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We l c o m e
From the
EDITOR
T
wo very different books about the UK’s education system have been published recently. Last month, the great and the glitterati of the independent school’s sector gathered to celebrate the launch of The State of Independence by David James, Deputy Head at Bryanston and Jane Lunnon, Headmistress at Wimbledon High. Their book is ambitious in scope; it aims to identify and dissect the 10 key challenges facing independent education today. It has an illustrious role call of contributors from across the education and national commentariat to address issues such as the financial challenge, the diversity challenge, the political challenge etc. For an education geek
disturbing; Clanchy doesn’t hold back from the reality of some of her pupil’s lives. But its stories of the transformative effect of education on these children are hugely uplifting. Love is the book’s organising principle. “I have included,” Clanchy writes, “nobody, teacher or pupil, about whom I could not write with love.” For indeed, she says, “Schools run on love.” When closing her speech to the gathered throng at the book launch, Jane Lunnon said her book was about many aspects of education. “But ultimately,” she said, “education is about love.” And that, she added, to huge cheers, is all that matters. So, two very different books, with a very similar message. Love is all that matters. Something we could all remember more maybe, especially when we are on Twitter.
“HER STORIES ABOUT THE LIFE CHANGING EFFECT OF EDUCATION ON THESE CHILDREN ARE HUGELY UPLIFTING” like me, it is impossible to put down, but for anyone who has a child in an independent school, or who is indeed simply interested in the way we live now, I highly recommend it. Kate Clanchy’s, Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me, is ostensibly a very different book, about a very different section of society. Clanchy’s honest and personal account of state education puts the children front and centre. First and foremost, the book is superbly written, but then Clanchy is a journalist, teacher and distinguished, awardwinning poet. It is also very moving and sometimes
We have a special focus on Special Educational Needs in this issue. It's been fascinating to learn more about the spectrum of issues that some children face and the army of devoted teachers and staff who teach children with SEN in school settings. My hat goes off to them. I hope you enjoy this issue.
A manda Constance EDITOR
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CONTE S U MMER 2019
16 upfront
10 NEWS What's going on in the world of education
16 SCHOOL FOCUS Tonbridge School, Kent, by Amanda Constance
N u r s e ry & P R E P
22 THE FUTURE'S BRIGHT The rise of mentoring, by Flora Thomas
26 GET APPY New tech can benefit our lives, says Cypher CEO Elizabeth Tweedale
senior
32 SHOULD WE ABOLISH GCSES? Two top heads debate
44 MASTER YOUR MIND Revision tips with some help from neuroscience
54 MAKING OF ME Explorer and presenter, Ben Fogle
38 ALL CHANGE The 11+ and 13+ are undergoing a quiet revolution, reports Dr Lisa Freedman
SEN FOCUS
58 SCHOOL FOCUS Bredon School in Gloucestershire, by Amanda Constance
62 MAKING SENSE OF SEN What to do if you have concerns about your child, by Bernadette John
66 BLOCK BUSTER Could retrained reflexes be at the root of your child's dyslexia? By Pendle Harte
30
98 MOOCS
68 DRAMATIC CHANGES A pioneering theatre group is having dramatic results with autistic children, by Flora Thomas
72 WHAT'S WRONG? It can be hard as a parent to come to terms with SEN, says Elaine Halligan
82
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88 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Amanda Constance EDITOR IAL ASSISTANT
Flora Thomas
A DV ERTISING M A NAGER
Nicola Owens
ACCOUN T M A NAGER
Donna McCafferty
COMMERCI A L DIR ECTOR
Leah Day
SPECI A L IST CONSULTA N T
Andy Mabbitt
GROUP SA L ES DIR ECTOR
Craig Davies
SENIOR DESIGNER
Pawel Kuba
MID-W EIGHT DESIGNER
Rebecca Noonan
M A R K ETING M A NAGER
Lucie Pearce
FINA NCE DIR ECTOR
Jerrie Koleci DIR ECTOR S
Greg Hughes, Alexandra Hunter, James Fuschillo PUBL ISHING DIR ECTOR
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74 AGONY AUNT
26
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78 SEN SCHOOLS Our round-up of some of the best
school's out
82 SUMMER BOOKS The best upcoming children's books
88 WILD THING Why not send your kids to camp this summer? By Pendle Harte
l a s t wo r d
98 60 SECONDS... Former Head, Frances King
38
F RO NT COV E R A pupil at Tonbridge School, a boys' school for 13-18 yr olds in Tonbridge, Kent. Tonbridge School, High Street, TN9 1JP 01732 365555, tonbridge-school.co.uk
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• A B S O L U T E LY E D U C AT I O N ’ S •
CON T R IBU TOR S Each day, discovery
Elizabeth Tweedale Founder, Cypher
Elizabeth Tweedale is founder of Cypher, the coding company for kids. A working mother of three, with a Computer Science degree and a Masters in Architecture, she has taught coding to children of all ages. She writes about the benefits of coding on page 28. If you had to add one compulsory subject to the curriculum what would it be? It would have to be computational thinking
Frances King
Former Head of Mill Hill, Rodean and Heathfield
Frances King is a highly experienced leader and educational thinker. She has recently taken a sabbatical to focus on innovation, enterprise and play in education. She writes about the Danish model on page 98. If you had to add one compulsory subject to the curriculum what would it be? I would include creative play
From September 2020 Eltham College will become a fully co-educational day school when we begin to welcome both girls and boys for entry in Years 3 and 7, as well as our existing co-educational Sixth Form. For more information and to find out about our upcoming open days visit www.elthamcollege.london
Magnus Bashaarat Head, Bedales School
Grove Park Road, London SE9 4QF
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Magnus Basharaat has taught at Sherborne School, Eton, Stowe School and was Head at Milton Abbey before he joined Bedales as Head in September 2018. He writes in favour of abolishing GCSEs on page 34. If you had to add one compulsory subject to the curriculum what would it be? Global Perspectives Pre-U, so that all school leavers understand the geopolitical challenges facing us
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Snap Happy Pupils at six Croydon primaries were given cameras to capture their area through a photographic lens. The workshops were funded by the Whitgift Foundation and led by Richard Chivers and Dr Paula Owens. The winner will be announced at the historic Old Palace of John Whitgift School on 5 July.
