-level results at A*/A, and overall 78% of all results were A*-B, which is their highest figure on record.
Oakfield Preparatory School in Dulwich have started the new school year in sustainable fashion. They have implemented Meat-Free Mondays across all their school lunches for Years 2-6. Moyra Thompson, Acting Head, said, “Our catering is fantastic and it’s important our decisions both in the classroom and lunch hall are going to help our local community and the planet."
ART SUCCESS Student Mia Dyson from Blackheath High School has had her artwork selected to be displayed at the Royal Academy of Arts in their summer exhibition. From over 6,000 works submitted, two of Mia’s pieces were selected to be amongst the 329 that form the prestigious online exhibition. Another piece of Mia’s was chosen to be exhibited in the Royal Academy itself as part of the inaugural Young Artists’ Summer Show.
SONGS OF PRAISE
New Head Cumnor House in Sussex has announced Fergus Llewellyn as their new Headmaster with effect from July 2020. Fergus is currently the Headmaster of the renowned St Andrew's Prep School in Turi, Kenya, where he has been since August 2015. Prior to that, he was at Cheltenham College for 10 years, serving as Housemaster and Head of English and Drama.
Francis Holland School were finalists at the BBC Songs of Praise Young Choir of the Year 2019. Their incredibly talented Senior Chamber Choir, comprised of 27 girls from Years 9 to 13, stunned judges and viewers with their heartfelt performance of Doerksen’s ‘Faithful One’ and were heavily praised for their technical assurance, expressive nuance and confidence.
“I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained” WA LT D I S N E Y
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EXCELLENT ISI inspection 2018
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 daughter’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.
We hold termly open mornings. To book your place, please email registrar@heathfieldschool.net
Boarding and Day for Girls 11-18
heathfieldschool.net | +44 (0) 1344 898343
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UP FRONT / NEWS By ABBIE SCHOFIELD
Serious talk
NEW APPOINTMENT
Emmanuel Jal – a former child soldier, TIME magazine figure of the year and spokesperson for Amnesty International and UNESCO – spoke to and performed for pupils from schools across the Borough of Southwark at Dulwich College this term. He delivered a message of encouragement and an invitation to pupils to understand and empathise with different perspectives.
The Board of Governors are delighted to announce the appointment of Ben Evans as Headmaster of Windlesham House School on the retirement of Richard Foster in summer 2020. Ben is currently Head at Edge Grove School, where he has been since September 2012, and has previously worked as Head of the British School Colombo (Junior) and as Deputy Head at Bramdean College, Exeter. Ben will be joined by his wife, Alex, who is looking forward to playing a full role in school life, and their two boys. They look forward to the opportunity to continue Windlesham’s development as one of the country’s top coeducational boarding schools.
W E L L D E S E RV E D Gresham’s School has awarded two places to talented and deserving Year 11 students from eastern England, Shahd Abdelrahman and Jasmine Loades. Gresham also welcomed alumnus Sir James Dyson's donation of £18.75 million to enable a new centre for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
Graduating In Style Departing Year 13 and Year 14 students from DLD College London are the only students to ever to have their Graduation Ceremony at the Houses of Parliament. The students processed across Westminster Bridge to the ceremony along with a police escort to obtain awards for all their exceptional achievements.
S H I N E AT SHAKESPEARE Pupils from Falcons School for Girls have improved their arts abilities during a Drama and Music workshop at the RHACC Theatre in Richmond. Budding young actresses in Year 5 and 6 from the Putney-based school joined the boys from Falcons Prep to explore the iconic Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” NELSON MANDELA
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Mayfield AN INDEPENDENT BOARDING AND DAY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AGED 11 TO 18
OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC RESULTS • SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE EXTENSIVE CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME EXEMPLARY PASTORAL CARE & NURTURING ENVIRONMENT STATE OF THE ART EQUESTRIAN CENTRE SET IN THE BEAUTIFUL SUSSEX COUNTRYSIDE FLEXI, WEEKLY AND FULL BOARDING OPTIONS EASY ACCESS TO HEATHROW & GATWICK AIRPORTS 50 MINUTES FROM CENTRAL LONDON BY TRAIN MINIBUS SERVICE ACROSS SUSSEX AND KENT
Open Mornings TUESDAY 5 TH NOVEMBER 2019 FRIDAY 20 TH MARCH 2020 TUESDAY 21 ST APRIL 2020 WWW.MAYFIELDGIRLS.ORG
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TO ARRANGE A VISIT PLEASE CONTACT OUR REGISTRAR, MRS SHIRLEY COPPARD, REGISTRAR@MAYFIELDGIRLS.ORG
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UP FRONT / NEWS By ABBIE SCHOFIELD
E L I M I N AT I O N OF FEE
CA P T U R I N G C R OY D O N The Whitgift Foundation is thrilled to announce the 30 shortlisted images taken by local children for the Capturing Croydon photography competition. The shortlist has been selected from 146 schoolchildren for a chance to win top photography prizes. The competition inspires children to explore Croydon’s urban landscape.
“The shortlist has been selected from 146 schoolchildren”
As part of a focused effort to reduce financial barriers for students and schools to participate in its unique programmes, the International Baccalaureate has announced that it is eliminating the $172/£138 'candidate registration' fee that students traditionally pay. In May 2019 more than 77,800 students participated in exams, an 8% increase compared to the previous year.
NEW APPOINTMENT E N E R GY I N SCHOOL Samsung has announced its initiative 'Energy in School' which will impact more than 20 schools around the UK. The initiative is in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Energy, My Utility Genius Commercial and Lancaster University, teachers and students taking part in the initiative will learn how the Internet of Things can be used to help reduce energy consumption and the carbon footprint of their school.
To p St o r y
The Governors of Bishop’s Stortford College are delighted to announce the appointment of Kathy Crewe-Read as their next Head. Only the 10th Head to be appointed in the 150 year history of the College, Mrs Crewe-Read will be joining the College on 1st September 2020. Kathy Crewe-Read has enjoyed a very successful career in education, working in multiple very successful schools.
A H E A D STA R T
I N T E R N AT I O N A L NEWS Brighton College, in partnership with leading global schools group Cognita, is delighted to announce the plan to open a new international school in Singapore in September 2020.
Millfield Prep School has appointed Mike Jory as Head of Millfield Pre-Prep, beginning in September 2019. Mike will bring a lot of experience from his 15 years in education and in various roles.
BREXIT Brexit is the 2019 Children’s Word of the Year by Oxford University Press for BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show 500 Words competition.
SOMETHING THEY SAID
“Education is a holistic process and a focus on test results represents a narrow measure of achievement. ” TA N YA B Y R O N C H A M P I O N S E M O T I O N A L I N T E L L I G E N C E OV E R T H E O B S E S S I O N W I T H I Q
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UP FRONT / NEWS By ABBIE SCHOFIELD
Carpe Diem Duolingo – the world's number one way to learn a language – is launching a Latin course created in partnership with the renowned Paideia Institute. Learning Latin is thought to improve children’s ability to learn other Romance languages such as French or Italian and, according to Mary Beard, is essential for studying Classics. The linguistic app is available on iOS, Android and at duolingo.com.
“Learning Latin is thought to improve children's ability to learn French”
ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME
NEW HILDEN HEAD
This academic year, Sherfield School, in Sherfield-on-Loddon, Hook, are excited to introduce an exciting new enrichment programme to pupils and parents. The ethos of enrichment at Sherfield centres around the school’s motto Ad vitam paramus, or AVP, meaning ‘Preparing for life’. The AVP Diploma will broaden and deepen the curriculum, giving children the opportunity to develop new skills such as problem solving, creativity, critical thinking and people management.
Mr Malcolm Gough has been named as the new Head of Hilden Grange School in Tonbridge. Mr Gough was previously Executive Head of Benedict House and Wickham Court schools, Head of Sutton Valence Preparatory school and Director of Studies at Somerhill, where he oversaw the academic provision at Yardley Court, Derwent Lodge and Somerhill Pre-Preparatory school. His first job in teaching, after arriving from South Africa in 1989, was at Winchester House where he was a Housemaster, Head of History, Head of Hockey and Director of Studies.
Gold Rush The summer of 2019 was golden for recent Pangbourne College leaver, Dan Atkins, as he won gold medals at the Junior World and European sprint canoeing championships. He started with a K1 Junior Men 200m gold at the Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint European Championships in Czech Republic and followed this by winning the World Junior Championship in the 200m sprint event at the Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championship in Romania.
To p St o r y
N U R S E RY N E W S Annette Elstob has taken up her post as the new Head of Rolfe’s Nursery School, the Ofsted ‘outstanding’ Notting Hill nursery. Miss Elstob gained a BA Hons Performing Arts in 2009 and completed her PGCE in Primary education, with a specialist focus on Early Years, at the University of East London, Stratford.
B R A I N CA N D O L I ST E N U P Dauntsey’s School has announced an impressive line-up of speakers for their renowned Mercers’ Lecture Series. The Mercers’ Lectures are central to encouraging pupils to engage with the outside world and think beyond the confines of their academic curriculum.
Queen Anne’s School has released a BrainCanDo revision guide to help students dive deeper into the science of the learning brain. BrainCanDo, a cognitive psychology and educational neuroscience research centre, was set up six years ago by Queen Anne’s Headmistress Julia Harrington and working on some fascinating projects since. Find out more about the BrainCanDo revision guide at qas.org.uk
SOMETHING THEY SAID
“If they know Stormzy lyrics, they can memorise poetry” S A R A H L E D G E R O N W H Y S T U D E N T S S H O U L D L E A R N Q U O TAT I O N S F O R E X A M S
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Christ’s Hospital on things to consider when choosing a UK boarding school ANDREW WINES
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or parents living outside the UK, choosing the right boarding school for your child can be a daunting task. With so many factors to consider, from wellbeing to logistics, it can be difficult to navigate the huge volume of information available. Here at Christ’s Hospital, we believe parents should consider the following.
“Christ’s Hospital has the highest diversity of any UK independent school”
TYPE OF BOARDING
Families need to decide which sort of boarding is the best fit for them - weekly, flexi or full boarding. For the majority of international students, full boarding will be the best option. Christ’s Hospital offers a full programme of activities seven days a week, including academic learning, sports, music and arts clubs, so that your child is always stimulated. Students also benefit from staff living on site so that support is available 24/7. Of the 900 students at Christ’s Hospital, 830 are boarders, so international students always feel part of a big community.
takes. 88% of students at Christ’s Hospital are British, meaning international pupils are more likely to fully immerse themselves in the experience of a British public school education. Christ’s Hospital also has the highest diversity of any UK independent school; our pupils come from all parts of society, meaning they spend time with people from different backgrounds giving them essential life experience.
TRANSPORT LINKS
For international students, a school’s proximity to transport links is an important factor. For example, where is the nearest airport or train station? Is it easy to travel to London? Christ’s Hospital is just 20 minutes from London Gatwick airport, 45 minutes from London Heathrow airport and 60 minutes from central London, meaning for our international students, home is never too far away.
ACADEMIC RESULTS
Last but not least, parents should consider a school’s academic results and in what kind of environment their child will flourish, in both their schooling and personal lives. Christ’s Hospital students are consistently amongst the top performing in the country at GCSE and Sixth Form and we offer both A-level and the IB. 98% of our students go on to top universities in the UK and overseas. We are also the only school in the world where live ensemble music is performed every day. The transition to boarding school can be an overwhelming time for families. Here at Christ’s Hospital, we support parents and pupils every step of the way.
MIX OF PUPILS
As the only coeducational full-boarding school in the south of England, Christ’s Hospital is exactly 50% male and 50% female and equality is of the utmost importance. Parents should also research how many international students a school
ANDREW WINES Director of Admissions Christ’s Hospital AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 25
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TESTING
TIMES The Founder of At the School Gates on the emergence of a whole new sector LISA FREEDMAN
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hen JCT Jennings arrived at his prep school aged 10 years, 2 months and 3 days, all he had to worry about was whether he was allowed to wear his vest for games or play conkers in the Assembly Hall. But Anthony Buckeridge’s fictional hero lived in the 1950s. Today he’d already have missed the deadline to register for pre-testing. Pre-testing, the system of early examination and interview intended to sort out who’s going to which public school, now generally takes place at the beginning of Year 6. Many prep-school headmasters are concerned that this make-or-break trial can distort the rhythm of what once was a rather more cloudless youth. "The current regime has to be managed carefully or it can skew the whole prepschool experience," says Tom Burden, Headmaster of The Pilgrims’ School in Winchester, which sends about half its pupils onto Winchester and Eton. "The challenge is to make the education we provide sufficiently exciting for childhood not to be defined by testing." Until fairly recently, most senior boarding schools admitted pupils primarily on the basis of Common Entrance, the broadranging set of examinations sat in the summer term of Year 8. In 2001, however, Eton, looking for an un-coachable means to
edit its lengthy applicant list, introduced a computerised aptitude test, which boys sat in the academic year in which they turned eleven. Since then, most public schools have instituted something along similar lines. "Schools like Eton did have to manage numbers," says Martin Harris, Headmaster of Cheam School, a co-educational prep school in Berkshire. "Others, you feel, decided to do it because they thought, 'we don’t do that, so we’d better'." Nowadays, most of the leading public schools have adopted the ‘ISEB Common PreTest’, a multiple-choice online assessment, which gauges competence in English and Maths alongside IQ (in the form of Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning). The tests last just two and half hours and most pupils sit them in the comfort of their prep school, but it’s not the tests themselves which cause distress, but their inconclusive outcome. "Some boys, of course, have a measure of success and get offers from several schools," says Tom Bunbury, Headmaster of Papplewick Prep School in Ascot, currently Tatler magazine’s UK Prep School of the Year. "But large numbers of boys have to cope with failure or uncertainty as they’re put on a waiting list. They’re often not clear about where they’re going until Year 8, which is not helpful for the children whose confidence we’re trying to build." The reason for this ongoing ambiguity is that those with several offers are often willing to pay multiple deposits to defer making a final decision, an approach
Bunbury views with some sympathy. "If you consider parents ultimately have to pay the best part of £200,000 in fees, risking £1,500 to £2,000 is rather good insurance." However, most heads agree that the current mode of selection, while working to the benefit of the most able, does not necessarily do justice to every child. "Though we’ve found the ISEB Pre-Test pretty reliable," says Burden, "it’s more problematic for the late developers. It can be dangerous to pigeonhole boys early on."
