Summer 2017 ▲ Issue 89 PREP Reflecting the best in the prep and junior school world We do exactly what it says on the tin.

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FIS_Perry_TinCans_Ad_210x297mm_V1.indd 1 29/07/2015 21:28 ISSUE 89 Contents Summer2017 12 5 From the editor 7 Introduction 9 Paving your way to management 12 Superhero scientist students 14 What was the last book you read? 17 No learner left behind 18 Bringing English to life 20 All the world’s a stage... 26 22 True Grit 24 I gotta have faith 25 Out of order? 26 Engaging with English 28 The perfect foil for deadly Daleks 31 A resort for all 33 Books in Translation 36 34 A real sense of belonging 36 Read, read, read! 38 WoT! is your story? 41 To win or not to win? 43 Gossip and communication: facts and fiction 45 Taking exams 48 In Response... 52 These girls can, so what’s stopping them? 520 55 10 reasons to use stop animation 58 Why handwriting matters 61 Maths in a box set 62 From the Common Room 63 Viewpoint 64 SATIPS Broadsheets: History

Editor ISSN: 0963 8601 Subscription Details: Paul Jackson Printed by Micropress, Reydon,Suffolk IP18 6DH The Business Managers are John Catt Educational Ltd, Managing Editor 12 Deben Mill Business Centre, Old Maltings Approach, Meena Ameen Publishers’ Notice Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1BL. Designer Prep School is published three times a year, in January, Tel: (01394) 389850 Fax: (01394) 386893, to whom Scott James May and September, by John Catt Educational Ltd. £25 enquiries regarding advertising, subscription order forms and correspondence about subscriptions should be sent. Advertising for a two-year subscription, post paid; discounts for bulk Gerry Cookson, [email protected] orders are available. Contributions to Prep School should be sent to the Editor, Steering Committee Opinions expressed in Prep School are not necessarily [email protected].. endorsed by satips; likewise advertisements and www.prepschoolmag.co.uk Bill Ibbetson-Price; Sarah Kirby-Smith; advertising features are printed in good faith. Their @prepschoolmag Richard Tovey MBE inclusion does not imply endorsement by satips.

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 3 The definitive handwriting programme Nelson Handwriting provides all of the resources you need to ensure a consistent whole-school approach to teaching handwriting for Reception – Year 6/P1 – 7.

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With Spring in the air and Summer too. SATIPS courses are varied and definitely approaching, isn’t it very well attended, the Handwriting amazing how the spirits are lifted? and Challenge competitions are Of course, the spirits of any editor attracting record numbers, schools will go ballistic when they receive are gearing up to enter this year’s very favourable comments from the SATIPSKI downhill races and the readership; when the highly respected broadsheet editors continue to keep but very busy folk they approach for subject teachers in prep schools articles deliver just what the doctor enlightened and informed. ordered; and when any one article To cap it all, the work of 60 SATIPS produces both a response and a schools will be on display at the art healthy debate in the next edition. exhibition to be hosted, once again, This particular editor certainly at Cheltenham Preparatory has a smile on his face. Thank you. School. Over to you, Mr Chairman. However, he is not alone. Paul Jackson David Kendall, the new chair of SATIPS, has much to be pleased about

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PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 5 The most flexible MIS for Prep Schools

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www.isams.com Introduction

Dear Prep School reader... David Kendall, the new Chair of SATIPS, introduces himself to the readers of Prep School magazine

Firstly, may I welcome you to I then moved to Hoe Bridge School a new edition of Prep School in and then to Westminster magazine, which I know you will Under School where I was Head of find informative, entertaining and History and Director of Studies for thought provoking. As the new Chair several years. I became joint editor of of SATIPS, I would like to thank Liza the SATIPS history broadsheet, taking Newbould for her leadership and over from Bob Pace before joining guidance. Under the stewardship council a few years later. of Lisa and our steady team of Presently, I am Deputy Head of the hardworking colleagues, SATIPS is at Newton Prep in entering a bright new chapter with , a busy of 670 more CPD and courses tailored to pupils, of whom I have responsibility those at the chalk face, and with the for those in Years 3 to 8. From bonus of being very competitively September, I am due to take up post priced. of Head of the Junior School at QEH Born and educated in Derbyshire, Bristol. My interests include British I attended St David’s military and 19th-century social and College, Lampeter, reading Victorian economic history, outdoor pursuits; Studies and Church History. I gained especially hill walking and Nordic profession alongside those with my PGCE at Roehampton Institute walking, landscape photography, experience to share. Teaching can be and, at present, I am studying for a theatre and gardening. both exhilarating, yet lonely at times Masters in Educational Leadership I am really looking forward to meeting and with the great team of broadsheet with the University of Buckingham. as many SATIPS members as possible editors, we have a way of discussing I began my career in the East End over the course of the year, especially and presenting new ideas, sharing the of London at a Christian Mission, at one of our events such as the very best practice, offering our views helping with after school and evening excellent Art Exhibition, which is and having a voice with like-minded clubs and, in the holidays, running kindly hosted by Cheltenham College’s individuals. Please remember that Play Schemes. I decided to move into Junior School. As the educational SATIPS is run by teachers for teachers, teaching and started my career at world becomes ever more complex it is designed to support all of us in Stubbington House in Ascot as an with greater safeguarding, policies , so please do get in touch if RS teacher, before moving to Yardley by the score, data, pre-tests, 11+ you have anything to say Court and later to Highfield School in exit and 13+ changes, I believe that May I wish you the very best for the Liphook, where I was a Housemaster SATIPS stands for the very best in term, and, when it arrives, a well- for several years. With a young family, teaching; helping those new to the deserved summer holiday!