A MINDFUL MOMENT On 10 May, tens of thousands of children took part in the world’s biggest ever mindfulness and meditation class. The initiative- called ‘A Mindful Moment’ - saw children across the globe set aside 30 minutes of their day to learn to meditate and raise money for mental health charities. A Mindful Moment was timed well to occur just before 600,000 UK children take their Sats tests.
“A Mindful Moment was timed to occur just before UK kids took their SATS”
WO R D U P
Prizewinner
The Hay Festival in Wales is to be broadcast live, free-of-charge to schools countrywide on 23 and 24 May. The line-up includes appearances from children’s favourites: Michael Rosen, Kate DiCamillo, Cressida Cowell (pictured), Chris Bradford, Abi Elphinstone, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Candy Gourlay and Chitra Soundar.
Saiesha Gupta, a 16-year-old at Benenden School, has won a prestigious prize in a national photography competition. Her photo, Pashmina, depecicts a herds-woman tending to her livestock in Ladakh, India. Saeisha said: “With no food or shelter in close proximity the woman leads a tough lifestyle – however, she is happy.”
SIGNED Felsted School are celebrating their strength in rugby after a Saracens Contract was recently secured by their 1st XV Captain, Oliver Stone (pictured, right). Ollie was also recently selected for the England U18 Rugby Training Squad, giving him the opportunity to attend England training camps leading up to the U18s Six Nations.
“I have often thought it strange that the thing I am most grateful for, in all my 30 years, is the thing I am least proud of: that I went to private school.” D O L LY A L D E R T O N I N T H E S U N D A Y T I M E S
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UPFRON T / NEWS By FLORA THOMAS
Behind the Scenes Students at DLD College in London received an inspiring talk from environmentalist Jo Ruxton, who produced the documentary, A Plastic Ocean. Ruxton discussed the lessons that she learned during the of production of the award-winning film.
GIRLS IN TECH Women make up only 15% of people in STEM roles, and just 5% of those in STEM leadership roles. FireTech have introduced courses for girls only. The aim is to build an environment where girls can explore their interests while building valuable digital skills in an environment that is social, open, supportive and empowering specifically to girls.
OUTBOUND HOUND Children at Barrow Hills School proved their commitment to the local community via the Haslemere Hounds Community Arts project. They created the unique Barrow Hills Outbound Hound. It’s one of 100 hounds produced by local artists and schools: each piece will go on parade this month until September 2019 in the Haslemere Museum.
CHARITY RUN Pupils at Gresham’s Senior School in Holt raised over £3,500 for two charities: Farms for City Kids and the Lord’s Taverners in a crosscountry run. Teams of eight tested their metal, navigating their way around an obstacle course set against the school’s beautiful grounds.
Apple Awa rd Southbank International School’s Hampstead Campus has been named an Apple Distinguished School. The award recognises innovation, leadership and educational excellence in schools that use Apple products to inspire creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.
“Dyslexia doesn’t run in our family, it gallops” FA S H I O N D E S I G N E R , V I C TO R I A B EC K H A M
SOMETHING THEY SAID
“The ongoing Brexit disaster—a battle lost on the playing fields of Eton — has pointed up the democratic deficit.” D AV I D K Y N A S T O N A R G U E S T H AT P R I VAT E S C H O O L S A R E A B L I G H T O N E N G L I S H S O C I E T Y
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UPFRON T / NEWS By FLORA THOMAS
Up, up a nd away
P L AC E 2 B E AWA R D S
NEW HEAD Glendower Preparatory School has announced Nina Kingsmill Moore as their new Headmistress. Previously, Kingsmall Moore worked at Wetherby where she held the role of Deputy Headmistress. Of her new appointment she said: “I look forward to working with the staff and parents who make up the Glendower community, while leading the school in its next chapter.”
“I look forward to leading the school in its next chapter"
In this year’s Place2Be Wellbeing in Schools Awards, Forest School in Waltham Forest (pictured, below) was shortlisted in the category of 'School Community', for exhibiting an outstanding level of impact, passion and innovation in championing mental health support for students. Francis Holland School in Sloane Square was shortlisted in the Award’s 'Progress' category. The awards recognise the determination and hard work that goes into the delivery of mental health and wellbeing support in the charity’s partner schools across the country.
Queen’s College Preparatory School is to launch a teddy bear into space. The ‘Kona Bear’ will rise 100,000ft into space, tied to a helium balloon with a camera filming the entire ascent. The girls will follow its journey with an online tracker. The project hopes to inspire girls to study STEM subjects and encourage them to pursue STEM-based careers.
BRIGHT LIGHTS A King Edward’s Witley pupil is heading to the bright lights at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Jonathan Chan will read BA in Production Arts. Jonathan has supported his studies with practical work experience among top industry professionals at theatres across the West End. King Edward’s new Director of Drama, Lynsey Cleaves said: “Jonathan’s achievements are testament to the belief that, given the right environment and mentoring, dreams become reality.”