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“Most prep schools have been forced to adapt their curriculum in response to pre-testing requirements”
Secondary schools are, of course, aware of this pitfall, and some, such as Harrow and Wellington College, specifically hold back places to offer in Years 7 and 8, carefully liaising with prep schools to monitor progress. "I’ve been really impressed by the way senior schools keep in touch," says Burden. "You do, of course, have to provide evidence that scores have surged." Most prep schools have been forced to adapt their curriculum in response to pre-testing requirements. Some merely insert an extra ‘club’ to address the dull-butdemanding hoops of Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. For others, such as Papplewick, it's timetable preparation. "We do three periods a week for four terms," says Bunbury. "Specific preparation gets the best performance on the day and helps improve the middle-ground boys. We never did it in the past, so it’s a minor sadness." Then there’s the interview. "The Interview is a tough old thing," says Bunbury, of
a process which nowadays can go well beyond 'what’s your favourite book?'. "I feel sometimes schools overestimate what 10 and 11 year-old boys are like. A whole industry has grown up in London to prepare them." Papplewick does not coach for the interview, relying instead on their wellrounded curriculum, and heads agree that the rich prep school formula of games, music and extra-curricular involvement is still appreciated by those that stand in judgement. "They may want to know that applicants have the skills to cope academically, but they’re looking for the whole package," says Burden. "The reason they’re taking them is that they’re an exciting person to know." A further negative of a testing system carried out two years prior to the end of schooling is the impact it can have on motivation. "Secondary schools complain about unconditional offers at university, so there’s a huge irony here," says Martin Harris, who believes Common Entrance
occurred at just the right moment. "Common Entrance is a little bit of stress at the pinnacle of your education. It makes you ready for your senior school, rather than having a huge spike in stress when you should just be enjoying yourself." The Pilgrims’ School has chosen to ensure the older rhythm remains in place. "We are absolutely committed to Common Entrance," says Tom Burden. "It polishes the academic side off nicely, and even if boys are not going somewhere that requires it, we think it best they sit the exam. We want them to be confident with the academic demands that will be put on them." If pre-testing is not necessarily the right answer, what’s the solution? Some feel the system could be streamlined to make it less intrusive. "In an ideal world, testing would take place in the first term of Year 7, with interviews in the second term, so removing double booking" says Bunbury. Others, believe an earlier deadline for parental commitment – say, Christmas of Year 8 – would clarify stressful ambiguity. No one, however, imagines change will occur any time soon. "There’s no great will to collaborate," says Bunbury. "We’re stuck with it and have to make the best of it."
D R . LI S A F R E E D M A N MD, Education Consultancy attheschoolgates.co.uk AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 29
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S OLO STUDY
What is the right age to start homework and should children be doing it at all?
A L L I M AG E S F E R M L I V I N G
C A R LY G L E N D I N N I N G
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omework can be an emotive subject. For some, that feeling of Sunday night dread (when you’d left it to the last possible moment) never properly leaves us. Still creeping up in waves of panic like an irrational fear, or returning to us in nightmares. For others, one too many excuses about peckish dogs brings back memories sparking guilt or regret. When our own children start school, the nightmares can quickly turn into nightly battles that often end with us picking up the pencil in order to get it done. Attention spans are short after a long day at school and homework takes time away from family life. In this country homework commonly starts in reception, taking the form of reading. From Year 1 and into Year 2, children are usually expected to complete one to two tasks per week. But parents are questioning if this is too early and ultimately if homework is necessary at all. It’s a hot topic at the moment due to a new framework that was introduced in the state system in September. Ofsted has said its inspectors will not assess how homework is being done because schools should decide whether or not they set it for their students. This marks a huge departure in the inspection regime, which previously looked at homework as part of the way it approached the teaching, learning, and assessment of children. Independent schools are of course free to set their own policies about homework and the approach is varied. Queen’s Gate Junior School in South Kensington takes the view that homework can be of value, if it’s set in a constructive way. Mr James Denchfield, director of the school says: “It befalls good schools not only
“For some, that feeling of Sunday night dread (when you'd left it to the last possible moment) never properly leaves us” to teach well but also to nurture essential learning skills, such as independence, selfmotivation and retention of information,” he continues “homework is at its most beneficial when it asks pupils not just to review what they have learnt but to understand why they have learnt it, as they make the leap from specific task to general rule. Well-conceived, purposeful tasks, which draw on pupils’ creativity and demand lateral thinking are the most satisfying to undertake and are the ones which leave the greatest impression in children’s minds.” The King Alfred School in Golders Green, north-west London takes a more progressive stance.
Head of Lower School, Karen Thomas says: “At The King Alfred School we’ve chosen not to set homework for our Lower School students in order to remove undue pressure for our children and their families. Using enquiry as our main pedagogical approach we create enough exciting opportunities in the school day to trigger their curiosity and open the door to learning both in and out of school. We like to keep parents fully informed as to what is happening in the classrooms in order to enable rich conversations at home. Our oldest students have home learning projects in order to prepare them for their transition to the Upper School which is AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 31
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“Ofsted's 2018 report stated that homework is a 'huge stress' for families in the UK” something they themselves requested.” Ofsted’s 2018 report stated that homework is a “huge stress” for families in the UK. Of the parents they collected feedback from, a third felt that it is not helpful for primary school-age children – an opinion that was at the centre of a high profile Twitter debate at the end of 2018. The fray in question started when comedian Rob Delaney wrote: “Why do they give seven-year-olds so much homework in the UK and how do I stop this?” Football presenter Gary Lineker typed back, agreeing that children “should be allowed to play and enjoy home life with their
parents without the divisiveness of work they have plenty of time to do at school.” However, Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan weighed in with the opposite opinion. He wrote: “As a nation, we’re falling so far behind educational standards of countries like China, it’s embarrassing.” The consensus around the world is indeed varied. In Finland, a country that consistently tops global education rankings, children start school at age seven and the homework they receive is minimal, and in some schools, they don’t get any at all. In the New York private system (a city famed for being enslaved to
the rat race) homework also starts much later. Most schools begin with play-based learning, only bringing homework into the equation at third or fourth grade. But this is not the case in other highpressured societies. Having previously taught in London, Sophie Helsby is a Grade 1 teacher in an independent school on the outskirts of Tokyo. She feels that the parents in Japan put too much focus on their child’s future success. She says: “In the school I work in, we have to set homework weekly. The parents actually want it and they always ask for more,” she continues, “we do enough at school to support their learning and we want kids to come to school energised and well-rested. I always tell parents that their children need time at home to relax and play, but they don’t really understand that here.” Academic results are of course a huge factor for parents when they are looking for a school that will be best suited for their child. But thought about whether homework contributes to higher success rates for younger children tends to vary. A 2001 meta-study by the National Foundation for Educational Research concluded that there was “a positive relationship between time spent and outcomes at secondary level” but “evidence at primary level is inconsistent”. Conor Heaven, a former teacher and Digital Learning Leader at TT Education argues that while homework can have “zero impact”, there’s a difference between homework and home learning. He says: “even from the youngest ages, the one most important thing that should happen every week without fail is reading,” he continues “there are primary schools that have got rid of homework completely. They have seen that they don’t gain any value from it, but reading absolutely would still carry on in this scenario.” Like or loathe the idea of homework, one thing for sure is the importance of books for young learners. Not only does it help with language acquisition and literacy skills, but it expands children’s imaginations and their understanding of the world. And bedtime stories may just be the antidote to those nightmares about hungry dogs. AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 33
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Absolutely Education_Hong Kong Edition _FullPage_Autumn_210X297+3mmbleed
• • • • • • • •
Set amongst 35 acres Community spirit Outstanding pastoral care State-of-the-art music centre Award-winning Sixth Form building Extensive co-curricular programme Excellent record of academic success Bespoke tours available
Open Mornings throughout the year: qas.org.uk
Heathrow to Reading in 40 just minutes
Paddington to Reading in just 26 minutes
Day and boarding Full and flexi options
‘Definitely one for the list of any parent for whom happiness and roundedness are top priorities.’ Good Schools Guide
Queen Anne’s is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11-18 QA.indd 1
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Lateral Space Stonyhurst College on horizontal boarding JOHN BROWNE
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s the Headmaster of the oldest Jesuit school in the world, I believe that horizontal, rather than vertical boarding best meets the needs of young people. Stonyhurst is a unique school with a forward-looking academic culture backed by a strong tradition as part of the Jesuit school system. The Jesuit pedagogy is based on meeting the needs of each child as an individual, and supporting them in developing their full potential in life. It has been in operation for 450 years, with its philosophy set out in the Ratio Studiorum of 1599. The oldest museum in the English speaking world is entrusted to Stonyhurst; its curator and custodian Jan Graffius explains: “The Ratio Studiorum did away with the medieval system of education where children of mixed ages were educated in one class, as they found it disruptive, and it did not meet the needs of children at different stages in their educational and mental development. They designed a new system of education which focused on the needs of children at different stages in their development.” This philosophy also applies to the Jesuit system of boarding. The needs of a 13-year-old are very different to those of a 17-year-old. At Stonyhurst, there is a separate boarding house for each boys’ year group, and at the end of the year, the pupils move up the line, to the next boarding house in the school. The girls’ house is structured slightly differently, with two Lower Line year groups (Years 9 and 10) boarding in the same boarding house and Year 11 having their own newly-renovated
“At Stonyhurst, there is a separate boarding house for each year group”
ABOVE Pupils at Stonyhurst
accommodation, before moving up to the Higher Line (Sixth Form) boarding house. The girls and boys benefit from the same advantages of horizontal boarding. These include getting to know everyone in your year group very well, developing leadership skills within the year group, having a safe space to relax in the evenings and, for full boarders, ensuring that there are plenty of friends around at the weekends. In the traditional vertical model, there might be only a few friends of a similar age at weekends, which would never happen at Stonyhurst. What about role models, you may ask. Well, we have those too. There is a ‘line system’, which works vertically through the school, so for the purposes of competitions, charity fundraising and so forth, younger students are encouraged, supported and led by older ones. The Jesuit ethos of “men and women for others” helps everyone feel supported
and the Prefect and Committee system ensure that the older pupils have plenty of responsibilities throughout the school. Academic tutors stay with their students as they progress up the ‘lines’ to ensure continuity of support, however students’ specialist boarding leaders change. This gives them an opportunity to start each year anew, and be the very best that they can be.
J O H N B R OW N E Headmaster Stonyhurst College AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 35
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Bottom of the
CL A S S
Every parent wants the best for their child, so to discover they are not making the grade can be devastating. British Education finds out what can happen to the pupil who is bottom of the class, and how they can be helped to succeed LIBBY NORMAN
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no one can argue against success and competition is often healthy. Our schools have a duty to foster endeavour and the will to be the best, but there are children who struggle to achieve in an environment where reliance (or over-reliance) is placed on exams, testing and frequent benchmarking. The problem is, in any competitive environment someone has to come last and no one wants it to be their child. For Jane, the realisation that her son William was going to struggle academically came quickly. “We were told within the first six weeks of reception class that he was behind.” This was difficult to hear, and she says she left her first parents evening wondering why the teacher could not find one positive thing to say about the happy and cheerful child he was there to teach. There had been early warning signs. William was late to speak, so Jane and her husband knew they had to watch that. But he was a happy and engaged child and, as a late summer baby, he had an age advantage. They had reassured themselves that he was a late starter and things would even themselves out by the time he started school. They didn’t and, as time rolled on, Jane and her husband realised the problem was real. William was at the very bottom of his class. The situation was made harder because Jane works in children’s publishing and, with expert knowledge, she also has a passionate commitment to doing everything a parent can do to instil a love of reading and learning. William also has a younger sister who aced every development milestone he had struggled to attain. William was aware that he wasn’t keeping up. Jane says a particularly difficult moment came when his younger sister overtook him in reading – made obvious by the colourcoded home reading books issued to pupils as another marker of achievement. One danger in situations where children are not keeping up with peers is disengagement. It is harder for them to even have a go when they expect to fall short, yet again. Emily-Jane Swanson, who works with Tavistock Tutors, says that she sometimes encounters this –
perhaps entering a family home where there is already a question mark around a child’s progress ("is it extra help they need or is there a SEN issue?"). “What I do see, after a decade working in education, is that the targets are being set younger and younger,” she says. “There is a more prescriptive way of learning in the classroom, with more exams and tests, and this does impact some children.” Swanson says even young children are keenly aware of where they are at. “Children are so much more sensitive than many adults realise." Certainly, repeated failure to match the class standard took its toll on William. Jane recalls him coming home from another frustrating day at school and,
“The problem is, in any competitive environment someone has to come last and no one wants it to be their child”
when she tried to engage him in a chat about his day, he responded by telling her everything was all right, concluding: “I just want to go out and get a job and be a carpenter or a tree surgeon.” So, by age nine, William had effectively decided that he was done with school and now needed to focus on his future earning power. Cath Lowther, a practising educational psychologist and spokesperson for the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP), says that this disengagement is not uncommon. “Children switch off quite quickly and it’s easy to put off children at a young age”. Lowther, who works with Local Education Authorities, says that there are usually clear signs that a child is not succeeding. In some cases, they express frustration or show challenging behaviour, or they may become very quiet and simply shut down. “There are also happy children who try their very hardest,” she adds. “They may even love school, but they are just not achieving.” This was the case for William, who tried his best and was not disruptive in any way. Jane says that his teachers’ only criticism was that he frequently seemed tired and sometimes yawned in class. “They asked me if he had enough sleep – I explained that he had plenty of sleep, going to bed at 7pm of his own
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King William's College is one of the most successful International Baccalaureate schools in the British Isles. We provide excellent teaching and friendly boarding, in a beautiful and safe environment. The Isle of Man has been named the safest place to live in the British Isles and 3rd in the world!* We are non selective and have an enviable academic record, with students going on to leading universities around the world.