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 7

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Paving your way to management Tom Halliday, the Head of Juniors at Westbourne House in Chichester, writes about finding your route into management in a prep school environment

more apparent in the state sector. is the gold medal in education that Teach First states that it aims to means excellence. As a teacher, you fast-track its brightest graduates should want your classroom to be an into leadership, and in recent outstanding environment for learning years there have been examples of and you should be doing everything teachers in their twenties being you can to improve your teaching. appointed to headship in the state Teachers in the early years of their sector. The reasons behind a reduced careers are more likely to have the percentage of young professionals in drive, determination and dynamism management positions within the to want to achieve this. They should independent sector are varied and still be receptive to learning new deserve a brighter spotlight than this ideas, and open to change. I do not article to investigate. However, any make this statement to suggest that recently qualified teacher who has those who have been teaching for 20 aspirations to further their career years, and more, are not driven in Upon entering the teaching has many tools at their disposal to the same way, but exuberance tends profession, I was told initially by assist the achievement of their goals. to favour youth, therefore use your lecturers, mentors, and later by Recognition of these tools is the youthful exuberance to strive for fellow teachers, that opportunities starting point, and I would encourage excellence. would be readily available to allow all to identify these, not just NQTs, Read, Listen, Absorb: ‘When people me to move from the classroom into whether you have been working in talk, listen completely. Most people never Start building key skills early management. Apparently being a male education for three months or 30 listen.’ – Ernest Hemingway in my twenties, recently qualified years. Read books and articles, listen to with Cambridge Primary as a primary school teacher ticked Excellence: ‘Be a yardstick of podcasts and reports, and talk to your the boxes for success. However, quality, some people aren’t used to an Cambridge Primary offers UK schools a flexible curriculum which colleagues; this will help develop your when it became apparent that I environment where excellence is expected.’ own opinion. You will not agree with gives teachers more time for teaching. Almost 1300 schools in worked in a prep school within the – Steve Jobs everything you encounter, you may over 110 countries already trust Cambridge Primary to give their independent sector this option was This has to be at the core of any think a lot of it is rubbish – that is a students a firm foundation for developing knowledge and skills dismissed. Granted, the majority of aspiring professional wanting to good thing. The ability to recognise a in English, maths and science. the suggestions came from those who develop their career, no matter the valid opinion is an important trait, the did not work within the independent Contact your local Cambridge representative: industry. In terms of teaching, this world is full of people with differing sector, but their sudden altering [email protected] means excellence in the classroom. viewpoints, and as a manager you of opinion struck a chord that has I am not saying that if you are not have to evaluate a range of opinions resonated ever since. excellent you should not be considered every day. It is very difficult to do this Whilst not basing this on any for management, but if you are if your own opinion or perspective is quantifiable data, the promotion of not striving for excellence then not developed and nurtured, therefore more recently qualified teachers into you are not the right candidate for keep absorbing new ideas. I make it management positions certainly is consideration. The term ‘outstanding’ a point to regularly ask colleagues

Image: Children’s building blocks. cie.org.uk/cambridge-primary PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 9 Rapid Reasoning Tests

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S&S Rapid Reasoning Advert_A4.indd 1 24/03/2017 11:33 Rapid Leadership Reasoning A prep school is an environment where Tests you are interacting with a variety of people in a plethora of settings. The fast track to 11+ success