Top Story
INCOMING James Dahl is to be the 15th Master of Wellington College, succeeding Julian Thomas. Dahl, who formally take his post on 1 September, is currently Second Master Elect as well as Deputy Head Pastoral at Wellington, having served previously as Director of Admissions & Marketing. Thomas said: “I am absolutely delighted... Dahl is a committed educationalist and the future looks very bright indeed”.
S TAG E R I G H T University College School’s production of Fine, Thanks returned for a special charity performance in April, in partnership with the Lord Mayor of Westminster. The play, written by Connor Abbot (a former teacher at UCS), is a verbatim piece which addresses the topic of children's mental health. The production was in aid of two mental charities: Young Minds and Place2Be.
SOMETHING THEY SAID “The fact [soft skills] don’t get recognised in exam systems means that teachers often treat them as a ‘nice to have’ except, of course, in your private schools; if you look at the big differentiator here, what independent schools are largely about is those kinds of 21st century skills. It’s all about character development.” ANDREAS SCHLEICHER, HEAD OF PISA
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UPFRON T / NEWS By FLORA THOMAS
B O O K L AU N C H Freddie Ellison, an autistic 16-year-old north Londoner has had his first novel published. Freddie was excluded from school in March 2017, but soon established a routine visiting his local coffee shop to write his own book. The result, Oliver Storm and The Great Disappearance, is out now, and 25% of royalties will go do the National Autistic Society.
“I worked super hard on the book the most I've ever worked”
ON YOUR BIKE
EAST IS EAST
While the rest of the country were taking it easy in the Easter weekend sunshine, Roedean Moira House headmaster Andrew Wood cycled 600km from the Lake District to his school in Eastbourne. His journey along the highways and byways of England has so far raised in excess of £2000 for the Beachy Head Chaplaincy Trust, a mental health charity. “As a teacher, I am very keen to keep the conversation about mental health going at school,” said Wood of his expedition. To donate, go to Virgin Money Giving homepage and search Andrew Wood.
Brighton College has announced plans to open an international school in Singapore in September 2020. It's to be led by Paul Wilson, who has spent the last eight years leading academic, cocurricular and pastoral areas of the College. Commenting on his appointment, Wilson said: “My vision for Brighton College in Singapore is for a forward-looking school that prioritises emotional well-being and fosters a life-long love of learning." The school will be for children aged 1- 11 years.
CRU FTS SUCCES S A 17-year-old student from Oakham School, along with her Cocker Spaniel Tia, is celebrating winning a much-coveted place in the Crufts ‘Agility Dog of the Year’ Final. Impressively, Tia is the first dog Clare Maitland has trained and after just two years she has reached a final at Crufts. Inspired by watching Crufts on the television, Clare thought that Tia, a three-year-old Cocker Spaniel, would be a good dog to train because “she’s always had a cheeky personality but is also obedient and quick.”
Top Story
ALL ABOARD As part of a wider scheme to improve outcomes for young people, children in care could be sent to boarding schools. The Government's pilot plan would see youngsters from the ages of 11-18 in Warwickshire placed at schools rather than with foster families or in residential care facilities. A number of state and independent boarding schools across the county have signed up to the initiative, dubbed the Boarding School Partnership.
NEW HEAD
HORSE PLAY Westonbirt School’s equestrian team are celebrating after a successful run at the Bury Farm Country Championships, winning the 95cm jump category. After two rounds, Westonbirt finished with a total score of four, coming first. The team were awarded wonderful Equine America rug sashes and a bucketful of goodies.
Edgbaston High School for Girls has appointmented Clare Macro as Headmistress from September 2019. Marcho succeeds Dr Ruth Weeks to become the 11th head teacher at Birmingham’s oldest independent school for girls. With over eight years’ experience as Deputy Head at Tudor Hall, Macro joins EHS with a wealth of experience in an independent school setting.
SOMETHING THEY SAID
“The problem with dyslexia for many young people – and I can identify with this – is that their confidence is so damaged by the negativity of their teachers and their peers that it takes a very strong character to come out of the educational system smiling.” A U T H O R A N D D Y S L E X I C , S A L LY G A R D N E R
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ALL IMAGES: MILLIE PILKINGTON
ABOVE A Tonbridge student in the science centre
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UPFRON T / FOCUS
Out of this
WORLD Tonbridge School has plenty to shout about. A new science centre and a couple of visiting NASA astronauts for starters. Absolutely Education visits a very impressive school A M A N D A C O N S TA N C E
T
onbridge School has a bit of a dilemma. This esteemed and historic boys’ school in Kent is quietly confident, yet somehow very English in its reticence to proclaim its achievements too loudly. “We have never been a headline-chasing school,” says Headmaster James Priory. “But on the other hand, I’m really keen that people realise the excitement of what is actually going on here.” In other words, Tonbridge has something that it really wants to shout about. And shout it should, because not only does the school have an incredible new £19m Science Centre to show off, it has just become the first UK school to host Mission Discovery, an event that gives pupils the chance to work alongside renowned scientists and NASA astronauts. In mid-March the first British NASA astronaut and astrophysicist, Dr Michael Foale and International Space Station
commander, Dr Steve Swanson were two of the astronauts who visited Tonbridge for a week of inspiring talks and competition in an event organized by the International Space School Educational Trust (ISSET). Pupils from Tonbridge, plus six other local state and independent schools - Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School, The Marsh Academy, The Judd School, The Skinners’ School, Skinners’ Academy and Weald of Kent Grammar School - had a mission to create an experiment which, if chosen as the winner, would be built by King’s College London and NASA and launched to the International Space Station where it would be carried out by astronauts currently on the ISS. James Priory says it had been “an extraordinary privilege” for all at the school to work with the astronauts. “Hosting Mission Discovery means that we have had an ‘intellectual laboratory’ here at Tonbridge, and I’ve been incredibly impressed with the ideas, energy and innovation on display. It’s been a fantastic week and has, I hope, been both fun and inspiring for everyone who took part.” More than 30 experiments have gone to the ISS from Mission Discovery but this is