An Island Education for a Global Future! • Exam results are well above the UK average. • Only one hour flight time from London. • Small and friendly, with approximately 370 students. • The boarding community represents 20% of the College population. • Approximately 14% of our students are international. • Beautiful setting, 200 metres from the beach.
To find out more visit our website www.kwc.im email admissions@kwc.im or call +44 (0) 1624 820110
KING WILLIAM’S COLLEGE ISLE OF MAN *Data and research provider STC
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LEFT Tutors can be valuable for self-esteem BELOW All children can succeed in different ways
“He said he just wanted to go out and get a job. So, by age nine, William had decided that he was done with school”
accord, and that he was exhausted at the end of every day because he was trying three times as hard to keep up.” Lowther says that she always works from the perspective of the child. “I look at the learning difficulties they may be facing and try to find out what they respond to – what helps them to achieve.” She will also look at what reasonable adjustments would help; so rather than considering what is wrong with the child, the emphasis is on what needs to be done to better meet the child’s needs. She adds that most children are very pleased to sit down with her and talk about what would make school better for them. Emily-Jane Swanson has a similar experience tutoring children and says that the value of one-to-one time can be in building up self-esteem, as
much as helping them to achieve. “As a tutor, I’m not their relative, I’m not their teacher, I’m their special person – on their side.” There are proven tools educational psychologists use that can help to re-engage children. Lowther says that as well as adapting learning settings to make things easier – for instance, environment, delivery methods – there are approaches to help a child skill up. “We can help them to improve attention control and also to focus on what they can do.” Swanson says that a key thing as a tutor is getting children to take ownership because usually they know the subjects or areas where they are struggling. “If children set their own goals, rather than having them imposed, then they can work towards them more easily. Sometimes this means chipping away at the goal in smaller increments or even redefining what is an achievement.” Swanson does think that children who don’t fit into the traditional academic or sporty pigeonholes but have other gifts get a particularly raw deal. “It can be very hard on children who are emotionally intelligent. On paper, they are nowhere and yet they excel. Society is just not as rewarding of their talents.” For children who are square pegs in round holes when it comes to academic endeavours, there is still space to nurture the skills that may be most valuable in
future life. Lowther notes that there is renewed interest among the psychology and teaching communities in Daniel Goleman’s 1990s book on emotional intelligence. In the book, he argues that this type of intelligence is more important to future life success than IQ measures or academic achievement. “There is also lots of research around the growth mindset, how parents respond to failure and how we help children achieve in areas they excel in,” she adds. “Children may be kind, helpful, friendly, funny – we can appreciate their qualities and be where they are.” For William, the school journey continues, but his supportive parents are working with his school and now outside agencies to nurture who he is and help him to achieve his goals. Out of school, he is a brilliant sailor and waveboarder. In school, he has shown such a gift for managing the school garden that he’s been put in charge. Jane says: “It’s about finding out how he can be a successful learner and, most importantly, feel successful. “The interesting thing is that my daughter, who is an all-rounder at school, may get bored at weekends and needs direction and organised things to do. But out of school, William is always busy. He is incredibly practical and might be cooking, working with his hands or doing something outdoors – he is never bored.”
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ABOVE The joy of dungarees
What we WEAR; How we LEARN Enclothed Cognition and The Dungaree C H A R L O T T E W E A T H E R LY
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o mention is made of dungarees in John Carl Flugel’s 1930s article ‘The Psychology of Clothes’ published in issue 18 of International Psycho-analytical Library. Much is made of how particular items of clothing "serve the motives of decoration, modesty, and protection", but nothing about the dungaree. That we undergo profound psychological changes when we put on specific clothes has long been known, although it is only quite recently that the concept has been given its own name. ‘Enclothed Cognition’ (H Adam, AD Galinsky – Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2012) was created to describe "the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer’s psychological processes", but with the caveat that the influence of clothes depends on wearing them as well as their symbolic meaning. In the deep past (the 17th century to be precise) dungarees were squarely in the category of workwear; of a cheap, coarse, thick cotton, either blue or white, they were originally worn by the very poor in India. In the boom years of 19th century American expansion, they reappeared as the go-to attire of railroad AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 41
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‘A vibrant community of learners’
Open Mornings in September 2019, October 2019, March 2020, April 2020 and May 2020
Find out more on our website
FRAMLINGHAM COLLEGE FRAMLINGHAM SUFFOLK IP13 9EY T: +44 (0) 1728 685331 E: admissions@framlinghamcollege.co.uk
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LEFT Knighton girls learning outdoors BELOW Activities made easy in dungarees
and construction workers, savvy pioneers looking to get ahead and get rich. Not so in 2019 - dungarees (and their cool sister the jumpsuit) feature in fashionable and celebrity wardrobes because they are so versatile. According to fashion blog Love Thirty, they are particularly great when you don’t know what the weather is going to do (a full-time job for the British) allowing for plenty of layering and showing off your marvellous knitwear. What the blog fails to mention is that dungarees are the go-to attire for modern girls totally focused on their learning. Too busy being optimistic in the classroom and collaborating with their peers, dungarees are for girls who have no time for fussing about the length of their skirt. Enclothed Cognition is not a new branch of psychoanalysis but revealed within it is our complex relationship with what we wear and how clothes influence our
“Dungarees are for girls who have no time for fussing about the length of their skirt” psychological processes, including how we learn. What we have known since around 1965 is that when they are red and worn by girls at Knighton House school, wearing dungarees means great attitudes to learning and better learning altogether. So why and how do dungarees promote better learning? You might as well ask how many ideas a girl in red dungarees can come up with for an international STEM challenge prize-winning idea (lots, and one winning one) for they are legion: • Pond dipping and exploring habitats is easy (Science lessons) • No fuss about changing when lessons move outside (the outdoor classroom) • Accepting difference is commonplace; no-one else wears dungarees and we dare to be different (PSHEE) • They have proper-sized pockets, room for at least two good books (reading for pleasure) • Experiments for measuring and calculating speed are realistic (Science and Maths) • Instruments such as the cello are accessible (Music)
• No one is excited by the thought of writing ‘Ode to My Grey School Skirt’, but ‘Ode to My Red Dungarees’ is another story; just as an aside, in studies about the influence of colour on learning, red is said to encourage creativity (English) • The Battle of Hastings (and other famous fights) can be reenacted authentically (History) • You get stress-free Biology – no problems being in messy locations identifying invertebrates (Science) • Running up hills and generally yomping in fields to study microclimates is easy (Geography) • Every type of chemistry experiment is possible: no fiddling with lab coats (Science) • Games of 40-40 in dungarees develop our competitive edge (Sport) • Girls are less self-critical and more confident (attitudes to learning) • Practising our jumping (a.k.a. pony jumps in the Greenwood) means we have some of the best scores in athletics competitions (Games) Encompassing other philosophies about education, the list could go on. Rousseau for example, although not a documented advocate of dungarees (I do not think they get a mention in Émile, Où de l’Éducation) was very keen on children interacting with their environment to further their learning, rather than simply drawing knowledge from books - how better than in a pair of red dungarees? On the practical side, wearing dungarees in our countryside environment just makes sense. When you need to leap a fence to catch a runaway pony or you fancy picking a Russet apple from the orchard for your breaktime snack, dungarees make it a blush-free exercise, modesty guaranteed. Nothing at Knighton House school ever happens without the solution-seeking mindset being applied. In the case of our iconic ‘everyday’ uniform, (we have a further uniform for out of school events) it was a simple choice based on the principle of how girls could be supported to get the most out of their learning; and lo, behold, the red dungaree.
C H A R LOT T E W E AT H E R LY Assistant Head Knighton House School AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 43
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PR EP / OPINION
Talking
HEAD
Preparing for
PRE-TESTS
Brandon Learning Centre in Hong Kong prepares pupils for entrance to top UK schools
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f the code for 'HOUSE' is 12345 and 'FLAT' is 6789, what is the code for 'HOTEL'? Welcome to the wonderful world of the pre-test. Numbers of applicants to British boarding schools have soared, with many students coming via non-prep school routes. Senior schools have been trying to find ways to level the playing field, identify suitable candidates and relieve the stress of multiple examinations. As a result, schools are now testing students in Year 6 or Year 7. Most tests are a combination of verbal, nonverbal reasoning, language and maths – and increasingly these are administered online. Schools may choose to design their own test (such as customised products from the University of Durham’s CEM unit) and others may use an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution such as UKISET, BUSSATS or the ISEB pre-test. As many schools are now adopting the latter, the ISEB pre-test will be our focus, but the preparation will also apply to other tests. If you are registered with a school which uses the ISEB pre-test, they will enter your child and will provide you with a testing window. Your child can take the test once in each academic year, so if they are registered with multiple senior schools, you need to ensure that the test is taken before the earliest deadline. Once you decide on a testing centre (such as my Brandon Learning Centre in Hong Kong), the schools will send them access codes and you will be ready to test.
“Students need to know what to expect when they take a pre-test”
Crucially, results of the ISEB pre-test are not shared with parents. Schools use them in different ways, for example, Eton uses test results in conjunction with school references, whereas at Benenden they are used in addition to the activity-based taster day. Typically, the pre-test is used as a screening mechanism; at Westminster and Eton for instance, the next stage may be that your child is A B OV E Brandon invited to interview Learning and further testing. Centre, Students need to Hong Kong know what to expect when they take a pre-test. You can talk them through the is standard but parents register and pay composition of the test and familiarise them themselves. It is worth letting your child with any timing requirements or rules (such know that UKISET is adaptive, so if the as not being able to return to questions). questions get harder, that is a good sign. If your child has SEND accommodations, At Brandon, we have been offering the senior school needs to be made aware ISEB Pre-test and UKISET prep classes and your testing centre can ensure that since the tests were first introduced. these are met. In past years, the ISEB The pre-test results are only one element of pre-test had an automatic timer but this your application and do be aware that has now been replaced with reports and references also centre-monitored function play a key role. A recent trend which makes life much easier. is the move away from full UKISET, which can be Common Entrance, giving taken by both younger and students time to really enjoy secondary-age students, has school in Year 7 and Year all of the above with additional 8. In time, the pre-test may listening and English writing become the only test. sections. UKISET can be DR JESSICA taken once every six months For more information contact OGILVY-STUART Founder and parents can opt to info@brandoncentre.com Brandon Learning Centre receive the results. The test +852 2575 1761 AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 45
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Senior ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SCHOOLS P . 48 BEST SCHOOLS FOR HORSE LOVERS P . 54
MERCHISTON CASTLE SCHOOL
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CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE
I ENTERPRISE Business and entrepreneurship are becoming increasingly important in education. Eight senior schools explain how they include these areas in their remits.
n early June for the past 26 years, the students of Clongowes Wood College in Ireland have pushed a 10 foot by 3 metre bright yellow duck from the Children’s Hospital in Dublin to Limerick City, some 265 kilometres away. The reason that the ‘Duck Pushers’ take on this challenge is to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital under the banner of ‘Kids Helping Kids’. The Duck Push is the embodiment of the Jesuit ethos in this 205 year old boarding school - for its students to become ‘Men for Others’. Every year, the boys aim to buy a piece of medical equipment, a tangible item that the boys can see in action when they visit the hospital. The Duck Pushers of 2018/2019 will buy a portable ultrasound machine to help treat some of Ireland’s most ill children. The Duck Push itself is the final act of a yearlong initiative by the
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SENIOR / TA LK ING POIN T
CRANLEIGH SCHOOL
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rom Year 9, Cranleigh fosters a spirit of entrepreneurship with a half day Chocolate Challenge, which involves pupils designing and launching a new chocolate bar, culminating in presenting their concept to the 100+ participants and panel of judges. It makes them think about the key issues of time management, budgeting and profitability. Throughout Year 9 and 10 we hold a series of small group sessions with our academic scholars that cover key current business issues such as ‘How to think like an Economist’, ‘The rise and fall of crypto-currencies’ and ‘The art of creating and growing a
world-beating business’. In Year 11 we hold a Careers Fair and several Professionals suppers, where pupils attend a dinner and rotate through a series of tables, each hosted by a different professional. We hold Flying Start courses to teach our pupils about what to expect from the world of work and pupils who choose to take Business Studies at A-level will go on trips to unique businesses. Previous trips have included visits to Jaguar Land Rover HQ and Silent Pool. Sixth formers will also hear a series of lectures from local business entrepreneurs to inspire them. The entrepreneurial spirit seems to be spreading, as we are seeing a rise in the number of business-related Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ), for example one Sixth Form pupil conducted a feasibility study into setting up a luxury gym and spa at the golf course where he is a member.
LEFT Cranleigh School pupils
Transition Year (approximately 16 year old) students, who throughout the year run mini-companies and events for profit. All of those profits go into the Duck Push fund which in a typical year can raise between €70,000 and €100,000. About half of the money raised is generated by the mini companies and events, the rest is collected on the journey from Dublin to Limerick in June. So far the Duck Push has raised over €1.2 million. The mini companies and events have included the Clongowes Golf Classic held at the K Club, high-end Clongowes Cufflinks for the Alumni market, Cheltenham Preview events, Christmas cards and a range of boarding 'essentials' such as wireless speakers and flip flops. Perhaps the Duck Push will ignite a spark in a future generation of business leaders.
RIGHT The Duck Push
“So far the Duck Push has raised over €1.2 million”
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FOREST SCHOOL
A ABOVE Forest School BELOW Francis Holland School pupils
FETTES COLLEGE
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omputer Science increases in popularity year on year with a strong cohort of enthusiastic students looking to use the skills they have learnt in practical ways. Over the last academic year, many students have been collaboratively working in small teams to design their own app with the aim of entertaining or benefiting others. As well as the opportunity to investigate, design, code and present, winners get a financial award to spend in their own boarding house. This new annual initiative was made possible through the generosity of an Old Fettesian who was keen to support ways of promoting students' enthusiasm for developing technologies. Four groups competed in the final at the end of the summer term,
delivering a presentation and a demonstration of their prototypes, which included a music player app, a social media site for new parents and a game that encourages plastic recycling. The judges were looking for a thorough understanding of the technology used, clarity of explanation as well as creativity of thought. After much deliberation by our expert panel, the winners were announced as Beth and Doga who designed a treasure hunt-style puzzle game that changes according to your local area. Beth and Doga both attend College West, one of Fettes' boarding houses. All teams were encouraged to keep thinking, learning, collaborating & coding and we look forward to next year’s competition.
t Forest School we have a rolling programme of careers events called Forest Futures which sees prestigious guest speakers come to the school to talk to our pupils about their specialist fields. Regular events include Forest Futures Law, Medicine, STEM, Business and Finance, Digital and most recently our Apprenticeships event. With apprenticeships increasingly considered as a means of obtaining a debt-free university degree, this after-school workshop was arranged for Year 11-13 pupils and parents. Our speakers were Jonathan Mitchell of the Institute of Apprenticeships, Nina Manku of Kaplan and Charlotte Wolstenholme of Cummins. Attendees asked many questions of our panel members from Ashurst LLP, EY, Fullers Builders and Trafigura. One attendee said, "It was such a valuable and informative evening. It's a shame more of them weren't there; they really did miss out." We agree, and next year’s workshop will be added to the Forest School Sixth Form Diploma programme.