Provides intensive verbal and non-verbal thoughts on various ideas, and over effectively with colleagues when of younger members of staff being reasoning practice for pupils aged 6 to 12 a cup of coffee is usually a much leading a department meeting. given positions of responsibility. better time to do this than any formal Resilience: ‘In football, as in politics, However, be proactive. If you see an Covers all the main question types that department meeting. resilience pays off.’ – George Osborne area that needs change, ensure you appear in the 11+ and other school Communication: ‘Good, the more address this in the correct manner. I would like to add ‘teaching’ to Communicate with colleagues, write communicated, the more abundant the quote above. This is key – in entrance exams grows.’ – John Milton proposals, entice support, but most the same way you must take any importantly strive for excellence in Do not shy away from communicating parental comments about your rugby Features varying target times to help all that you do. The final quote I will with others. A prep school is refereeing, you must also accept that leave you with may be the most useful build accuracy and speed an environment where you are no matter how passionate you are for aspiring managers, albeit from an interacting with a variety of people in about an aspect of your management, unexpected source. a plethora of settings. In an average there will be resistance to your ideas. Requires few resources and is easy to day, I encounter pupils from reception Having the capacity to be able to ‘If I don’t like something that’s going on fit into a busy school timetable to Year 8, in different environments think through, see past or around in my life, I change it. And I don’t sit including classrooms, the playground, resistances, whilst explaining your and complain about it for a year.’ – Kim Kardashian Includes pull-out answers with explanations the assembly hall and the boarding reasoning will be of great benefit. house, or on the sports field. The Unfortunately, becoming an expert at Tom, a Royal Holloway graduate, that can easily be removed average day also consists of face-to- this requires experience, experience joined Westbourne House in 2016 face contact with parents, who are of the negative. Do not dwell on these from Salisbury usually well educated and work in a negatives. Identify other opinions where he was the Head of Lower huge variety of industries. There are and use your youthful exuberance 2. Tom also teaches Year also your colleagues, both teaching to remain positive, keeping lines of 4 pupils in the classroom and other and non-teaching staff. I do not know communication open so that you year groups on the sports field. of many professions where the level remain solution driven. of human interaction is so varied. The attributes that I have listed above Involve yourself completely in each are fundamental for anyone who aspect, indulge in it, and use each desires to progress their career, no interaction as a learning curve. If matter what sector they work in. The you can calmly control a father who tides are changing; opportunities for disagrees with your decision when younger teachers in the independent refereeing a Colts rugby match then sector are available. Heads and senior you will be able to communicate managers are recognising the benefits Only £2.50 a book for schools

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world www.schofieldandsims.co.uk/reasoning 11

S&S Rapid Reasoning Advert_A4.indd 1 24/03/2017 11:33 Outdoor Learning

Superhero scientist students Alex Alves, a teacher at Fairfield Preparatory School, talks of her fervour for outdoor learning and the importance of its place within every school’s curriculum

The bright white capes hiding in the first mission is to find a Super Hero amazed to see wood change to water trees fluttered in a rush of wind as the Scientist Cape hiding amongst the in my ‘magic kettle’ and enjoyed children arrived, rosy cheeks full of trees.” sampling the mystical contents mixed smiles and anticipation. The children The children scurried off to find with scientist’s brain fuel (chocolate gathered round as I explained today’s their capes before pretending to fly powder). adventures: “Today we are going to over to the fire-pit for some ‘super The children then freely explored be Super Hero Scientists and your hero experiments.’ The children were various pre-staged experiments and

12 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Outdoor Learning

investigations, whilst also having the around them and engage all of their learning isn’t an additional subject; opportunity to follow interests of senses when thinking and learning. it’s an alternative way of teaching their own. An enthusiastic group of After a few months of weekly outdoor the same objectives, just in a more budding archaeologists excavated soil sessions, I see a huge increase in their interactive learning space. My website, to discover dinosaur bones. “Last time confidence, and emotional intelligence. ‘Outdoor Learning Made Easy’ is just we dug, Mrs Alves wondered how we The children develop and use more that. You will find useful guidance found everything,” a child enthused, scientific and descriptive language and advice documents suitable for all “let’s make a map to show her where because it is relevant and understood. levels from ‘start up’ to ‘excellence,’ we discover things”. By the end of the academic year, and creative ideas for developing “Dig slowly so you don’t crack the many children have also made vast outdoor areas into meaningful bones, they’re very old and need to developments in physical literacy learning spaces regardless of your go to the museum,” his friend called. and core strength. Children not only setting constraints. Thousands Another enthusiastic group decided respect and have a connection with of activities and plans include: to plant: “When the weather gets their outdoor environment, but also introductory games and challenges; warmer in the spring, my seed will with each other. Outdoor learning differentiated and cross-curricular pop its head out and start to grow up creates a holistic bubble of benefits, topic or subject linked sessions; skill to the sun,” a girl enthused. Her friend which feed in to improved academic based experiential learning ideas; and added, “When it’s had enough rain to performance. plenary activities which enable both drink it will be ready for us to cook on the leader and the children to reflect During my 15 years teaching in the on and extend their learning. the fire pit.” classroom, I was becoming aware of “Last year, the birds pecked the an increasing trend of children relying The content and structure of the shoots,” one girl recalled, “let’s make a on being spoon-fed information; website is thorough but flexible, to scarecrow!” a generation relying on searching enable users to piece together their own outdoor learning sessions in “We’ll go and dig up some worms for answers on the internet and regurgitating them with their ready- a way that meets their own unique so the birds eat them instead of our aims and fits within their own setting seeds,” said one of the pupils. “Let’s made supper. Poems about the seasons lacked any imagination and constraints. Coming from both a go and see if we can spot any birds teaching and outdoor background has coming”, and off another group went, deep description. Any newly planted trees on the school field would soon enabled me to build a website that binoculars pressed to their eagerly empowers the teachers and leaders searching eyes. I could continue to tell be trampled upon within a few weeks. And then I started to ponder… rather than impedes them. Help with you about the children’s learning and parental partnerships has also been progress during Outdoor Learning How can we expect children to eat taken care of through the ‘parents’ sessions at Fairfield Preparatory healthily if they haven’t experienced section’ of the website. School for days on end. The children planting and harvesting their own turn up every week with their fresh produce? How can we expect Together with Fairfield Prep, we Wellingtons full of motivation them to write an imaginative poem are also running a wide array of and leave with their heads full of about seasons if they seldom go professional development courses in knowledge. Since Forest School and outside? How can we expect children Outdoor Learning and Forest School, Outdoor Learning was first introduced to respect nature and care about their so not only do you have access to at Fairfield, the overwhelming success local environment if they haven’t had a whole website full of resources, and positive feedback from children, the time to connect with it? How can but you can develop the confidence parents and staff has meant it has you fit outdoor learning into your and competence to facilitate them been rolled out through the whole of already jam-packed timetable? How effectively. the pre-prep. can you balance the need to cover Alex Alves teaches full time at Each week the children enjoy the the curriculum whilst allowing child- Fairfield Preparatory School and has freedom to experiment with their led experiential learning outdoors? her own business where thousands own ideas and interests; testing, During my wide background in of EYFS, KS1 and KS2 plans and self-checking and self-improving. I teaching and whilst talking to resources are available at www. find that learning outside helps to other professionals, I realised that a outdoorlearningmadeeasy.co.uk lift the lid on a child’s creativity and manageable resource base was needed. imagination; they are motivated I have built a brand new website of and stimulated by the environment resources which proves that outdoor