the first time English schools took part. Past winning entries include work on genetics, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimers. The grand final at Tonbridge saw the Argonauts’ team crowned winners. It consisted of five pupils from the Lower Sixth at Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School. The students designed an experiment to discover whether yeast is able to undergo sexual reproduction in the microgravity environment of the ISS. Mission Discovery week was also a perfect opportunity for the official launch of the school’s new Barton Science Centre, which opened for teaching in January 2019. Named after British organic chemist Sir Derek Barton, an Old Tonbridgian who won the Nobel Prize in 1969, the ubermodern three-storey cuboid glass and steel structure sits amidst the historical buildings of the school. Inside, its stateof-the art classrooms, brimming with 21st century technology, merge seamlessly with many original architectural features. For a school it is quite a statement of intent. “We are literally putting science and technology at the very heart of Tonbridge School,” says Head of Science, Bill Burnett. SUMMER 2019 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 17
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UPFRON T / FOCUS
LEFT Tonbridge pupils at their microscopes BELOW Headmaster, James Priory
“We believe very strongly in two things. Firstly, that in an increasingly technological society facing all sorts of urgent global challenges, every young person needs to be equipped with a good understanding of science. Secondly, to meet those global challenges, we need new technologies based on a new generation of young scientific minds. Tonbridge, as an institution, wants to help inspire that new generation.” The building houses the departments of Chemistry, Biology and Physics which each
and enthuse students about science. For example, on each floor there is a library dedicated to that department. Not only are there well designed desks with lights and laptop plug ins, but there are carefully chosen books, and pictures of famous faces from these disciplines, complete with famous quotes. “If we can make an environment that boys want to be in,” says Deakin, “that’s half the battle won.” And it appears he’s winning. Deakin shows us a physics lab where he has installed a coffee machine as an enticement. He says he will often find a boys there early in the morning, having a coffee and tinkering with their own projects. Deakin is a hugely impressive teacher. It’s teachers like him who are having an impact at Tonbridge. 50% of boys are doing a science A-Level, 40 students in each year group are taking physics and 30 of the cohort leaving in the summer will be doing engineering or physics at university. That’s quite a rap sheet. Priory is ill at ease boasting about his school’s prowess. A mild-mannered and thoughtful man, he confesses to a strong interest in natural history and admits to being something of a twitcher. But he’s clearly proud of his new charge - “There is some amazingly innovative practice here,” he says. Tonbridge is where mindfulness
“I’VE WORKED ON AN OIL RIG BUT THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING ENVIRONMENT I’VE EVER BEEN IN” have their own floor with greatly expanded facilities, including new laboratories and classrooms. Other facilities include an interactive periodic table – which looks more like a YBA art installation - a giant TV wall, a beehive, a roof garden, a greenhouse and three departmental libraries. Mainly it is just very very beautiful. The classrooms and main atrium are bathed in natural light and the central staircase - colour coded with the essential elements - swirl around Briony Marshall’s extraordinary sculpture, Barton’s Chair, which hangs in the central atrium. It is a large-scale model of the chair isomer of the Cyclohexane molecule, the geometry of which was discovered by Sir Derek Barton. It is a stunning building, but Philip Deakin, the Head of Physics and our tour captain is quick to point out: “The building shouldn’t just look pretty it must work, too.” And work it does. What impresses most about the new science centre is how every tiny, practical detail has been carefully
thought through. Deakin helped design the physics labs, each of the rooms is totally different. In the one we visit, the set up is flexible with interlocking globular desks which can be moved to create any number of different formations. They are higher than average, too. Deakin explains it is much easier to create a pulley to demonstrate Newton’s laws of gravity with a desk that is 94cm high rather than 65cm. And strange tower-like structures are dotted around the room – which Deakin affectionately labels his ‘power daleks’ – they are upright, mobile power points that can be pushed anywhere for easy plug ins. Deakin says: “Having worked in a London office, a North Sea oil rig and two previous independent schools this is the most exciting environment I have worked in.” “It’s about enabling teachers to make it as easy as possible to teach,” he says. It’s also about creating an environment that uses every single opportunity to educate
developed, for example. Richard Burnett, one of the housemasters developed the Mindfulness in Schools Project and now teaches mindfulness in the Houses of Commons and Lords. Priory is settling into life at what is his first experience of a boarding school. “What I have found really interesting is that the perception of the school is that it’s about being very alpha male, very sporty and very academic. There are people who fit that description, of course, and sport is a big part of life here but the reality is it’s a lovely community, very supportive, very friendly. “It’s a school that genuinely accommodates a huge range of individuals, and encourages them to put their learning into action” says Priory. A few evenings before we meet, Priory says he attended a charity concert put on by a sixth-form pupil. “I knew he was leading a concert and I thought, ‘Oh well I’ll go along and be supportive.’ I had no idea… I’d not SUMMER 2019 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 19