“One attendee said, 'It was such a valuable and informative evening'”
“Four groups competed in the final at the end of the summer term”
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KENT COLLEGE CANTERBURY
H ABOVE Oakham pupils BELOW Kent College pupils
FRANCIS HOLLAND SCHOOL
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rancis Holland School are committed to developing skills for employment alongside academic pursuits. We are proud of our efforts to develop creative thinkers, problem solvers and entrepreneurs. Jenny Campbell, of Dragons' Den, visited the school earlier this year to share her views on what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur and meet our students who have ideas that pack a punch. Sixth formers work with our Link Entrepreneur to learn about ideation, value proposition canvases, pitching and investment opportunities. Six-week Innovation Sprints have led to pupils exploring their concepts in greater depth: wearable technology on umbrellas, luxury dogpods for shoppers and a dog walking app. Also, Year 9 pupils have started a business called 'thInk'
as part of the Tycoon in Schools programme. They are making and selling bamboo pens and donating 10% of their profits to charities relating to MDGs. Meanwhile, Year 7s created an acrylic butterfly each. This was a response to Professor Kneebone’s (Imperial College) claims that pupils were leaving school without the skills in dexterity required for basic surgery. We also had Year 8s working with our sixth formers to create a window display for the Belgravia in Bloom Festival on Pimlico Road during Chelsea Flower Show. We have partnership state schools, international links with a school in New York and a school in Tanzania, and our longer term plan is to scale some of our ideas to enable other schools to share in our unique entrepreneurship programme.
ere at Kent College Canterbury we see enterprise education as an integral aspect of students' learning. Although academically, the subject is only available in Sixth Form, special one-off days are included in the calendar year to encourage our students to think about how they interact with the business world everyday. We encourage our students to engage with guest speakers when they visit and we also run a weekly Enterprise Club overseen by the Head of Business and Economics. In Enterprise Club, students take turns being in charge of its finances that involves applying for a start-up loan and calculating revenue, costs and profit, all of which are donated to carefully chosen charities. Club members also oversee its marketing development, price setting and social media advertising.
“We encourage our students to engage with guest speakers when they visit”
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A leading boarding school for boys aged 12 to 18 years in Ireland • A small school of 250 students, with small class sizes (12 to 16) • A caring community offering personal pastoral care for your son • The highest educational standards in our broad and diverse curriculum, with students achieving the equivalent of three A* grades in the Irish Leaving Certificate • Situated in 500 acres of parkland in the heart of Munster • 40 minutes from Shannon Airport and two hours from Dublin Airport
Every Day is an Open Day at Glenstal Abbey School Book your visit now at Glenstal.openapply.com
Glenstal Abbey School, Murroe, Co. Limerick, Ireland +353 61 621044 - admissions@glenstal.com - www.glenstal.com
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LATYMER UPPER SCHOOL
A ABOVE A student design meeting
OAKHAM SCHOOL
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ith curriculum constraints, it's hard to explicitly ‘teach’ students entrepreneurship. Instead, we encourage students to be interested in the world of business, and to have the skills and work ethic that underpin an entrepreneurial spirit. Practical, hands-on business activities are also vital for developing entrepreneurial flair, which is why the very first thing that all of our Business students (A-level, IB Diploma and BTEC) encounter is a weeklong practical, entrepreneurial activity. Our ‘Trading Hour’ project is the perfect introduction to the world of business, pitching teams against each other to create and sell a product to their fellow students. This apprentice-style activity sees them coming up with ideas, sourcing the product, pricing and marketing it, with all the students battling
to raise the most profits for the chairty YoungMinds. Everything from House socks, to jewellery and extended laptop chargers have been traded. As well as encouraging entrepreneurial thinking, over students' next two years of studying business they are able to contextualise their trading activities having learnt the theory. Creating the right school culture is also vital in developing tomorrow’s entrepreneurs. Students need to know it’s OK to try something new, and to have the confidence and mindset to overcome their first few failed attempts before they reach success. With the right culture in place, students can set up successful businesses as diverse as selling private airline flights or painting robots – two recent examples of Oakhamians’ entrepreneurship.
“Practical, hands-on business activities are vital”
t Latymer Upper School we offer a lifechanging education that will equip pupils to flourish in the wider world - and that world is changing dramatically. We know that emerging from school and university in the 21st Century is a very different ball game to that experienced even just a few years ago. Now the career forecast is changeable, with many traditional professions transformed by the pace and power of technological change. A Latymer education helps our pupils deal with this change by encouraging in them the characteristics important for entrepreneurship: a flexible mindset, creativity, the confidence to take calculated risks, and innovative approaches to solving problems. We have a number of exciting initiatives to inspire our budding entrepreneurs, for example 'Think Out of the Box', which originated from a conversation between our Head, David Goodhew and Latymer parent, Peter Gabriel. Peter suggested we film a series of interviews with ‘big thinkers’ who have had to think out of the box to reach their goals, for example top neuroscientist Mary Lou Jepson. Another exciting initaive is 'Future Skills', an annual panel debate which assembles some of Europe's leading experts, entrepreneurs, investors, start-up specialists and academics from a wide range of industries, from banking to games companies. We also partner with ‘Founders of the Future’, an organisation that runs programmes, events and workshops to encourage young people to become entrepreneurs. We engaged our pupils and those from our partner state schools with Founders of the Future’s dynamic annual enterprise competition, 'The F Factor'. We hosted a workshop where pupils from Latymer and across London learned how to develop a concept, wire frame an app and deliver a coherent and thoughtful pitch. It’s a fantastic opportunity to connect young people with an organisation that develops new businesses every day.
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PO NY
M AD
Long gone are the days when P.E. lessons consisted of cold afternoons playing hockey on a muddy pitch… ZO Ë D E L M E R - B E ST
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s a traditional sport, horse riding not only promises a whole host of benefits for physical fitness but can also help improve cognitive ability and hone skills such as problem-solving and strategising. In schools, equestrian departments often encourage students to learn all the aspects of horsemanship, teaching pupils the invaluable lesson of responsibility. Aside from a child aspiring to become an Olympic equestrian, cultivating a love of horses can come with many rewards as riding can be a fantastic motivational tool for nursing enthusiasm and developing ambition. Here is British Education’s list of the top UK equestrian schools, from serious competition facilities to supportive and friendly yards that any horse-obsessed child would sell their soul to attend.
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SENIOR / HOR SES
“Life at Stonar is not all playing ponies. They understand the importance of a well-rounded education”
ABBOTSHOLM SCHOOL
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Staffordshire, Derbyshire borders
bbotsholm is the perfect choice for students who are passionate about the countryside and all activities rural life. has to offer. With its own 70-acre working farm, equestrian centre and country estate, pupils from pre-prep through to Sixth Form have the opportunity to participate in an extensive programme of outdoor education, agriculture and equine activities at this coeducational boarding school. The equestrian centre is nestled in the heart of the school grounds - it's not uncommon to find pupils passing by the stables between lessons to give the horses a quick pat and a treat. With plenty of livery spaces, students are encouraged to bring their own horse or pony. For those who do not have their own, the equestrian centre has plenty of horses for students to ride. Lessons and coaching are designed to cater for a range of students and abilities from complete beginners and those who wish to ride purely for pleasure to the more serious competitor. As part of their education, students are expected to play a full part in the running of the equestrian centre, teaching responsibility and teamwork skills. Abbotsholm offers students the chance to study a wide selection of practical and theoretical based qualifications, including a EQL Work-Based Diploma. Abbotsholm provides students with a valuable insight into the equestrian industry.
STONAR SCHOOL
S
Wiltshire
tonar will likely be the first school that comes to mind when talking about schools with stabling. Having recently transitioned from a girls-only boarding school to being fully coeducational, Stonar is a great option for any student who is passionate about riding. Instructed under the expert eye of Darrell Scaife, UK Coaching Certificate students have access to some of the best training in the UK. With the title of British Eventing Master Coach and FEI Coach, Darrell has trained many riders to success, including medal-winning Team GBR at the Junior European Championships. His knowledgeable team sets the standard high with expert instruction - their philosophy is that whatever a rider wishes to achieve, they must primarily have the
fundamentals - a correct position and a well-trained, happy horse. Being fiercely competitive, Stonar students have plenty of opportunities to compete, regularly producing victories on a national scale. The facilities at Stonar are set on an 80-acre campus in the stunning West Wiltshire countryside. Bath station is located just 20 minutes away, meaning direct trains to London Paddington are within easy reach. Students are welcome to bring their own horses with them on livery, or alternatively they can loan one of the specially selected school horses. The livery and equestrian facilities at Stonar are second to none, comprising of an impressive 65 stables, indoor and outdoor schools and a cross-country schooling course designed by international course designer David Evans. However life at Stonar is not all playing ponies. They understand that it is important for students to attain a well-rounded education, setting their students up for dynamic futures - they frequently attain impressive results across the board with both GCSE and A-levels.
RIGHT Stonar School LEFT Horse riding teaches students responsibility
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KILGRASTON SCHOOL
S LEFT A love of horses can come with many rewards BELOW Kilgrasten School
MILLFIELD SCHOOL Somerset
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ith facilities that would rival any Olympic park, Millfield does not cut corners on investing in its equestrian students. Offering vastly varying opportunities from Polo to Eventing, Millfield is arguably one of the best coeducational schools for equestrian excellence. Their riding teams are often left unbeaten, winning Hickstead Schools Showjumping Championship three times in the last five years and winning the Schools and Universities Polo Championships. Millfield Equestrian pride themselves on a systematic and intelligent training method to which they attribute the majority of their competition success. Students and their horses can enjoy access to a long list of facilities
including a 64m x 44m indoor school, a 70m x 50m outdoor school, stabling for 53 horses, a six horse walker, three warm water wash bays and staff resident on site, providing 24 hour care. That’s not to mention the impressive cross-country course, designed by Adrian Ditcham (2012 London Olympic Course Designer), which is updated each year in preparation for the annual affi liated British Eventing competition, attracting over 600 nationwide competitors. With almost 30 full time staff, including 12 qualified coaches and a host of outside contacts, students have the chance to gain knowledge from professionals at the top of the industry. Coaching at Millfield is varied and encourages students to push their sporting potential.
Perthshire
et in the idyllic backdrop of rural Perthshire, Kilgraston is the only school in Scotland with equestrian facilities on campus, giving girls the opportunity to ride regularly on-site as an extra-curricular activity. Whether aspiring to ride for the school team or having never ridden before, Kilgraston offers opportunities for riders of any level, providing a string of 25 horses and ponies to suit all abilities. Under the expert eye of Rachael MacLean, lessons take place daily after school and at weekends in their generous 60 x 40m floodlit arena. At Kilgraston the emphasis is on progression, variety and fun, aiming to boost confi dence in nervous riders and pushing the more experienced riders to progress further. Firmly believing in quality, not quantity, lesson numbers are restricted to ensure a high level of tuition and riding school horses are hand-picked for their excellent temperaments. Life at the sables isn’t all learning; hosting the annual Kilgraston Scottish Schools Equestrian Championships, Kilgraston’s equestrian facilities double as a competition venue, where over 25 school teams compete to win the highly prestigious championships.
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READY TO LEAD ACS International School Cobham on the importance of an international outlook H A Z E L K AY
“S
chooling with an international outlook is exactly the type of education that the world needs right now,” says ACS International School Cobham’s newly appointed Head of School, Barnaby Sandow. “It is imperative that children experience different cultures if they are to be ready for the diverse global society that awaits them.” Having spent the last five years in south-east Asia, first as Deputy Principal and Academic Director at Jerudong International School in Brunei and then becoming Principal, Sandow is a passionate champion of international education. The diversity of ACS Cobham’s student community, with over 90 nationalities represented, is of great importance to Sandow and one of the main platforms from which he plans to teach the benefits of a truly global mindset. Alongside ACS Cobham’s reputation for academic achievement and global university admissions, he is keen to emphasise that a good school needs to nurture critical thinking, independence and resilience in students so that they are ready to meet life’s challenges with ease. “Students should be ready to thrive
“Many of our students will enjoy careers that don’t exist yet” and flourish on the world stage,” he says. “We can make sure that they are equipped with the skills they need to face challenges head on.” The balance between academic achievement and the development of a nurturing, supportive and inclusive culture is a prime focus for the school, and it will prepare students to make the most of the opportunities that await them. “At ACS, we’ve always been clear that
ABOVE An ACS International pupil
our role is to help our students become a new kind of citizen for the world; one who asks new and innovative questions and is ready for an interconnected, 21st century future,” says Mr Sandow. Hazel Kay, Head of Admissions and Marketing at ACS agrees: “We live in exciting and fast-moving times. Many of our students will enjoy careers that don’t exist yet, such is the pace of technological and cultural change. It is our role to ensure they are ready to excel at meeting these challenges and our new Head of School will help our students to achieve this.” Married with children of four, 13 and 14, Mr Sandow’s decision to join ACS is also a personal decision for the whole family as his children are now students at the school. This ‘family’ connection is echoed in the atmosphere and outlook of the boarding house on campus. “We do try to create a family feel,” explains Jenny Overton, Head of Boarding.