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 13 Food for Thought

What was the last book you read? Kieran McLaughlin, the Headmaster of Durham School, considers the impact reading has on children

A common question that I might ask a up in the ‘70s/‘80s: Ladybird books rather than the Baskerville of the pupil, and a standard interview question and Enid Blyton, through to Narnia ‘60s. It’s hard to resist the conclusion for prep school children moving to and Middle Earth, via Supergran and that books are written or published a senior school. The response can the Turbulent Term of Tyke Tyler. As with a focus on engagement rather be a bashful one: “Harry Potter, sir”. a teenager and, again, in common than challenge. Even more shockingly, Billionaire boy, with many at the time I worked my The situation is less bleak than Timmy Failure or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. way through the horror novels of that. Revisiting some of the titles I Sometimes I will get the more calculated Stephen King, the sci-fi comedy of The mentioned above, there’s a simplicity answer: “Oliver Twist. I do love Dickens, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as well that sits at odds to the world which sir, such memorable characters”. as books that we studied at school: To children grow up in today. They also Of course there is no right answer. Kill a Mockingbird and My Family and possess rather Anglo Saxon attitudes Or is there? Debate raged recently on Other Animals. in their depiction of the society social media (where else?) between I read a lot during my childhood but in which they were written. The those who believed that easy books, of course the difference between then vocabulary may be more demanding, such as those I mentioned above, and now was the lack of distractions. but the characters and plot are not, aren’t a route to lifelong reading. There were just four channels in the and the best of the novels written for Children, it was argued, need to be television, the internet didn’t exist children today render their stories in a challenged; they need their horizons and mobile phones were for the mega way which can be sophisticated. broadened and should be exposed to rich. As a father, I often compare the Is it bad for youngsters to read The authors like Tolstoy and Chaucer early books of my childhood to those of Hunger Games or the Twilight series? I on. Others argued that, it is more my sons. The books my sons choose would argue not at all; they may not important that young children read at to read seem to use simpler, coarser be the kind of books that professors all; what books they choose matters language. The pages contain many will write papers on, but it would be less, and if that meant they read and more drawings than I remember from very grim if all children read were reread simple stories so be it. The time my own reading, and the text is less weighty tomes designed to improve. would come later on for the greats of dense. Back in those days, once you The educationalist Horace Mann the western canon. graduated from Peter and Jane, a page is credited with the quote: A house My own route to the delights of of a children’s book much resembled without books is like a room without Dostoyevsky and Joyce was a fairly that of adult literature. Nowadays, a window. Books we read provide a straightforward one. I enjoyed the the print is bigger and written in a window through which we look out to childhood staples of anyone who grew font resembling a child’s handwriting see the world and understand the lives

14 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Food for Thought

of others. They offer us something those words become pictures, sounds diversity of experience which helps no other medium can: the ability to and realities is infinitely powerful. us to understand our own. Children see the world from another point of Rather than having the direct access are as curious as they have ever view. We can get inside the head of a to the author’s words, we are seeing been, and we have a responsibility narrator in a way that is impossible in somebody else’s interpretation of to encourage them to read widely. film or TV. them, closing down narrative options Put down the screen and pick up a book, because whether it be Williams That makes for a richer experience; we rather than widening them. or Wordsworth, Rowling or Ronald can all remember times when we have The best novels for children do the Dahl, Tolstoy or Tolkien, the best seen a screen adaptation of a book we same as they do for adults. They make books are those that speak to us in a have read and found it wanting. That’s us laugh or cry; they enhance our language we understand and give us because our ability to take an author’s understanding of the world and of an experience we never forget. words and build a world in which the people in it; they open us up to a