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clocked he was doing Faure’s Requiem, he had created an orchestra and a choir with support from staff and friends from the school. It was an extraordinarily ambitious programme. The boy raised £4k for a charity and he’d literally had this idea in September and made it happen. ABOVE LEFT That’s the kind of ‘wow’ that I’m NASA's Dr Michael Foale with students experiencing here,” he says. ABOVE The school is soaring The central atrium academically. The number of A* opportunities and other achieved at A-Level is dizzying. chances to develop life skills Registrations are up, with increased so it doesn’t become a reductive interest from London. Currently a third programme.” This includes the of boarders come from the capital but this possibility of introducing the EPQ and other is surely going to spiral upwards with the non-examined subjects in the sixth form. new science facilities on offer. Co-curricular is strong at Tonbridge, as Priory says he’s keen to sustain you would expect. Beyond the sports fields the academic record but also “to take there is a “strong interest in conservation”, advantage of the time and space we have says Priory. Boys learn land management to really develop the intellectual life of the and rural skills such as coppicing, school even further.” woodcutting, livestock management and He is currently reviewing the school’s even beekeeping. They then put their skills sixth form curriculum in light of the move into practice on the school grounds and towards linearity with A-Levels. work on local estates. “If over time students reduce their Volunteering is also an integral part of programme to three A-Levels, we want the Tonbridge ethos; it isn’t compulsory, to be sure boys are taking up enrichment says Priory, but “it’s very popular". The school’s outreach programme, Tonbridge Community Action, every Wednesday afternoon, ranges from primary schools visiting Tonbridge for weekly science lessons to Tonbridge students working with young refugees in local detention centres. Priory says this focus on social issues extends to the school itself and one of his priorities is to widen access. “We’ve been lucky enough to go through a major programme of capital development in the last decade. We’ve got to realise that potential now,” he says. “We have to be aware of the privilege that we enjoy and the resources we have. To value that and to understand the responsibility that brings - that’s certainly the ethos I have found here and I’d like to maintain that,” he says. The school already runs a Junior Foundation Scholarship programme which identifies bright young people in Year 6 and LEFT supports them with their education through The science centre merges the to Year 9 (often by financing a move to old and the new a local prep school) and helping their integration into Tonbridge.
Priory says this scholarship programme must grow over the next few years and the school is looking at ways to fund this. Basking in the glory of a hugely successful Mission Discover week, Priory has a clear vision of where he wants to see the school go. “I want to develop the boys’ confidence, prepare them to take a leading role in life at university and beyond. We can’t be complacent about anything.”
At a Glance
Tonbridge School FOUNDED: 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde HEAD: James Priory since Sept 2018 GENDER: Boys only PUPIL NUMBER: 787 boys. 301 day, 486 boarding. AGES: 13-18 POINTS OF ENTRY: Main entry Y9, small cohort Y10 and Sixth-Form entry Y11 ADMISSIONS: ISEB pre-test and interview, CE or school’s own exam RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Church of England FEES: Boarding, £13,482 per term. Day, £10,114 per term. ALUMNI: EM Forster, writer; Dan Stevens, actor; Tom Chaplin, musician ADDRESS: Tonbridge School, High Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1JP tonbridge-school.co.uk
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A life-changing education At one of the country’s leading fully co-educational schools for children aged 11–18
11+
Open days for 2020 entry: Saturday 14 September 2019 Saturday 5 October 2019
16+
Open evening for 2020 entry: Wednesday 18 September 2019 Please check the website for full details and closing dates
Scholarships and Bursaries available for up to 100% of fees
Booking for open days and online registration starts from Spring 2019 at www.latymer-upper.org King Street Hammersmith London W6 9LR www.latymer-upper.org Follow us @latymerupper Like us @latymerupper
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BRIGHT Mentoring is on the rise, Absolutely Education talks to some of the agencies leading the way FLORA THOMAS
entoring as a practice is not new, but mentoring in education is a relatively new phenomenon which is fast gaining popularity with parents. It’s often hard to pin down exactly what a mentor is. Many of those running mentoring companies are often quick to say they are not tutors, who all too often are perceived as a cash-quick, tick-box option that fails to address the full needs of a child. Instead a mentor sits somewhere between a tutor and a counsellor. A truly brilliant mentor teaches skills which will outlive the course of their relationship with the mentee, such as resilience and self-knowledge. The result of the work may be improved exam results, but improved academic attainment is not the explicit aim. West London-based Oppidan Education is a pioneering education mentoring agency. Borne of a frustration with traditional tutoring, and perhaps in recognition of a gap in the market, ex-Etonians Walter Kerr and Henry Faber set up Oppidan in response to the prescriptive nature of the tutoring sector. The pair concentrate their focus on ‘soft’ skills, their programmes are based on seven key attributes which they say all high achievers excel in: desire, commitment, self-belief, gameplan, focus, teamwork and resilience. Kerr and Faber believe that children flourish without specific academic goals, that they need space to identify and explore their interests outside of the pressurised school and home environment. According to Kerr, when the onus is placed upon the child to achieve a goal, it is more likely to be successful. That’s why Oppidan mentors don’t work with children who don’t want to be there. Whereas tutoring is remedial, prescriptive and has an end date, mentoring doesn’t. Oppidan mentors explain to each child they work with that everyone would benefit from a mentor, including adults - something he says children like to hear. I ask him if, in that sense, it’s a little like therapy, “No. We work with a set of distinct characteristics, and although we are not doing past papers with the children, we don’t pretend to be uninvested in their academic success,”
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says Kerr. He explains that if children are actively involved in a game plan, they’re much more likely to enjoy the mentoring and be proud of it. So who are these magical mentors, where do they come from? Oppidan mentors aren’t exclusively Oxbridge graduates, although Kerr admits many are. “We live in a gig economy, people like having more than one job. Our turnover, however, is very low. One of the criteria for working is that they already have a job - otherwise they leave the minute they gain full-time employment. Oppidan mentors are old enough to be an authoritative figure but
ABOVE Mentoring in action
LEFT A mentor with a student at Oppidan Education