“We promote student wellbeing through healthy eating, good sleep, regular talks with staff and making sure students feel valued and listened to. We want every child to feel empowered in their own home.” A multi-million pound refurbishment of the existing boarding house, Fields, is complete and students are now settled in for the first semester of the academic year under the direction of Mr Sandow.
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The Business of
FA SHION
Rushi Millns, Head of ICT, Careers and Outreach, reveals how Heathfield School, Ascot, teaches business and entrepreneurship to embed real skills for life RUSHI MILLNS
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n inspiring education should extend beyond academic achievement. At Heathfield, we believe that teaching young people about business and entrepreneurship is crucial if we are to draw out their potential and encourage them to develop into well-rounded individuals. To embed real skills for life – smart thinking, resilience, resourcefulness, networking and the ability to plan, to name but a few – we provide students with a myriad of opportunities across a diverse range of industries and initiatives. From Fashion to Philanthropy, and from Politics to Sustainability, we open our students’ minds to possibilities through our expert speaker programme, Independent Learning and enterprise projects, our bi-annual Fashion show, PSHE workshops, and structured careers programme.
EXPERT ADVICE
Our varied speaker programme gives students invaluable insight into a wide range of industries - speakers we have invited include the VIP costumier from
“Our Form III students recently planned a prom on the theme of sustainability” the Royal Opera House, Vogue journalists and space scientist Dr Suzie Imber. Alongside an inspiring talk, Dr Imber ran two workshops about the solar system to which pupils from local mixed school Garth Hill were also invited.
FOSTERING SELF-BELIEVE
We regularly invite former Heathfield students who have excelled in business to share their stories, a powerful way to encourage current students to aim high and believe in themselves. Alumna Caroline Baker spoke to our students about founding her phenomenally successful eponymous business – providing family office and property development services – which now operates across London, Paris and New York. Caroline’s 'can-do' attitude, resilience and resourcefulness in the face of
challenges resonated with our students; she attributes her mastery of these in large part to her time at Heathfield.
A PASSION FOR FASHION
Strong industry links with the London College of Fashion have led to an ongoing stream of talent from Heathfield entering
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ABOVE AND LEFT The bi-annual fashion show at Heathfield School encourages creative entrepreneurs
the sector, including fashion model Amber Le Bon, designer Tamara Mellon and the late British patron of fashion and art Isabella Blow. Our bi-annual Fashion Show not only gives art students a fantastic chance to showcase their creativity, but also acts as a springboard for developing a host of business and entrepreneurial skills, such as planning, time management, troubleshooting and presentation. A huge networking opportunity for the students and industry professionals, this year’s show was directed by Stephen Lisseman, former Creative Director for Karl Lagerfeld and Gucci, who gave the students insider knowledge of the industry and tips on how their creativity can translate into the world of work.
ENTERPRISING MINDS
Innovation and flexible thinking are vital in today’s fast-changing working world where multiple careers are increasingly
common. We encourage these skills through our Independent Learning Projects. Students spend two full days immersed in finding creative solutions to a given challenge and are involved in all aspects of bringing the project to fruition – budgeting, marketing, timing, insurance, customer feedback, and mitigating risks. Our Form III students, for example, recently planned a prom on the theme of sustainability, stretching themselves to 'think outside the box' to devise innovative solutions. In our PSHE lessons, we run dedicated workshops on marketing, budgeting, finance and insurance, as well as creating business cards and developing networking skills. Enterprise projects such as a mini Dragons' Den and Tycoon in Schools, run by entrepreneur Peter Jones, have allowed students to tap into their creativity whilst also developing resilience and learning how to present their ideas coherently and persuasively.
CAREERS GUIDANCE
To maximise students’ post-school opportunities, it is vital to provide careers advice that is relevant and individualised. Our careers programme, using a specialist careers service that includes individual and independent careers interviews, follows each student throughout her time at Heathfield, providing continuity and a framework for careers discussions, identifying interests, strengths and aptitudes and helping to define a path that will ultimately lead her to achieve her career goals. As educators, it is our job not only to impart knowledge, but also to inspire, give guidance and create opportunities to allow students to find their fortes and flourish. AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 61
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A LONG DAY Gordon’s School's extended school day is surprisingly popular R O B P AV I S
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illed as a solution to anti-social behaviour in London by the Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield, extended school days have been part of the fabric at Gordon’s School in Surrey since it first opened its doors in the late eighties. The thinking behind the extended school day - which runs every weekday from 7.00am until 7.30pm - was that it would integrate day boarders and residential boarders better and make their daily school life as similar as possible. Students going back to their homes at night do so after sport, supper and prep. They are also expected to be at school on Saturday mornings for sport or other co-curricular activities. In addition, they join the residential boarders on a few Sundays during the year to take part in parades and chapel services. The extended school day system is supported by all. Working parent Vicky Genetay commented, “It’s brilliant. They’ve done their prep at school which means that when they come home we can all enjoy family life. There’s no ‘have you done your homework?’ in our house and it ensures their prep is done well.” In addition, Mrs Genetay pointed out that it gets students used to long days for when they start university or a job. Her son Luc particularly enjoys the activities before prep: “It’s like having 90 brothers on site and I don’t have to go home and argue with my sister!”
ABOVE Gordon's pupils after the 2019 Colour Run
“It means that when they come home we can all enjoy family life” Lewis, a day boarder concurs: “You get to have a better social life; you talk more to people and you get your prep out of the way.” Teacher Klaudia Gibson says the results of the school - in the top 1% for progress in England and Wales at A-level and the top state school in Surrey for the number of entries to Russell Group Universities - are in no small measure due to the extended day. “Prep done in a disciplined environment like their classrooms is more likely to produce good results from students,” she said. “There are less distractions than there would be at home and help on hand from a teacher if they run into difficulties.” Agreeing with her, Freya Keppel-Compton who boards at the school
commented, “Prep at school encourages you to get work done. You are more productive. At home there are more distractions – the classroom environment is better.” She added, “I really like the fact that we get to have a lot of extra-curricular opportunities. Having supper and prep, especially in the younger years, is really helpful because if you are confused about something you can ask a teacher.” Of course there are downsides to doing prep at school – it does limit the excuses for not handing it in and certainly precludes the excuse of the ‘the dog ate it’.
R O B PAV I S Deputy Head (Pastoral) Gordon’s School AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 63
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Hands ON Mayfield School’s Ceramics A-level may be unusual, but it generates brilliant results ABBIE SCHOFIELD
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A L L I M A G E S D AV I D M E R E W E T H E R
BELOW Mayfield students working on vases in the ceramics studio
or artistically-inclined students, a school with a long history of excellence in the creative arts is ideal. This is what Mayfield, a leading day and boarding school for girls aged 11-18, prides itself on. As well as offering GCSE and A-levels in Art and Textiles, Mayfield offers a more unusual creative subject which has proved immensely successful: Ceramics. “Ceramics provides the opportunity for every student to express their individuality, learn resilience through trial and error and build self-confidence as a result,” says Mr Tim Rees-Moorlah, Head of Ceramics at Mayfield. “Each person learns how important it is to review and refine their work through a thorough process of testing and developing ideas, and students leave the course with the ability to think divergently and to problem-solve effectively.” Each year the school hosts its acclaimed Creative Arts Exhibition, featuring the high-quality work created by students. Mayfield girls consistently achieve exceptional results, which have ranked
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“This year, 100% of girls studying A-level Ceramics achieved all A*/A grades”
among the highest marks nationally, as well as perfect scores at A-level: this year, 100% of girls studying A-level Ceramics achieved all A*/A grades, with almost two thirds awarded the top A* grade. At Mayfield, girls study an eclectic combination of subjects, choosing the disciplines they enjoy most. It has always been customary to combine arts and science subjects, and Ceramics and other creative arts are often taken alongside Maths (the LEFT most popular subject at A Mayfield student enjoying getting hands on A-level) and the sciences. with Ceramics Mr Rees-Moorlah RIGHT will be hosting a Impressive artwork by ‘Ceramics Masterclass’ the Mayfield Ceramics students, inspired at Mayfield School on by nature Saturday 7th December 2019 from 10am to 1pm. The masterclass is designed for girls in Years 10 and 11 who are not currently studying at Mayfield, have a keen interest in the creative arts and are considering taking Art, Ceramics, Textiles, or Design at A-level. Complimentary places are limited, so early booking is encouraged to avoid disappointment. To reserve a place or find out more about the masterclass, please contact Mrs Shirley Coppard at registrar@mayfieldgirls.org AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 65
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MUSIC MATTERS The Director of Music at Dauntsey’s argues for more music in the classroom GARETH HARRIS
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ith access to free musical content at the touch of a button on any mobile device, you might be forgiven for thinking that singing and music is enjoying a resurgence. Sadly, the reality in many schools is quite the reverse. Nationally, the number of students learning an instrument has declined dramatically in recent years. Research commissioned in the UK by the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music has highlighted that the average A-level music class has just three students.
“A doctor who is a musician is easier to train in surgical skills”
This is driven largely by the omission of music from the English Baccalaureate list of subjects and the regular public pronouncements about science being more important than anything else. This is despite research suggesting that both listening to music and playing an instrument stimulates the brain, improves concentration and promotes social skills. Enhanced mathematical skills have also been observed in many advanced musicians and those children with a good musical ear can often pick up languages more quickly. But music has a role to play beyond the classroom. It crosses all borders, languages and cultures. People of all ages and backgrounds can come together under the umbrella of music to communicate, empathise and develop long-lasting friendships. Music builds a sense of community and provides a feeling of belonging in an organisation. I am pleased to say that we are bucking the trend with 40% of students learning an
instrument and participation in ensembles from choirs to rock bands increasing almost every week. Singing lessons have grown enormously in popularity while piano and violin are also seeing a resurgence, along with guitar and saxophone. A number of pupils go on to study music at GCSE and A-level. Far from being a ‘soft option’, the qualifications have a challenging curriculum to master and universities value them as part of an academic set of GCSEs or A-levels. Senior consultant surgeons have remarked that they find a doctor who is also a musician is easier to train in surgical skills than a person without instrumental skills, as the ability to learn patterns quickly and to understand instruction through gestures is already embedded into a musician's scheme of learning. I urge schools and governing bodies contemplating curriculum reform to think about the importance of music provision in and out of the classroom. Parents have an important role to play, too. Encourage children to take up an instrument or work on their singing, help them to do a little practice on a regular basis and take an interest in what they do. No matter what style of music they are exploring, be their biggest fan and their best critic. More than anything else, performing should be fun. When we enjoy ourselves, all of us learn more effectively and challenges are merely a temporary inconvenience rather than an insurmountable barrier to progress. I hope that at least some readers will join my crusade to push music higher up the list of priorities in schools. Education – and society – is a poorer place without music.
GARETH HARRIS Director of Music Dauntsey's School AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 67
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WHY THE IB?
The Principal of King William’s College explains the benefits of an International Baccalaureate school
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n 2002 King William’s College began teaching the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma for the first time. Since then, more than 900 students have studied the Diploma with us and we have become one of the largest and most successful IB schools in Britain. We believe that it is an excellent preparation for both university and life beyond.
WHAT IS THE IB DIPLOMA?
The IB Diploma Programme combines both breadth and depth of study. It places a strong emphasis on critical thinking skills and promotes an international mindset. The programme is taught over two years and is recognised by all UK and most leading universities around the world.
THE CURRICULUM
All students study six subjects. They study English and a second language, a humanity, a Science, Mathematics and one additional subject, which can either be an arts subject or another choice. This breadth is one of the great strengths of the IB. It ensures that a student specialising in the sciences still works on their communication and language skills, whilst a student good at the arts still has a grounding in both Maths and Science. It is a true all-round education. In addition, the programme has three core requirements that are included to broaden the educational experience and challenge students to apply their knowledge and understanding. One is the Extended Essay, a 4,000 word piece
“The overseas students are able to integrate quickly and perfect their English”
A B OV E A King William's College pupil
of independent research. It introduces not surprising that research has shown them to academic research and is an that IB students gain higher class of invaluable preparation for university. degree at university and are more likely The second is Theory of Knowledge; to study for further qualifications. students are encouraged to critically At the heart of the programme is examine different ways of knowing and a sense of internationalism. In this different kinds of knowledge. The third is globalised world most students can expect Creativity, Activity and Service; students either to study or work abroad at some actively learn from the experience of point in their lives. The IB introduces doing real tasks beyond the classroom. students to other cultures and, critically, Both standard and higher level it requires them to study a second subjects are marked on a scale of 1-7, language. To put it simply, it aims to with 7 indicating excellence. A maximum educate the citizens of the 21st Century. of three ‘bonus’ points can be awarded At King William’s College the according to a candidate’s combined International Baccalaureate Diploma is performance in Theory of the only qualification we offer Knowledge and the Extended in the Sixth Form – simply Essay. The maximum score because we think it is the therefore is 45 points. 24 best. Keeping the numbers points are required in order small, the overseas students to be awarded the Diploma. are able to integrate quickly IB students are busy. and perfect their English. They quickly learn how to A majority of our boarders organise their time and how are native English speakers, to succeed in a wide variety so students speak English MR JOSS BUCHANAN of tasks. They show initiative all the time, both in lessons Principal and take responsibility and after school. King William's College for their own studies. It is AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 69
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Modern FAITH Fr Martin Browne OSB, Headmaster of Glenstal Abbey School, discusses how Benedictine values complement freedom and a fruitful education
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enedictine monks have been engaged in the work of education for over 1,500 years. St Benedict’s Rule, though written for sixthcentury monks, clearly envisaged the presence of students in the monastery too. Schools have been attached to monasteries ever since and Glenstal Abbey in County Limerick, Ireland is no exception. At Glenstal, we seek both to remain true to the tradition in which we stand and at the same time be a modern, forward-looking secondary school. Our mission is to offer our students a Christian environment in which to flourish together, fostering independent, critical and imaginative thinking that will provide a guide for life. With around 230 boys, the majority of whom are seven-day boarders, Glenstal is a small school by most standards.