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No learner left behind Kate Doehren, Director of Learning Support (LS) at Hurstpierpoint College, explores the importance of helping children take control of their learning to reach their full potential

Teachers know that effective teaching who have dyslexia or those who information. It’s no good just teaching involves engaging each and every struggle to process large amounts of something without demonstrating student and so their individual text. Presenting information through how it relates to the wider world. For learning styles need to be catered for. images, colours, video clips, animated example, get students to organise It’s vital to combine teaching methods drawings, as well as graphs and mind- an imaginary event; they will need so that we are encompassing effective maps or flow charts, will be a lot more to budget expenses and work out learning strategies for all learners. appealing and easier to absorb. There how much things cost – utilising key Due to restrictions on time and are numerous resources available for maths skills. Linking learning to resource, combined with large students to use, in the classroom real-life examples allows students to class sizes, traditional methods of and at home with support. Investing understand the purpose of an activity, learning, such as reading textbooks in those that specifically follow the and how it can be applied in practice. or note taking, are often relied curriculum will be beneficial, allowing The power of writing: While upon without being augmented by students to learn effectively through moving around, getting active and more visual or hands-on activities. imagery with simple sentences. creative will work wonders for many Even for ‘read-write learners’, who Exploration: Just as some children students – there will still be a number of process information best when will love to read or listen to music, children who are more comfortable with extracting information from text some students learn best when they traditional methods. Taking a logical and formulating their own notes, move about and explore. A more and systematic approach, ‘read-write these techniques soon become kinaesthetic, hands-on environment learners’ prefer ideas to be displayed repetitive. Teachers need to be able to will offer students the opportunity in writing and are adept at extracting incorporate techniques that appeal to to grasp concepts, explore and information from text and surmising it all learners into everyday lessons. understand subjects. This gives them in their own words in the form of notes There are a variety of types of the independence to take control or lists. Allow these children to interpret learners in a single classroom so an of their learning and discover their the data in graphs, diagrams and array of teaching methods need to be potential. Getting students involved graphics by describing it in their own employed so that one type of learner in practical activities will encourage words, perhaps in the form of a story or is not, even unwittingly, favoured over them to engage all of their senses essay. Encourage their love of reading the others. This will ensure that all and therefore absorb a greater level and writing by broadening the horizons types of learners are on a level playing of information. Using trial and error, of what they read – if they are skilled at field; it will also expose students repeating tasks to try and improve reading novels, try introducing them to to the countless ways there are to the results, can work effectively for non-fiction texts or written reports on learn and engage with information, students who like to see the effects of the subject you are teaching. helping them to discover which modes their actions and concepts at play in Active learning involves being engaged of learning suit their interests and the real world, which leads me on to... with information on a number of levels personalities best. Here are just a few Real-life learning: It’s no secret – through what you see, hear, personally learning techniques that can be easily that when children are enthusiastic experience, discuss, teach to others incorporated into everyday lessons… about learning, they learn well; and so on. Therefore, be sure to present Let’s get visual: Visual aids are a therefore helping them to understand information to children in ways that really effective route to engage with the purpose of what they’re being tickle their senses, pique their interests, and play to their strengths. visual learners, and also students taught will help them retain the

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 17 Teaching

Bringing English to life Pippa Sutcliffe, the Head of English at Westbourne House, discusses the changes that have been made and the responsibility she feels for making language come alive in her classroom