“When you have a child who looks forward to the session, and most do, then what you can achieve with them is limitless” young enough for the child to associate with.” Amazingly he tells me they accept just one in seven applicants. “The selection process is personality-driven, and the training is rigorous - mentors have at least two interviews and take part in two training days. And we are invested in their professional development, the skills mentors hone are easily transferable.” The biggest challenge for educational mentoring companies is, unsurprisingly, parents’ expectations. And according to Oppidan it’s the transformation of children’s self-expectation which is most rewarding, “When you have a child who looks forward to the session, and most do, then what you can achieve with them is limitless.” While girls in particular suffer from perfectionism, an emerging culture of near constant personal-improvement has led to an entire cohort of stressed-out children. Some are stretched between yoga on Mondays, after-school art on Tuesdays, a nutritionist on Wednesdays, and so on. Is it possible that adding yet another afterschool activity, even if it is mentoring, might
just add to the noise? Charis Elphinstone the founder of Ludowide, a mentoring agency, says otherwise: “Our mentors don’t turn up laden with past papers. They might meet the child in an art gallery, or go swimming or for a walk in the park.” Ludowide mentors seek to establish a ‘safe space’ in which they can encourage children to talk about how they feel. “We hone in on the opportunities afforded by the unique nature of mentor/mentee relationship.” Elphinstone started out as a private tutor herself and found parents’ expectations baffling, “They want you to achieve specific academic goals - usually getting their children through exams with good results, or into a specific school. But the children are coming home from school exhausted, and they’re not getting the downtime they need.” She says that falling behind at school is usually a symptom of a deeper problem. “Parents can often overlook the underlying cause of a child dragging their heels in an educational setting.” It can take time to shift parents’ expectations, so the company ‘coaches’ them too. “We
arrange a fortnightly session for the mentor and the parents. The mentor’s role in those conversations is to provide insight without simply relaying everything the child had said in their sessions. “Trust is key,” Charis says, “but it’s important for parents to be kept in the loop.” (Especially when they’re paying £60 an hour for the service). Ludowise is the second arm of Charis’ organisation. It’s the name of an impressive team of academics researching the world’s best practice in developmental psychology. They’re building an archive of in-depth case studies, showcasing how Ludowide has helped children and their families. The mentors work on the basis of these case studies, the mentors’ training is also focused on how to sense when it is and, importantly, when it is not the right time to push a child academically. “The Ludowise team are examining where the recent rise in anxiety has come from. Of course we recognise the need for professional help, but we look at prevention rather than intervention, and that’s where we’re different from other companies,” says Elphinstone. Whether anxiety is on the rise, or conversations surrounding it are becoming more commonplace, it seems every child would benefit from a mentor. If parents can be persuaded that supporting children holistically by instilling self-belief and confidence will ultimately lead to longerlasting success than traditional tutoring, then the educational mentoring arena is set to grow exponentially. SUMMER 2019 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 23
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Talking
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BRING LEARNING TO LIFE Jill Walker, Headmistress of Prince's Gardens Prep School, asks how children can get the most out of museum visits
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chools in London are fortunate in many respects – not least for their easy and free access to worldrenowned art galleries and museums. My school in Kensington, with half a dozen institutions on its doorstep, may be luckier than most – but every school in London and the Home Counties can, without too much difficulty, arrange to have their pupils stare at mummies, tremble before dinosaurs and wonder at any number of Picassos, Titians and Turners. I have spent many years observing hordes of young children excitedly descend on exhibits, pressing buttons and lighting up displays, and after a few minutes rushing on to the next one, instantly forgetting what had excited them only moments before. After an hour or two, it’s time for lunch then onto the bus to be back at school for 3.30. It’s an exhilarating and exhausting experience for children, and hardly less so for teachers and parent volunteers, who of course have spent hours planning the visit to ensure it proceeds as smoothly as any trip can with 20 or 30 over-excited children. But is it really educational? What longterm benefits can children derive from an experience that can be more overwhelming than stimulating? The fact is that as wonderous as museums are, they can also be too much to take in. Young children in particular tend to switch off after 30 minutes or so even if they
“As wonderous as museums are, they can also be too much to take in”
Henry Seagrove, a thrillseeker who had already set the land speed record in his car, Golden Arrow. But as diverting as Sir Henry was, he is not the object of the lesson. The purpose of the lesson is to get children to understand speed. How did Miss England achieve such speed? Her powerful aircraft engine helped, but what else? Look at her shape? What materials were used? The boat floats because ‘upthrust’ from the water balances the downward force from the A B OV E A Prince's weight of the boat. Let’s Gardens pupil show how this works by standing facing each other and pushing, hand to hand, find the exhibits initially captivating. Giving to see how a balance of force can stop you them more material to absorb risks quelling falling over… and so on. their enthusiasm with information overload. At Prince’s Gardens Prep, we have called So what should schools and parents do? this ‘our living curriculum’ and as the name The key is to make exhibits in museums and suggests it’s designed to bring learning alive art galleries extensions of the curriculum, by using the public treasures available on not adornments to it. Parents should find our doorstep in a clearly defined way for out what children are currently studying explicit educational outcomes. Every child, at school and choose a single object that from nursery through to Year 6, will have exemplifies that element of the curriculum. the chance to visit a museum or art gallery Get children to research it before they at least once a week to study an exhibit visit, then afterwards ask them to review and learn from it. I appreciate that such and evaluate what they have frequent visits aren’t an option learnt. Back in the classroom, for many schools – or every they can explore the idea in parent. But our approach is. more detail in collaborative Our captial's museums and projects. art galleries are awe-inspiring places – but for children, Let me give you an example. especially young children, to The Science Museum is home get the most out of them we to the Miss England speedboat, should focus a little less on which was once the fastest JILL WALKER the wonder and awe and a lot boat in Britain and reached a Headmistress more carefully on what precise top speed of 92mph when it Prince’s Gardens Preparatory School lessons their exhibits can raced in 1929. It was captained teach us. by a colourful character, Sir