“The Benedictine motto is Pax (Peace)” But that’s the way we want it. The school is an intimate community, and classes are generally smaller than most second-level schools in Ireland. This gives students, staff and parents the chance to get to know one another and work together fruitfully. Located on an estate with woodland, parkland, gardens and a working farm, and centred around a neo-Norman castle, Glenstal is a place of extraordinary and unparalleled beauty in which to learn. The Benedictine motto is Pax (Peace) and we seek to bring this to life in the school by providing a safe, calm and secure environment for our students. The proximity of the community of Benedictine
A B OV E The Glenstal Abbey grounds
monks, several of whom work in the school, says that Glenstal was a wonderful place to gives the school a very particular character develop. Though he left the school in 1970, and spirit. we believe that the things he cherished Whether it’s preparing for international most still ring true today: ‘freedom, Mathematics or Business competitions, or enthusiastic teachers and a trust in our exploring the classics of Ancient Greek and judgement as youngsters’. Latin literature, singing Gregorian chants Boarding can sometimes get a bad press. in the school choir or representing Ireland To some people, it can seem old-fashioned, in competitive sport, we seek to equip our repressive or even cruel. It is interesting to students with a healthy sense of identity, note how so many of our graduates had the courteous self-confidence and amiable selfopposite experience in Glenstal. Creativity, awareness. It is interesting to innovation, independence look at what past students say and originality of thought are about the school when they some of the qualities we seek reflect on their own school to inculcate in our students, days. Professional rugby forged in the crucible of life in player Ian Nagle, class of 2007, a community of learning. That is most grateful for the strong so many of our graduates have friendships he formed as a embraced these qualities and boarder, saying that ‘living do not speak about control or FR MARTIN BROWNE (OSB) side by side with your school subjugation but about freedom Headmaster friends creates a lifelong and independence looks like Glenstal Abbey School bond’. Artist Patrick Walshe success to me. AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 71
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STATE OF MIND
Dr John Weeds, Headmaster of Cranbrook School, on the benefits of UK state boarding schools
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tate boarding schools are the hidden gems of the UK education system. Far too few people know about them – probably because there are only 35 altogether – but they provide the best all-round education available in the UK. The range of what they have to offer is exceptional. From experience, I would say that state schools which are selective and offer boarding are the best bet for those with high academic ambitions. Boarding itself promotes independence, character-building experiences outside the classroom and unique opportunities for leadership. In academic settings, there is the additional advantage of a focus on structured homework and learning support within the boarding programme, not to mention successful track records in getting students into top universities, including Oxbridge. All of the state boarding schools encourage day and boarding students to mix socially, with lifelong friendships often formed. State boarding schools encourage pupils to work with local communities which helps to make sure our students have a good understanding of the real world. For example at my own school, Cranbrook School in Kent, our students often volunteer in the town with initiatives such as 'Cranbrook in Bloom' and work with the parish council.
“Fees in UK state boarding schools are considerably cheaper”
Furthermore, fees in of schools nationally. Amongst mixed UK state boarding selective schools in the south-east we schools are considerably regularly perform and are currently top in cheaper than they are terms of our Attainment 8 score (68.3). We in our independent elect to enter almost our students for the boarding schools. This is because the English Baccalaureate (97%) and have been government funds our curriculum, so praised by the government for doing so. families do not have to pay for this. Beyond that, we are committed to creative What families do pay for is boarding subjects like Art, Drama and Music and accommodation and staffing, which in opportunities for personal development almost all cases is the equal of boarding and leadership skills which are second to provision in independent schools. none, notably with the Duke Of Edinburgh Typically, families in state Award scheme and the boarding schools are paying Combined Cadet Force. We between £12,000-£15,000 per are also strongly committed to child, per year in fees. the idea of physical wellbeing If I apply this theory to as an aid to good mental Cranbrook, I can illustrate the wellbeing. For this reason advantages of an education we have an extensive games in an Outstanding (Ofsted programme during the week 2018) state boarding school. and at weekends. On the academic front, our State boarding schools offer DR JOHN WEEDS performance at GCSE (+0.71 an educational environment Headmaster value added) is strong and in which children can thrive Cranbrook School well within the top 10% personally and academically. A B OV E Students in the Cranbrook grounds
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MINDS
Sophie Oates and Rachel Lewis from education consultancy Gabbitas answer your questions on gaining qualifications for business
the ability of a student to do a job effectively. Level 3 is equivalent to two A-levels, Level 4 to a BTEC and Level 5 to a Foundation degree and all can be studied in Business and Administration.
Q: My child isn't very academic but is very interested in business. What educational pathways do you recommend? A: There are a number of routes available to a less academic child wishing to study business in either a school, sixth form or further education college. These studies are focused away from an academic programme such as A-levels, and deliver a more vocational, practical course of study with work experience built in. Intermediate Apprenticeships are work-based learning qualifications, equivalent to five GCSEs, and can be studied in Business, Admin and Law. Students are required to study key skills in English,
Maths and ICT while also getting paid workplace experience. On completion, students can move onto the next level of apprenticeship. The BTEC Diploma in Business or BTEC Diploma in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise are excellent routes to study business at university or to go straight into the workplace. BTECs are divided into units with assignment work and sometimes work experience so students can apply their studies to a real world business situation. An NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) is a work-based way of learning at a number of levels. Each NVQ level involves a range of on-the-job tasks and activities that are designed to test
Q: Do independent schools offer BTECs? Are these recognised as being equal to A-levels or the IB? A: Increasing number of independent schools and sixth form colleges are offering BTECs Business and Technical Education Council qualifications. BTECs combine practical learning with subject and theory content; they are flexible courses that can be studied alongside other qualifications such as A-levels, or as a stand-alone course. BTEC Nationals at Level 3 are the equivalent to A-levels and can be used to apply for a place at university. A-levels continue to remain the gold standard for university entry followed by the IB. However, there is an increase in the number of BTECs taken nationally. Not only do they offer a vocational qualification but the fact that students are continually assessed through coursework and practical evaluation suits some pupils much more than the exam based A-levels. Universities are increasingly aware of this and the BTEC is looked on more favourably year on year. Q: What are T-levels and why do they matter? A: T-levels are new a method and qualification for post-16 study being introduced in 2020. They will consist of a two year course, and will be the equivalent of three A-levels. A combination of classroom and
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Researching options
years in selected on-the-job learning LEFT schools and colleges in a three month The overwhelming business of education initially, and the 25 industry placement, subjects offered will the T-levels will give include Accountancy, students a technical Human Resources, Onsite qualification and they will Construction, Digital Support, also be required to reach a Media, Broadcast and Production, minimum standard in English and Animal Management, Craft and Maths. These courses have been Design, Catering, Agriculture developed in collaboration with and Land Management. businesses to ensure students are prepared for working in industry. Q: Should I encourage my Beyond the T-levels, students will child to do an apprenticeship be able to move directly into skilled rather than go to university? employment, a higher apprenticeship A: If a student is more inclined or continue their studies. T-levels towards practical learning, and keen are being rolled out over two to start work after GCSE, then an apprenticeship is an ideal route. Apprenticeships enable students to have a specific, paid-for occupation as they learn; they spend roughly 80% working and 20% in the classroom. If a student wishes, they can work their way towards a Higher
“The alternative could be to do a degree apprenticeship”
Apprenticeship as part of an HND, foundation or undergraduate degree. Apprenticeships provide the opportunity to start work immediately and gain valuable career skills. However, there will always be some areas of work that will require a degree - the skills that you pick up as an apprentice will often be applicable for just the area you are working within and not necessarily a different industry. The alternative could be to do a degree apprenticeship. This way, you gain a degree and a large amount of work experience. There are an increasing number of universities that are offering degree apprenticeships, from Advertising to Engineering. Although most degree courses emphasise academia and research, the degree apprenticeships are more vocational and practical. However, you still gain a degree at the end of three or four years. AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 75
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Outstanding boarding for boys and girls 13-18
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MOR N ING
is all we think you’ll need to be inspired.
Join us at one of our 13+ entry open mornings visits@charterhouse.org.uk | 01483 291726
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TIME TO BOARD What are the advantages of a boarding environment for senior pupils? T R A C E Y G R AY
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ost people will be familiar with the many advantages of a boarding education: close friendships, excellent recreational facilities, 24/7 activity programmes, regular visits home and opportunities for parents to visit school, to name but a few. These advantages clearly apply to those below the major public examination years, and continue throughout a school career; but for more senior pupils, what are the long-term advantages which will benefit them for the rest of their lives? Without doubt, major examination years have provided a real challenge for today’s young people. In a boarding environment, there is a real sense of camaraderie - “we’re all in this together” - which helps everyone to cope with the pressure. Students have easy access to peers, senior pupils and members of staff, offering increased opportunity to discuss work issues in evenings and at weekends, when there is also easy access to library facilities. On the academic front, at Merchiston School there are a number of distinct advantages for the boys. In the evenings, pupils have access to specialist teachers and UCAS application and careers advice. Teachers really get to know pupils, which benefits their overall wellbeing. The longer school day in a boarding environment has great benefits in other areas of pupils' lives, because it gives ample time for a wide range of other pursuits, with no detrimental effect on their studies. Character-building activities are on offer outside the 9-4, Monday to Friday daily routine: Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme,
“Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions a family can make”
ABOVE Merchiston Castle School
community links, and outward-bound pursuits, alongside a myriad of sporting, artistic, and general interest activities. At Merchiston, specialist sporting programmes, outside interests within Edinburgh, organised trips to plays, concerts, art galleries and other cultural pursuits are readily available. There is also an ever-increasing range of leadership opportunities for senior pupils, who can truly make their mark as role models within the school structure. Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions a family can make, and choosing a school with an effective commitment to pupil wellbeing is critical even more so for families making their first transition into boarding from outside the UK. Jonathan Anderson, Merchiston’s Headmaster, says: “At Merchiston we provide a caring community for all our boys, which treats them as individuals, unearths and tends their talents, encourages them to pursue excellence in all they do and enables them to truly flourish. We cannot be the safe and happy community we strive for without everyone within the community feeling healthy, included, nurtured, respected, safe,
valued and supported. Wellbeing underpins all aspects of Merchiston; if the boys are not well looked after, they cannot perform.” We frequently see the successful outcomes of this approach, but perhaps most significantly on their “graduation day” at the end of their school careers: they are leaving not just a school, but a place where they have grown up together in every respect – the genuine affection they have for their friends and their school is obvious. The community which they belong to is international, providing realistic preparation for 21st century life, both professionally and socially, and offers them worldwide networking opportunities. A piece of advice: look out for pupils during your school tour who look happy and engaged, with a sense of self-belief. Visit Merchiston and you will see that what we do works.
T R AC E Y G R AY External Relations Manager Merchiston Castle School AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 77
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From A to T Barnaby Lenon on the introduction of T-levels BARNABY LENON
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ince the late 19th century, England has been struggling with vocational education. It became clear that countries like Germany, France and Japan were eating away at the industrial lead England had established between 1750 and 1850, and this was partly because of their superior training. England has faced several barriers to successful vocational training: snobbery about nonuniversity courses, an inability to decide whether the Government or employers should be taking the lead, a proliferation of huge numbers of vocational courses which are unknown to the general public, and changes in government policy so frequent that vocational courses never took root. In order to try and improve the situation, the current Government is introducing a set of new technical courses called T-levels. Many competing vocational courses will be swept away in order to simplify the system. The T-levels will be high-quality and should be a viable alternative to A-levels for those students who know the career path they would like to pursue.
"A challenge for the Government will be persuading students and parents that a vocational education is of the same value and esteem as an academic education"
The 11 T-level subjects are broad so they will each be broken down into separate ‘occupational specialisms’, each of which can be a T-level. In other words, there will be many more than 11 T-levels – probably 40-60. For example, the ‘digital’ route could be broken down into three: IT support and services, software and applications and data and digital business services. Each T-level will have several elements: A common core of useful knowledge, skills and behaviours that may be examined on paper ABOVE Barnaby Lenon, A specific vocational course Chairman, (called a Technical Qualification), Independent Schools Council which assesses someone’s ability to do things – called ‘competences’ Employability skills such as T-levels are being planned computer literacy, reliability and for the following areas: attitude Agriculture, environmental and A 45-to-60-day work placement animal care Maths, English and digital requirements Business and administrative Any other occupation-specific Catering and hospitality requirements/qualifications Childcare and education Construction There are a number of reasons why the Creative and design new T-levels might fail. In England, what Digital universities and further education colleges Engineering and manufacturing offer is demand-led. What individual Hair and beauty students want determines which courses Health and science are offered. So courses can be offered, Legal, finance and accounting but they fail if demand is not there. Many 16-year-olds may not be willing to opt for These two-year T-levels will be offered to one particular career (a T-level pathway) students aged 16+ and phased in after 2020. at that age, preferring to keep their options Three T-levels in Construction, Digital Skills open by taking A-levels or applied generals. and Childcare will be delivered by a small Another challenge for the Government will number of providers from September 2020. be persuading students and parents that a A further seven T-levels will be available vocational education is of the same value from September 2021, with the remainder and esteem as an academic education. rolled out from September 2022 onwards. However, we should support the T-level The Government’s current aim is for all reform. We need to improve our vocational T-levels to be introduced by September provisions and this qualification is very 2023 across the 11 main areas. well-conceived. AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 79
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FUTURE Leah Hamblett, Deputy Headmistress at Brighton College, on the school’s unusual pioneering history LEAH HAMBLETT
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righton College provides an inspiring bridge between a historic past and a pioneering 21st century future. It sits at the heart of one of Britain’s most vibrant and creative cities, framed by the iconic white cliffs that are one of England’s most famous vistas. Founded in 1845, the fabric of the College fuses stirring Victorian architecture by illustrious architect Sir George Gilbert Scott with a host of bold contemporary buildings built in the past decade. Many of these have been hailed with awards from the Royal British Institute of Architect (RIBA), including the Music School/ Sarah Abraham Recital Hall ABOVE The Brighton and the Kai Yong Yeoh Building, College Quad where pupils study economics, politics, mathematics and history using some of the UK’s most cutting-edge teaching methods. world-renowned European architects At the start of 2020, Brighton College OMA, to create a novel interplay between will open a futuristic £55m School of two disciplines often kept apart. The Science and Sport (SSS) designed by stunning new green technology building includes 18 superbly equipped science labs with video links to leading global institutions, while sports facilities include a rooftop running track with views over the South Downs National Park. The SSS continues a pioneering tradition demonstrated by Brighton College throughout a history that includes a string of secondary educational firsts: the first school magazine (1852); first school gym (1859) and first purpose-built school science laboratory (1871). More recently, it has been a pioneer of modern language teaching in the UK, becoming the first British independent school to introduce compulsory
“Brighton College had the first school magazine, the first school gym and first purpose-built school science laboratory”
Mandarin Chinese from the age of 13 – though the language is also taught to primary children at the Brighton College Prep/ PrePrep School from the age of four. The school’s bold approach is mirrored in the curriculum, which promotes independent creative thought and offers courses in critical thinking, as well as regular entrepreneurship schemes where pupils are awarded real-life funds to take the best ideas to prototype or early market stage. Brighton College combines outstanding academic success with an ethos of kindness, personal development and awareness of the wider world. This explains why the prestigious Sunday Times named it England’s Independent School of the Year 2019.