I have had a range of experiences in of an 11, 12 and 13 year old. On these field writing poems and analysing my teaching career: being Head of papers, pupils are required to answer texts with discussions that went off English in both state and independent questions, analysing the effects that on imaginative tangents. We were schools (prep and senior). I have are created by a specific form of exposed to challenging texts and taught a range of age groups and a punctuation, imagery and certain expected to identify and discuss the variety of pupils, preparing them for words/phrases. themes, relating them to the social, English SATs exams, the 11+, 13+ and I feel that there is an assumption cultural and political period. It was a CASE papers, GCSEs and A-levels. that pupils are already aware of the time when grammar and punctuation Since September, I have been Head of rules of grammar and punctuation. were no longer taught formally in English at Westbourne House School. However, it seems to me that a lot English, only in Latin, French or I felt that the lessons that we were of prep school children are reaching German. teaching would benefit from a more Year 6 having not been exposed to The speaking of a language means structured approach to the teaching of any formal teaching of grammar or that we are able to communicate punctuation and grammar punctuation. The freedom of the and be understood at a certain level. Before coming to Westbourne, I was curriculum in prep schools encourages However, what it does not mean is teaching at a secondary creativity however we are still that we are formally aware of the and was therefore preparing the Year required to prepare our pupils for the grammar, punctuation, range of 7, 8, 9 and 10 pupils for the new 11+ and 13+ exams. Also, we do need vocabulary and variety of sentences English GCSEs which require a very to provide them with the foundations (simple, compound and complex) to firm understanding of the effects of to be able to tackle the new style of technically analyse our language. grammar and punctuation choices GCSE English questions. English is the most important subject made by a writer. Since September, At Westbourne, we are introducing that we can teach a pupil at school. I have augmented the teaching regular comprehension practice into Without a grasp of punctuation and of English at Westbourne House the curriculum for Years 3 and 4 pupils, grammar, a child’s understanding of by focusing on the punctuation, highlighting the key areas of grammar what he or she reads can seriously grammar and comprehension and punctuation within the text. jeopardise his or her progress in every teaching. I have also cemented a lot of other subject, including mathematics. In the past, it was thought that the excellent practice that was already because we speak English we were Instead of thinking that everyone can taking place in the department. able to easily access texts of any level. access English, should we think the 11+ and 13+ CE English papers require Whilst I was growing up, we were opposite? Should everyone be taught pupils to be able to access texts who meant to absorb the formalities of English almost like we teach Latin or have reading ages significantly above grammar subconsciously. English was French? After all, it is the foundation their chronological age. The texts used a ‘creative subject’ that encouraged to our pupils’ learning right across for these exams are often taken from the freedom of thought. At school, the curriculum. The understanding challenging novels above a reading age I remember sitting outside on the of the way grammar and punctuation

18 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Teaching

are selected to create a specific effect areas but also to illustrate them in text; highlighting their role and should be secured before any further their writing. meaning in a sentence analysis of a text or writing for effect At Westbourne House, we are • Drama – we bring a text to life – is pursued. For example, at GCSE gradually introducing our own unique children can be used physically to (especially the new English GCSE) grammar and punctuation experience, represent punctuation marks also the analysis of syntax and diction starting in Year 3 and 4 through the naming their grammatical role in a is expected to consider how writers ‘teaching’ of comprehensions. This sentence develop tone, mood and atmosphere does not mean that we just read a in a text and how they evoke the • Drama around the definition/ passage and expect pupils to answer interest of the readers. These complex meaning of words – acting out the a set of questions on it. We have skills cannot be developed unless the meaning or different meanings taken the primary school idea of basic skills have been understood. depending on the context teaching grammar and punctuation • Asking pupils to say a specific word Should we be introducing intensive and adapted it for our needs. We must to make it sound like its meaning, grammar and punctuation lessons remember that not only do our pupils adding to the atmosphere of the in order to aid both comprehension have to succeed at 11+, 13+ and CASE, piece. and writing skills in English for the but they also need to be prepared 11+ and 13+ CE papers? The SATs with the appropriate skills for the new Being taught English dynamically is papers for Year 6 at the end of Key English GCSE. essential and I do have a passion for Stage 2 in primary schools require a all areas of my subject. However, I How do we make the teaching rigorous teaching of SPAG. Areas of believe that every child should leave of grammar, punctuation in the subjunctive, active and passive prep school loving their mother comprehensions creative and exciting? voice and determiners are taught. In tongue because they understand the We do this by using the following addition to this, pupils are expected to foundations of the language and they methods: understand how colons, semi-colons love it subtleties as well. and dashes are used. Year 6 pupils are • Talking about words and what they not only required to identify these mean in a specific extract from a

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 19 Teaching

All the world’s a stage... Stefan Anderson, the Principal of Tring Park, reflects on the importance of the performing arts within a school curriculum

Open day was coming to an end wrong. Your pupils are a credit to the There are many ways to build and the father of a prospective school. They are so confident, self- confidence in our young people, sport pupil approached me and said: “Mr assured, polite and welcoming. My springs to mind, but I believe that Anderson, your school is nothing like daughter will definitely be auditioning training in the performing arts is I expected.” Well, I thought, no school for entry.” The way he emphasised one of the very best. Most children suits every one, child or parent. To my ‘confident’ struck me in particular. have an interest in one or more of the surprise, he then went on to say: “My Confidence has been described as the disciplines of acting, music and dance, daughter was the one who insisted belief in one’s ability to succeed. Every which can be nurtured. What are the that we come to your open day. My child deserves the chance to flourish benefits and skills that children learn wife and I didn’t want to. We were and thrive. Building confidence in from an education in the performing convinced that your school would children is crucial and acquiring this arts? The most obvious benefit is be full of children who are arrogant, confidence provides the foundation confidence. Piano teachers are famous brash, pushy and in-your-face. of so much of what our children will for using the phrase ‘practice makes However I couldn’t have been more achieve in their career and their lives. perfect’: mine certainly did and she