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RIGHT A Cypher student with a drone BELOW Pupils at a Cypher camp
E VERYB O DY G E T
APPY The CEO of Cypher on how new technology can benefit our lives E L I Z A B E T H T W E E DA L E
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creens, games, apps and the internet are often seen as the ‘baddies’ in our lives - but can computer science improve our lives and wellbeing? There are lots of rather scary headlines about Artificial Intelligence taking over our lives and our jobs. Autonomous cars becoming our faceless taxi drivers. Robots caring for our ageing relatives. Apps organising our finances. Disembodied voices choosing our playlists. And no-one can feel comfortable about teenagers spending too long alone in their rooms on the internet - which does have threats and dangers. In this era of instant gratification, it’s important to stop, take a deep breath, slow down and put things in perspective. It is useful to remind ourselves of what benefits the communications revolution has brought - and may deliver in the future. Many of the concepts that at first seem worrying or disempowering may well be the ideas that save us. For instance, autonomous cars with integrated safety features, controlled maximum speeds and zero emissions will dramatically reduce accidents and pollution on the roads.
Meanwhile here are a few things that are on the positive side of the story about the tech that affects our lives today - and may help us and our children.
BALANCE
Studies show that it’s not the length of screen time that endangers mental health and behaviour, but rather the content itself. It’s useful to identify the four different types of screen time - creative, communicative, active and passive. There are positive aspects to each, and using the mantra of ‘measured, monitored, meaningful’ can guide our children to a healthy relationship with their screens. Of course, it’s not just the kids that may be spending too long with their eyeballs fixed to the illuminated rectangle. Hold is a nice little app, good for both teenagers and adults, that rewards you for not using your phone. Great to help you instigate good habits like ‘no tech at the table’.
COMMUNICATIONS
While having dinner together every evening is the best way to catch up and connect with the family, technology has brought us some ways of delivering a face-to-face experience when we can’t actually be there. Facetime and Skype are wonderfully easy ways of making us feel we’ve almost actually been in
someone’s presence. It can be a real comfort to university students away from home to have Mum in the kitchen with them for a chat - even if they are just on their iPad.
YOGA AND MEDITATION It’s widely accepted that taking time out to focus on yourself is well worthwhile. If you’re juggling children, work, a partner and life in general - it can be hard to find that quality ‘you’ time. Something like Yoga with Adriene on YouTube is a lovely
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“VR therapies can have better results than the best face-to-face interventions” ‘Build healthy habits’ for kids. At our camps children have created their own pedometers - which of course they can’t wait to try out.
TECHNOLOGY AS THERAPY
way of focusing on your fitness and your mind, facilitated by our old friend the internet. This ummer our Fit for the Future coding camps will include a few minutes of meditation every day to help kids focus and reconnect with themselves. Meditation has been shown to improve concentration and behaviour in schools.
RE-CONNECTING WITH NATURE
There’s research to show that time outside improves our levels of happiness. The Wild Network have a mission to grow what they call Wildtime. They’ve partnered with Persil to create the free Wild Explorers app, to help the whole family get outside. So, if you have 10 minutes with your four year old you could find a list of 14 things to do together ‘on your doorstep’. Immediately you and your child are reconnecting and really observing what’s going on in nature close at hand.
HEALTHY EATING
There is a concern about children’s diet and exercise. Simple tick charts you can make with your kids to track the fruit and veg they’ve eaten each day is a way to start 'codifying' data and reward improvements. Change 4 Life apps, from Public Health England, are easy to use and super kidfriendly. Put the Food Scanner app in the hands of a six year old - and you’ll have an expert on the sugar, fat and salt content of your favourite packaged foods. On an idle stroll into my kitchen just now I discovered that Nutella has 56.3 sugar cubes per jar, making it very high in sugar and saturated fat. But on a brighter note, it’s low in salt.
OxfordVR is working to develop a VR treatment for young people with social anxiety. When VR is done properly, the experience triggers the same psychological and physiological reactions as real-life situations. Their first live project to combat the fear of heights had results that are better than those expected with the best psychological intervention delivered face to face with a therapist. At Cypher, we believe that by giving our students the fundamentals of computational thinking we are reducing their fear of the future and giving them the tools to succeed in any field they choose. We want all children to be fluent with the technological languages that will facilitate their futures in a context that appeals to them - from fashion to engineering, art to mathematics, architecture to conservation. Cypher are running their Fit for the Future camps during the Summer holidays for children aged 5 - 12+. Including time for meditation, games and healthy snacks, the camps inspire children to learn the language of the future, coding, through learning the foundations of computational thinking and hands-on creative projects. Different themes each day will help our students get a positive approach to technology and develop their own ideas towards happiness and wellbeing.