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“From the moment students arrive, staff get to know them”
Far from
HOME How Queen Ethelburga’s College supports international students K E V I N O L D E R S H AW
S
et in over 220 acres of beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, Queen Ethelburga’s has provided students with a vibrant and supportive school community since 1912. We pride ourselves on giving international students a welcoming environment within which they can flourish. We believe every student is unique; they all have their own talents, abilities and interests, their own hopes and dreams for the future. From the moment our students arrive, staff will get to know them, help them to settle into campus life, and build relationships that will be invaluable during their time with us. By understanding what interests, motivates and inspires our students we can make recommendations and provide guidance on the best pathway to their individual success.
We encourage our students to be aspirational, to aim for the best possible grades, to move onto the highest-ranking universities and most rewarding careers. We aim to build intellectual curiosity, independence and self-discipline in our learners, equipping them for their future learning. Decisions about the future can be daunting for students. Whether it be about which university to attend, which course to study or which career is right for them, the advice and guidance available throughout all Key Stages ensures that students are always well informed to make the right choices for them. Visits to, and visiting speakers from, universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, King’s College London, Exeter and Bath, give students the most up-to-date information. Our annual Careers Fair, bringing in over 40 exhibitors representing universities,
employers, apprenticeship providers and the armed forces, is the largest in the area, and is attended by all QE students from Year 7 upwards. One of our international student graduates from the class of 2019 said: "I spent a lovely two years at QE and now I am reading Economics at the University of Cambridge. I did A-level Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics and Economics and won two Gold Certificates from The Senior Mathematics Challenge, a Certificate of Qualification from The Senior Kangaroo Challenge and a Certificate of Distinction from The British Mathematical Olympiad Round One. I am grateful for all the support I had - all my teachers taught me well and supported me throughout.” Through a combination of excellent teaching, bespoke curricula and experienced guidance, academic results for students at QE are strong across both Key Stages 4 and 5. In 2019, students in the College achieved 80% A*/A at A-level and 92% A*/B. Faculty results were 70% A*/A and 93% A*/B. With outcomes such as these, the future opportunities for students are outstanding. They enjoy enormous success in gaining offers from prestigious universities. Each year, students at the Collegiate go onto study courses in Engineering, Medicine, Veterinary Science, Business, Finance, Architecture and Economics, to name but a few. Their university choices include Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London, London School of Economics and Political Science, Durham University and the University of Hong Kong.
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UK Education Expo 2019 HONG KONG Saturday 19 October 11.OO – 18.00 Sunday 20 October 11.00 – 18.00
Many of the UK’s leading boarding schools and colleges will participate at Academic Asia’s UK Education Expo. This is the perfect opportunity to meet with senior staff from a range of excellent institutions. Academic Asia continues to provide a very personal service; interviews and assessments can be arranged on both days. Admission is free and there will be educational seminars on a range of topics. We very much look forward to welcoming you to the Expo. S 2 2 1 - S 2 3 0, O l d Wi n g, Ho n g Ko n g C o n ve n t i o n a n d Ex h i b i t i o n C e n t r e 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
PUPILS FROM CARDIFF SIXTH FORM COLLEGE
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UK SCHOOLS EXPO / EXHIBITOR S
Ardingly College
Location Ardingly, West Sussex Head Mr Ben Figgis USP As a co-educational boarding
and day school, Ardingly College strives to prepare their students to be world-ready. Set in a stunning campus, Ardingly has an extensive selection of facilities including: a swimming pool, two all weather sports pitches and a vaulted performance space. Placing an emphasis on both traditional and lateral education, students at Ardingly College can enjoy a highly varied school career and suburb pastoral care. Alumni Ian Hislop, journalist.
Ashville College
Location Harrogate, North Yorkshire Head Mr Richard Marshall USP Ashville College is a co-educational independent school for children aged 3-18. It is situated in Harrogate, in the North of England. Boarding, for children aged eight upwards, has been central to Ashville since it was founded in 1877. Today, 21st century teaching and facilities make it a fantastic environment for children to flourish. Alumni Arthur Balfour, industrialist; Jim Carter, actor; Tony Richardson, theatre and film director; Blanc Wan, pianist.
Bede's Senior School
Location Upper Dicker, East Sussex Head Mr Peter Goodyer USP Bede's is a co-educational
independent school for 13-19 year olds, and is surrounded by 140 beautiful acres of the Sussex Downs. At Bede's, we foster a community of discovery which encourages every individual to find and develop these passions, seek new horizons, develop lasting friendships and achieve their potential. Alumni Solly March, premiership footballer; Ellison Wright, premiership footballer; Jamie Lloyd, West End theatre director.
Bedford School
Location De Parys Avenue, Bedford Head Mr James Hodgson USP A leading independent
BEDE'S SENIOR SCHOOL
boarding and day school, Bedford's academic success is demonstrated by a long history of impressive exam results at GCSE, A-level, and in the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Alumni Alastair Cook, cricketer; Lord Paddy Ashdown, politician; John Fowes, author.
Berkhamsted School
L o c a t i o n Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire He a d s Mrs Mary-Clare Startin, Boys; Mrs Liz Richardson, Girls; Mr Martin Walker, Sixth U S P At Berkhamsted, we develop remarkable people who achieve excellent academic results, as well as learning core values and building character, life and learning skills. A Berkhamsted education not only helps your child to earn a living, it helps your child to have a life worth living. We also offer excellent wellbeing support and pastoral care, careers advice and outstanding co-curricular opportunities from sport and outdoor education to music and drama. Al u m n i Clementine Churchill.
Cardiff Sixth Form College
Cheltenham College
College has been ranked the top independent school in the UK by The Times Newspapers for 2018 and has been the top school in the UK for the past nine years. 89% of students achieve A*-A grades and 15% have confirmed Oxbridge places with 100% gaining places at top Russell Group and international universities world-wide.
the pastoral care at Cheltenham College; it is the foundation of our warm environment and close-knit community. 80% of pupils are boarders and spend more time at College during term time than they do at home so the boarding houses are never empty and strong friendships are formed. Al u m n i Dr Edward Wilson, Antarctic explorer; Tim Bevan, Co-founder, Working Title films.
L o c a t i o n Cardiff He a d Mr Gareth Collier U S P Cardiff Sixth Form
L o c a t i o n Gloucestershire He a d Mrs Nicola Huggett U S P Everyone takes pride in
BEDFORD SCHOOL
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CHRIST'S HOSPITAL
Christ's Hospital
Location Horsham, West Sussex Head Mr Simon Reid USP If you want a school with the
'wow' factor in abundance, look no further than Christ's Hospital. Christ's Hospital is one of only four co-educational full boarding senior schools in the UK. The advantage of full boarding is that all pupils stay at school twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week. On Saturday mornings there are lessons followed by a weekend programme of sport, co-curricular activities and entertainment. Alumni Samuel Taylor Coleridge, poet; Sir Colin Davis, conductor; Barnes Wallis, scientist.
City of London Freemen’s School L o c a t i o n Ashtead, Surrey He a d Mr Roland Martin USP We want children at
Freemen's to learn, lead and make a difference. Alongside excellent academic results, our innovative enrichment programme is at the heart of our commitment to developing the whole person. We have the facilities, staff and grounds to ensure our students are happy, secure and fulfilled. We place particular emphasis on
the individual and their needs and in providing the opportunities to identify and develop their skills to flourish throughout their time at Freemen's, and beyond. Al u m n i Warwick Davies, actor; Andrew Garfield, actor; Gavin Turk, artist; World-class and Paralympics double bronze medalist GB sailor Alexandra Rickham; Paralympic medalist, English National Badminton Men's Singles Champion and British Olympian Anders Nielsen.
Colchester Royal Grammar School
Location: Colchester, Essex He a d : Mr John Russell U S P : Granted Royal Charters by
Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, CRGS is a top-performing selective state boys school that admits girls into a co-educational Sixth Form. Its family-style boarding is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted and offers a relaxed, supportive study environment which complements the academic requirements of the school, preparing students for university life. Al u m n i Dr Laurie Bristow, Ambassador to Russia; Col Richard Kemp CBE, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan.
Cranbrook School
L o c a t i o n Kent He a d Dr John Weeds U S P Cranbrook is the best
value boarding school in Britain. Outstanding education and outstanding boarding – both as judged by Ofsted in 2015 and 2018 – combine to make it the school you can’t afford to overlook. This is a grammar school for boys and girls which consistently performs amongst the best at GCSE, A-level and in students’ Higher Education destinations. Al u m n i Dr Piers Sellers, NASA Astronaut and Climate Change Scientist; Tim Smit KBE, co-founder of the Eden Project in Cornwall; Sir Anthony Barnes Atkinson, CBE FBA; England rugby player, Ruaridh McConnochie.
Gordonstoun
L o c a t i o n Moray, Scotland He a d Mr Titus Edge USP Believing that a wide
curriculum not only broadens the mind but opportunities too, Gordonstoun offers its pupils a vast array of subjects to study. Enjoying access to an enviable array of facilities, students at this co-educational, full boarding school are given the opportunity to develop into well-rounded individuals. Alumni Prince Charles, Prince Philip, Zara Philips.
Haberdashers' Monmouth Schools Location Monmouth, Wales Head Dr Andrew Daniel, Boys;
Mrs Jessica Miles, Girls USP Haberdashers' Monmouth
Schools attract parents who
The advantage of full boarding is that pupils stay at school twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week. Lessons are followed by a weekend programme
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UK SCHOOLS EXPO / EXHIBITOR S
want their children to achieve excellent academic standards with co-curricular activities while developing strong social skills, responsibility and a sense of community. Unlike other schools that offer either single sex or coeducation, we provide the perfect balance of both, with inter-school collaboration throughout our family of schools. Alumni Sir John Beddington, former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister; Dr Jane Glover CBE, musician and conductor; Tom Lucy, Olympic rower who won a silver medal for Great Britain at Beijing in 2008; Laura Tenison, Founder of JoJo Maman Bébé.
Lancaster Royal Grammar School Location Lancaster Head Dr Chris Pyle USP Established in the 13th
century, we are one of the UK’s top state grammar schools for boys; a fabulous school offering a wealth of opportunities to all boys. We are particularly proud of the warmth of the relationships between pupils and staff and of the quality of our pastoral care. Alumni Hugh Pennington, Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology Aberdeen University; Scott Durant MBE, Olympic rowing champion.
LANCASTAR ROYAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Loughborough Grammar School
L o c a t i o n Loughborough He a d Mr Duncan Byrne USP Boarding and day school for
boys, Loughborough Grammar School strives for academic success. The school is focused on helping their students foster academic rigour and a love of learning. However, life at Loughborough isn’t all academic; with a vast array of extra
curricular activities including Drama, CCF and Sports, boys are encouraged to access a well rounded base of knowledge and experience. Alumni Stig Abell, journalist.
Merchiston Castle School
L o c a t i o n Edinburgh, Scotland He a d Mr Jonathan Anderson USP Merchiston is a remarkable
School where boys make lifelong friends and community connections, whilst gaining a world-class, global, outwardlooking education. Our community’s wellbeing is central; without it, no one will ever achieve their best. Alumni Charles Wyville Thomson, zoologist.
Monkton Combe School
Location Bath Head Mr Chris Wheeler USP As shown by Monkton's
QUEEN'S COLLEGE
outstanding exam results over the last five years, fulfilling academic potential is one of our key priorities. However Monkton thinks differently, we start with a proactive pastoral environment to develop academically strong,
enthusiastic learners within a living Christian ethos. Al u m n i : Sir Richard Dearlove, Chris Anderson, entrepreneur; Bernard Cornwell, historical novelist; Steve Williams, double Olympic Gold rowing champion; Hannah Martin, artistry manager for Bobbi Brown where she advised on the make up for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge; Monica Daniel, writer and producer and founder of rKive Productions.
Queen's College
Location Taunton, Somerset Head Dr Lorraine Earps USP Queen's College prides
itself on providing an individual education with family values. The spirit and heart of this special school ensures the inclusion of every pupil, across all ages and ability. Commitment to fulfilling the potential of each individual can be found deeply-rooted in every member of staff. Alumni Sir Michael Woodruff, performed the first kidney transplant; Peter Mitchell, nobel prize for chemistry; John Passmore Widgery OBE, Lord Chief Justice of England & Wales.
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Royal Russell School
Location Croydon, Surrey Head Mr Chris Hutchinson USP Our spacious private
parkland site, within one hour of Heathrow and Gatwick airports, is home to a community that places emphasis on the care and development of every student. Specialisms include Maths, Science, Computing, Media, Model United Nations and Sport, with a national trophy winning Football Academy. Alumni Professor Ali Ansari, Professor in Modern History, St Andrews University; Tom Wright, architect of the Burj Al Arab hotel, Dubai; Naoko Mori, Japanese actress.
Ryde School Location Isle of Wight Head Mr Mark Waldron USP The first UK Independent
school to offer two IB programmes (IB Diploma and IB Careerrelated) alongside A-levels for Sixth Form. We are an IB World School, enabling our pupils to flourish in mind, body and soul. Alumni Christoph Lees, Reader in Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine at Imperial College; Heather
Kerr, England Women's Squad for the Six Nations and Women's Rugby World Cup; Dr John Traill, Director of Music, St Anne's College, Oxford.
Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls L o c a t i o n Sherbourne, Dorset He a d Dr Dominic Luckett, Boys;
Dr Ruth Sullivan, Girls USP Sherborne is committed to providing an education for its boys that is shaped for the twenty-first century, providing plentiful, diverse and challenging opportunities across every facet of education. Dr Luckett was awarded Best Head of a Public School at the Tatler Awards 2020. At Sherborne Girls, each individual's strengths, talents and interests are identified, nurtured, and given wings to take flight. Their five pillars are Community, Culture of ambition, Leadership & management, 21st Century women and Full boarding. Alumni Cecil Day-Lewis, poet.
St George’s School Location Ascot, Berkshire Head Mrs Liz Hewer USP St George’s Ascot, is a
deliberately small, vibrant boarding and day school for girls
RYDE SCHOOL
STONYHURST COLLEGE
aged 11-18 providing an excellent academic education. The school is set in 30 acres of leafy countryside only 30 minutes from London and eight miles from Heathrow. A friendly atmosphere, extensive facilities, strong pastoral care and opportunities for individual development make St George’s stand out from the crowd. Alumni Princess Beatrice of York; Victoria Smurfitt, actress; Kirsty Gallacher, TV presenter.
Stephen Perse Sixth Form College Location Cambridge Head Tricia Kelleher USP We teach both A-levels
and the IB at our vibrant sixth form college in Cambridge. Our students achieve exceptional results, due to small class sizes and excellent teachers. We enjoy the use of inspiring facilities across the city, and we now offer boarding.
Stonyhurst College Location Clitheroe, Lancashire Head Mr John Browne USP Stonyhurst is the oldest
continuously Jesuit school in the UK offering boarding and day education for 3-18 year olds (with boarding from 7 years old). A Stonyhurst education aims to develop those qualities of character that distinguish its pupils in later life as "men and women for others" – developing outstanding individuals. The recently opened Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst provides facilities for education and study, for Christian leadership formation, and opportunities for religious retreat. Alumni Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author; J R R Tolkien, writer; Tim Hetherington, photographer; Kyran Bracken, Rugby Player.
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UK SCHOOLS EXPO / EXHIBITOR S
Strathallan School
Location Perth, Scotland Head Mr Mark Lauder USP Strathallan was the top co-
educational independent school for A-levels in Scotland in 2017. With a vast rural campus and over £22million recently invested we have an excellent reputation in sports and the arts too. From Olympians to beginners, every pupil represents the School in team sports, the vast majority play an instrument and there are over 80 extra curricular activities to choose from. Alumni Bhris Baur, Editor of The Scotsman; Tessa Dunlop, TV presenter and historian; Ian MacNaughton, TV and film director; Michael Moore, MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (2005-2015) and Secretary of State for Scotland (2010-2013).
Taunton School Location Taunton, Somerset Head Mr Lee Glaser USP Taunton School is a non-
selective co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 0-18 years, based on one spacious 56 acre campus. It is the first school in Somerset to adopt a “Zero to Landfill” policy, ensuring that all waste produced from the school is recycled and none goes to landfill. Alumni Mark Getty, Founder and Chairman of Getty Images.
Royal Masonic school for girls
Location Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire Head Mr Kevin Carson USP RMS is an independent girls' day and boarding school with an ethos that is both aspirational and nurturing. Girls receive an education that is rich, balanced and above all, happy. At RMS we are educating the women of the future to enter a challenging and inter-connected world. Our warm, dynamic and friendly school gives girls the confidence and skills to fly
WHITGIFT SCHOOL
into the future. RMS is all about recognising the individual, and each girl is encouraged to write her own individual story. Through the exceptional breadth of our curriculum and extra-curriculum, we hope that girls will find a field in which to shine and that this spark will ignite the passionate engagement that underpins the most rewarding careers..
Whitgift School Location South London Head Mr Chris Ramsey USP Whitgift is a leading
independent day and boarding school, close to central London and set in 45 acres of parkland. We offer a challenging and inclusive environment for 10-18 year old boys, with a broad curriculum, 80+ clubs, 40+ sports and a packed performing arts programme. Excellent academic achievements lead to top Russell Group universities. Alumni Sir Robert Boyd, scientist; Derren Brown, illusionist.
For more information visit: academic-asia.com
STRATHALLAN SCHOOL
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School’s Out AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBIN STEVENS P . 92 FRAMLINGHAM SCHOOL P . 98
MOULSFORD PREPARATORY SCHOOL
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The
M A K ING of Me
Robin Stevens The author reveals how her years at Cheltenham Ladies’ College inspired the popular Murder Most Unladylike novels
Where did you go to school and when? I went to Cheltenham Ladies’ College from 2001 to 2006.
happiest memories come from my boarding houses. There were a lot of ways in which boarding school was disappointingly unlike an Enid Blyton book, but the experience of living with my school friends really was like an endless sleepover. Just spending time with them was the most fun I had at school. Daisy and Hazel’s dorm mates Kitty, Beanie and Lavinia have become a big part of my series, and they’re crucial to my newest book, Top Marks for Murder.
What sort of school was it? An immensely posh all-girls’ boarding school – I usually explain it as being a cross between Malory Towers and Hogwarts (without the magic). Did you love it or hate it? I had, and still have, complicated feelings about it. I got a fantastic education there, and made friends I’m still very close to today. It also lives on in my mind as Deepdean School for Girls, the fictional (and far more murderous) boarding school I send my schoolgirl detectives Daisy and Hazel to. But with my American accent I never quite felt that I fitted in, and I sometimes felt stifled by the routine of boarding school life. I’m a very restless, curious person and I spent my time there desperate to get out and see the world – which is ironic, since my life now is all about remembering my school years. What was your favourite subject or activity there? Unsurprisingly, English. I had some incredible teachers who saw that I loved writing and pushed me to be better at it. Who was your favourite – or most influential - teacher? I dedicated my first book, Murder Most
What beliefs do you think that particular school instilled in you? To be proud of my intelligence and to be unafraid to take up space in the world.
Unladylike, to my two English teachers Miss Silk and Mrs Sanderson. I adored them both – they were very different, but equally brilliant and kind, entirely unlike the awful teachers who are the suspects in Murder Most Unladylike. Where was your favourite place at school – what did you do there? Cheltenham Ladies’ is full of astonishingly beautiful places but I think my
What was your proudest achievement? My friends and I spent weeks planning and filming our own version of Dracula, complete with special effects. Sadly the video itself has been lost to history, but it was the pinnacle of our school experience – alas, there were no murder mysteries for us to solve in real life. What was the most trouble you got into? I was generally a good girl (Hazel, my polite, kind-hearted narrator, is based on me in that respect), but I did once get into
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SCHOOL'S OUT / PROFILE
adventures, and I’ve just sent them back to the fictional version of Cheltenham for the third time – I can definitely say that my career wouldn’t exist without my school. What is your relationship with your old school now? I go back quite regularly, and have a good relationship with the principal and staff. It’s wonderful to feel that they’re still supporting me. What other influences did you have in your younger life? My parents were very supportive. They really encouraged me to read and write, to have the courage of my convictions, to love learning and to speak up when I saw injustices. I was also very influenced by the world views of writers like Terry Pratchett, Eva Ibbotson and Diana Wynne Jones, which became part of my own morality. Did your interest in creative writing start at school? I think it started even before I went to school: I was telling stories as soon as I could talk, and writing them down the moment I learned to write. But school was very influential, and I’ve definitely been lucky in the teachers and school librarians who have encouraged me over the years.
quite a lot of trouble for being part of an end of year prank in which different girls had to jump up and sit back down again whenever they heard a particular word being spoken in assembly. Most people gave up halfway through out of sheer embarrassment, but I kept going all the way to the end. What is your most vivid memory of your time there? The utter despair of playing hockey in the rain, followed by the total joy of going back to house and eating nine slices of toast in a row. Were you too cool for school? Never in my entire life have I been too cool for anything. Would you send your own children there? If I have a kid I don’t think I’ll choose to send them to boarding school – but since I was the one who asked my own parents to
go, I don’t really know. I suspect my child would have their own ideas about this. Do you think going to a single-sex school altered your view of the world? I have a real fascination with how women interact in female-only spaces, and how female friendships form and change – it’s something I spent many years observing at Cheltenham, and it’s the basis for Daisy and Hazel’s strong friendship, which is itself the heart of my series. Going to a co-educational university (Warwick) was a real contrast, and brought the uniqueness of my school experience home to me. How did it influence the rest of your life and career? Cheltenham really left its mark on my imagination – I wanted to write about my school experiences, and that book became Murder Most Unladylike. Five years after it was first published, I’m still writing about Daisy and Hazel’s
What was the first story you ever wrote? The first story I ever remember writing down was about a unicorn who was adopted (I was six). The first murder mystery I ever wrote was about a couple who were murdered by every single one of their house guests at different points over the same weekend (I was 14, and it was pretty clear by then that I’d found my passion in life). You are a Guest Curator for the Schools Programme at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. What does that involve? I want to introduce festivalgoers to mystery authors and books I enjoy. The mystery genre is something I’m so passionate about, and I love the way each author can approach the same basic ideas in absolutely unique ways. What are you writing about now? More in my series. I’ve got so many ideas for stories in Hazel and Daisy’s world, and I’m currently working on another adventure starring my two favourite detectives and their friends. How would you sum up your school days in five words? Friendship but sadly no murders. AUTUMN • WINTER 2019 | B R I T I S H E D U C AT I O N | 93
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REGI
Founded 1553
FLAIR DISCIPLINE
Open Mornings Prep School (ages 7 - 13) : Saturday, 28th September Senior School (13+): Saturday, 12th October
Individual visits welcome. Please contact Admissions for details
01527 579679
admissions@bromsgrove-school.co.uk
bromsgrove-school.co.uk
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ACADEMIC RIGOUR Co-educational, Boarding and Day “The school is highly successful in fulfilling its aim to produce pupils with strong creativity, morality, motivation and self-discipline, who enjoy learning.” ISI Inspection 950 pupils aged 13-18 720 pupils aged 3 - 13 Over 500 boarders from the age of 7
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OP DA EN YS
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01491 651438
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“ONE WORD: EXCEPTIONAL” TATLER
BRIGHTON COLLEGE
WISH YOU WERE HERE
“MOST FORWARD THINKING SCHOOL” THE WEEK
England’s Independent School of theYear 2019 THE SUNDAY TIMES
OPEN MORNINGS | SATURDAY 25 JANUARY & SATURDAY 25 APRIL BOOK YOUR PLACE +44 (0)1273 704200 | BRIGHTONCOLLEGE.ORG.UK BC British Education AD 190x134 - BCO 6079 v3.indd 1
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LEARN • CREATE EXPLORE WHERE WILL YOUR FUTURE TAKE YOU? Top quality boarding provision from age 7, with superb pastoral care Pick-ups available from Bath Spa Train Station Rated ‘excellent’ in all areas of our latest Inspection Report Over 100 co-curricular activities available with a reputation for sport and links to professional clubs Inspirational music, drama and creative arts Scholarships and Bursaries available T. +44 (0)1225 734210 | E. admissions@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk
OVER 100 CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE
An Independent Co-educational Boarding & Day School for pupils aged 9 months - 18 years
“MONKTON IS A
SMALL SCHOOL WITH A BIG HEART,
NURTURED BY A STRONG
SENSE OF FAMILY
AND A TRADITIONAL BOARDING ETHOS.” An independent boarding and day co-ed school near Bath, England Pre-Prep, Prep & Senior | 2–18 year olds
www.monktoncombeschool.com
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60
L A ST WOR D
seconds with
Louise North The Principal of Framlingham College on her philosophy
our young people for the challenges that it will bring. We are also a ‘through school’ and I want that pathway from 3-18 to be seamless, happy and rewarding at every stage.
What is your background? I’m a linguist. I read French and Spanish at Durham and spent a year in southwest France. In 1994, I arrived as an NQT at St Peter’s School, York. I was running a day house after a couple of years, but wanted to go into boarding as well as teach. In 2001, nine years as a boarding housemistress began, firstly at Glenalmond College in Perthshire and then at Marlborough College. I loved the buzz of life in the house and the close interaction with the pupils, but I wanted to have a whole school perspective, so in 2010 I moved to Stonyhurst College to take on the new role of Deputy Head (Upper School) overseeing all aspects of their Sixth Form. In 2015, I became Senior Deputy Head at Oakham, looking after the smooth day-to-day running of the school. I was appointed Principal of Framlingham College in June 2018. What excites you most about your role at Framlingham? It’s a great privilege to prepare our young people for their adult world. To shape a curriculum around the skills and habits that they will need to thrive and prosper is both invigorating and inspiring. Tell us about your academic philosophy. Curiosity and inquiry are at the heart of a vibrant learning culture and every child deserves to experience the joy that is to be found in learning.
“Curiosity and inquiry are at the heart of a vibrant learning culture”
How is Framlingham set apart from other schools? At Framlingham, we never stop learning. We are committed to instilling a lifelong curiosity and love of enquiry in our pupils. Learning for the love of learning is our focus, whether in the classroom or beyond. A B OV E
Louise North
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your career. In all my roles I have sought responsibility and enjoyed taking on challenges, but the demands of my role at Stonyhurst drew out a focus and mental toughness that has been invaluable ever since. That said, every post in my career has had a significant impact, as have the Heads who gave me those opportunities. At St Peter’s, for instance, my love for teaching was nurtured and encouraged by older and wiser practitioners who showed me the way. At Oakham, working in a cohesive, supportive and forwardthinking team gave me the confidence to know it was time to run my own school. What are your main aims as Principal? To set a clear strategic vision for the school that looks to the future and prepares
Which areas of education would you like to see improved over the next five years? It’s paramount that education focuses on the needs of the adult world into which our young people will go. A value placed on skills and habits as well as grades would better reflect the changing workplace of the future. The university application system is a constant challenge and does not make it easy for young people to make informed choices about their next steps. I also fear that unconditional offers have had a detrimental effect on pupils’ learning and their motivation. What makes a good student? A good student has unlocked how best he or she learns and has then applied those methods to their learning. They also embrace challenge and rather than being afraid of failure, learn from it. They have also discovered the joy that can be found in learning.
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