20 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Teaching

was absolutely right. The best way to Working closely with others helps to Not what one would normally expect build confidence is to work hard at the promote inter-personal skills. Artistic of a performing arts school. task in hand. This can mean hours creativity fosters emotional creativity. Of course the principal motivation for of training on his or her instrument, It helps children to make sense of a child coming to Tring Park is their in a drama rehearsal, in a dance their own emotions as well as those love of one or more of the performing studio, in an orchestra or singing in of their peers. They learn how to arts. At the junior level, children a musical theatre ensemble or choir. empathise with others and respect choose either the junior dance course The culmination of this hard work is their feelings. Some roles in shows or the theatre arts course, which the performance on stage where you will be bigger than others and not combines the disciplines of acting, have the confidence to appear before everyone can be a ‘star’ in every show. singing and dancing. At sixth form an audience and demonstrate what This will lead to disappointment there are four courses: acting, musical you have achieved. These experiences for individuals at times but, in my theatre, dancing and commercial give young people excellent self- experience, once the show has been music. presentation skills, which are cast young people are incredibly valuable far beyond the world of the supportive of each other, whether in a We are proud of our alumni. Lily performing arts. They are articulate lead role or in the chorus. We are back James appeared in the title role in and can converse with adults in a to the ‘company ethos’. the recent Disney film Cinderella and mature way. They are unafraid of played Juliet in Kenneth Branagh’s Perseverance, the ability to continue recent production of Romeo and Juliet. public speaking and have a bearing in spite of difficulty, is another key and poise which projects their self- Daisy Ridley is Rey in Star Wars: The skill. This is linked to ‘practice makes Force Awakens. Jessica Brown Findlay esteem and belief in what they are perfect’. No performer can succeed saying and doing. was Lady Sybil in Downton Abbey and without this. Perseverance allows is currently playing Ophelia in Robert Creativity is developed through us to acknowledge our failures but Icke’s production of Hamlet. Drew training in the performing arts; to learn from them and improve in McConie is the Olivier Award-winning no two rehearsals or performances conjunction with determination and choreographer. Max Westwell has will ever be identical. The rehearsal focus. There has always been a debate danced with English National Ballet process by definition involves about the relationship between talent for the past twelve years and will experimentation to find out what will and hard work. Of course a dancer soon be appearing in the West End or won’t work: a monologue might be has to have the right sort of physique production of American in Paris. There recited in 10 different ways before to succeed professionally but the cannot be many teenagers who haven’t settling on the best version; the best physique in the world is worth heard Ella Henderson’s single Ghost. choreography of a dance is constantly nothing without rigorous training. On being refined; the tempo of an a related theme the Canadian novelist We are equally proud of those alumni orchestral movement may be altered and humorist, Stephen Leacock, said: who have gone on to pursue non- and so on. Children learn to approach “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find performing careers. Last year’s Head work from different perspectives. the harder I work, the luckier I get.” Boy, a superb dancer, is now studying medicine. Former pupils have gone It develops their imagination and Just as there are a number of ways powers of self-expression. on to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, to build confidence in children there UCL, Durham, Edinburgh, New Performers often refer to ‘the are a number of ways to train in the York University and the University company’, which means the cast of performing arts. Tring Park School of Southern California to read the show. Teamwork, learning how for the Performing Arts offers one subjects such as physics, mechanical to work and get along with others, model. We pride ourselves on the engineering, history, French, is another one of life’s most useful fact that Tring Park is unique in the architecture and theology. skills. The play, the dance number, balance it gives between performing the concert will not succeed, either in arts training and academic education. Our pupils are our best ambassadors rehearsal or in performance, unless Pupils spend half the day singing, and the best advertisement for a all the participants work together. acting and dancing and the other half rigorous training in the performing The need to collaborate is essential. of the day studying the full range arts combined with a thorough In a ‘company’ there is less emphasis of academic subjects. Pupils take academic education. on winning or losing and more the standard 10 GCSE subjects in What they learn, during their time at importance on the team succeeding Years 10 and 11 including English, the school, will give them the skills as a whole. Children also learn how mathematics and science and at sixth and knowledge they need to face to compromise, if necessary, for the form there are a choice of 24 A Level the future with confidence. There is greater good. Linked to this is the subjects. If you want to do double something I forgot to mention. They emotional development of the child. maths, physics and chemistry you can! also have a lot of fun!

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 21 Teaching

True Grit Zareena Huber, the Head of English at Lochinver House, writes on how she has implemented the concept of GRIT into her classroom

I’m an English teacher by trade so I and knees down into asphalt on a flies off the back and sides of those am somewhat nerdy about the various school playground, decades before the lorries, that always seem to be going meanings that seem to be available to advent of that spongy stuff, that still a little too fast for my liking, as the us with this glorious language of ours, looks like asphalt, but to fall onto is temperatures plummet and the council often open to misinterpretation, but like landing in a pillow. The searing services try to make the morning nonetheless wonderful, and grit is no heat and pain of tiny pieces of grit commute just a little less ‘skiddy’? exception. embedded in the soft fleshy part of Before you flip to another section Those of us of a certain age can your palms and knees was a pain that in the magazine, stay with me, I’m probably still distinctly remember just kept on giving long after playtime obviously not talking about that kind the untold pain of slamming hands was over. What about that grit that of grit.