GET MOVING
‘Time to stand!’ Anyone with an Apple watch will recognise this command. Devices that measure movement and incentivise exercise generally do improve our fitness. Fitbit have a new tracker that promises to
E L I Z A B E T H T W E E DA L E CEO, Cypher cyphercoders.com SUMMER 2019 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 27
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‘ Enjoying childhood and realising our imagination.’ “My favourite thing about Dallington School is that the teachers and students are very friendly and positive, there is a brilliant atmosphere in the classroom” - Johan “I think Dallington teaches you in a way no other school does and I really enjoy that” - Alex Dallington is a family-run co-educational independent school, with a nursery, in the heart of London.
Personal tours each day of the week, except Wednesday. Next Open Evening: Thursday 16th May 2019 from 6 to 8 pm
Headteacher: Maria Blake Proprietor and Founder: Mogg Hercules MBE Email: hercules@dallingtonschool.co.uk Phone: 020 7251 2284 www.dallingtonschool.co.uk
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Talking
PR EP / OPINION
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Going Green Naomi Bartholomew, Headmistress of St Catherine’s Preparatory School, on raising 'Eco Warriors'
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e already know of the strong environmental impact of providing green spaces in our prep and primary schools. Green spaces filter pollutants and dust, provide shade and reduce soil erosion and provide important habitats for wildlife. Little wonder so many schools, if they are fortunate to have them, take advantage of the outdoor learning opportunities green spaces provide. Encouraging young children to observe very closely and to learn first-hand about life cycles and the need to care for habitats enable powerful early eco-lessons. Many schools will have bug and bee hotels and projects and activities about mini-beasts, butterflies and birds. Children love foraging and exploring, building on their natural curiosity, enabling children to learn through doing, making and experiencing which is such a key element in a successful primary education. Recently, I spoke in school assembly about the need to protect bumblebees and before we knew it we were discussing climate change, palm oil and plastics in our oceans. We started with our own cottage garden but within minutes the girls were thinking globally. Building children’s awareness of all our actions and the impact they have on the world is more important than ever.
"We are raising the global citizens of the future; our children must value the natural world"
opportunities alongside our science laboratories because we really believe very strongly that learning should take place both in and outside of the classroom. Recent research from psychologist Professor Eirini Flouri, based at University College London, concludes that children tend to fare better academically if they have ample access ABOVE Educating future to green spaces. She global citizens finds that children with daily access to green spaces score We are educating and raising the higher in spatial working memory tests global citizens of the future and children’s and are able to retain visual information understanding of our inter-dependence long enough to process it and make use of with each other and with the natural it to solve problems. Green space proved world is essential. Whether that be via to be important regardless of wealth and schools participating in Green Flag status, had a particular impact on children’s hosting visiting farms, exploring the local mathematical performance. Children are environment or one of our outstanding living in a fast-paced world, both real and resources (the Natural History Museum, virtual, with increasing amounts of screenthe Eden Project or just connecting with time interrupting their interactions with local National Park rangers nature. Green spaces reduce or the National Trust) stress and sadness and lift there are an abundance of our mood, making us all feel valuable environmental tools better. Government research with which to teach young into the public health benefits children. Creating positions of of green spaces describe them responsibility in schools, for as ‘restorative, uplifting and example, as Eco Warriors and healing for both physical and or class recycling monitors can mental health.’ I can think of no NAOMI make an immediate impact. better reason to ensure that we BARTHOLOMEW At St Catherine’s we have protect and continue to include Headmistress St Catherine’s invested heavily in our green green space in every primary Preparatory School spaces and outdoor learning school in the country. SUMMER 2019 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 29
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Talking
HEAD
Bright FUTURE The new Head of Dallington, Maria Blake, discusses the legacy of its founder and her vision for the future of the east London school
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allington holds a unique place in the constellation of outstanding London schools – a vibrant oasis of creativity; proudly and fiercely independent. Established and led for over 40 years by Mogg Hercules MBE, it has been the school of choice for many parents seeking an exceptional education for their children. Taking over the headship presents a formidable challenge: how to celebrate and develop Mogg’s legacy while bringing to bear my own style and experience? Yet I am quietly confident that I have a huge amount to bring to the Dallington community, not least my 30 years of teaching and leadership. This has been gained in many diverse schools around the world, and always flying the flag for progressive, inclusive and outward-looking
“My work is fuelled by the belief that every child has the right to be valued”
bring the world and its myriad opportunities into those disadvantaged classrooms and then witnessed the impact on those young lives. Naturally, I am honoured to become part of the incredibly strong and established Dallington team that led the school to an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ award in January 2018. When I joined the team in September, as Director of Teaching and Learning, education. All my work and PICTURED I knew that I was among kindred innovation has been underpinned Dallington spirits, and there is so much by my belief in every child’s pupils excitement as we embrace the fundamental right to experience journey ahead. We bring to bear an education that nurtures a our collective experience and vision belief in themselves, and to be as we address the challenges of educating valued, empowered and informed. Children the children of the 21st century. We look should also be encouraged to expect the forward to developing new initiatives best of themselves, and to expect the best that recognise the importance of outdoor of the adults in their lives – in school, in the learning, of encouraging student voice and home and in their communities. critical thinking, of nurturing wellbeing, Many of the children I have taught and responsibility and global citizenship, as well worked alongside have been destined as building upon the timeless foundation of for positions of great influence in their an excellent curriculum. countries – nurturing these minds and The children we are teaching today at helping them to deeply understand the Dalllington will carry the torch of their world they will inherit has been the greatest learning into the future. Our job is to ensure responsibility. Yet some of the professional that they will illuminate, inspire and care for experiences that I most treasure took the world they will inherit. place in the forgotten corners of Islington and Hackney. I reflect with incredible MARIA BLAKE pride that I was able to work as part of Head committed teams who worked tirelessly to Dallington School
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