22 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Teaching

I am midway through an exciting note down occasions when they have quite breathtaking Radio 4) venture focused on developing displayed G.R.I.T during the week. and discussing how those being G.R.I.T (Guts, Resilience, Initiative, • Letters written to people they interviewed have displayed G.R.I.T. Tenacity) in my students. The admire (family members and (Some great ones include Nicola scheme has been running since the famous) for the G.R.I.T Adams, David Nott and Robert September, just in my department, characteristics. We are beginning Langer). but the hope is that it might be to receive replies into school, which • Changing the language that rolled out to other departments is tremendously inspiring for all colleagues use from ‘group’ to ‘team’. in the school, perhaps next year. the students, not only those who It’s fascinating the difference this The reason for implementing this initially wrote. has made as the students talk scheme, which I know isn’t new, about what they can contribute to is to encourage the students to be • Each student has selected a picture of someone they admire to go on the the ‘team’ for the specific task and more learning-orientated, rather also speak about not wanting to let than goal-orientated. This is not front of their exercise books so that they can feel inspired and ‘gritty’ the team down, wanting to show to say that the results we’re aiming G.R.I.T. towards are not significant, I’m not every time they start their English that naïve, but I’ve done a tonne of sessions. (Lots of great opportunities • ‘Epic Fail Board’. We have an reading (nerdy English teacher strike for both teachers and students to interactive EFB where all are two) that strongly suggests that a refer to this person to motivate them invited to write about what they’ve focus on developing learning habits not to give up). Choices have ranged royally messed up that week; lots actually increases attainment rather from Barack Obama to John Cena to of fantastic discussion and laughter than the opposite. I could now launch Ellen Degeneres. to address the idea that failure is into the theory of all of this because • G.R.I.T badges. In my experience all embarrassing and should be hidden it is actually really interesting, but I students, irrespective of age, love at all costs and how accepting know myself that when I read ‘stuff’ a badge, so I’ve had these specially failure is part of showing G.R.I.T. about education I mainly want to designed. They are extremely hard This is just a taster of some of the know what I can actually do in my to get and we awarded our first things we have tried so far that have classroom today, so below is an four only a few weeks ago, complete actually worked, and we have many outline of some of the things I have with information read out by more things coming up, including a tried that have proved successful. their teachers as to why they were G.R.I.T guide for other users. Some you may like to try and others awarded, in terms of the students The crucial element that all of these you probably won’t, but I’d encourage showing each of the four G.R.I.T ideas have in common is that we are you to start where I did with the characteristics. These students trying to encourage the students video clips detailed below, sent to me now have a dual role of G.R.I.T to see a tangible link between the by a colleague. champions and A4L (Ambassadors development of their G.R.I.T and their I began by showing the students two for Learning) when they are called ‘real’ lives outside of school. Added short video clips, showing the G.R.I.T upon in other subjects to encourage to this is that I have an incredibly of two athletes, Andy Murray (www. their peers to show G.R.I.T. supportive group of colleagues, youtube.com/watch?v=1CGbzOTI5KA) • ‘Deliberate Practice’- this is a students and parents (one of whom is and Shanntol Ince (creativity-online. 10-minute session once a week introducing DP into her workplace!). com/work/bp-shanntol-ince-deeper- (in form time) when each student I’ve been teaching for nearly than-blue/48707). The ensuing deliberately practices something thirty years and I can say without discussions with students in Years 5 very specific they want to a moment’s hesitation that I am to 8 were incredibly stimulating and improve. The point is showing enjoying my teaching now more served as a great platform for what their commitment (G.R.I.T) to than ever. I know that a huge part of was to follow. improvement. DP choices have this is that I am truly excited about Activities have included: ranged from improving 100m-sprint educating my twenty-first century timing to accuracy with weaker foot learners in a way that I know will • A display of images of children and in football to sketching hair in self- young people showing G.R.I.T increase their ability to be more portraits. effective and compassionate citizens • ‘Learning Tree’ reflective journals. • Listening to specific Desert who are full of guts, resilience, Each element of G.R.I.T is outlined Island Disc podcasts (from the initiative and tenacity. in the journals and the students

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 23 Teaching

I gotta have faith Eileen Fisher, the Junior Head of Ipswich High School for Girls, ponders the question of whether girls lose faith in their talents

A study of 400 children in the Journal researching the Titanic, finding out The foundations we lay in the junior Science has reported that although at about the football World Cup, and school and the confidence we instil age five girls believe their own gender exploring the Roman era. Our girls in our pupils continues with them as is ‘brilliant’, just one year later, at age get involved in lessons and extra- they move through the senior school six, girls start to lose confidence in curricular activities such as golf, and into our sixth form. This is themselves. football and survival skills; things evident from national statistics which So what actually happens in this year which, in other schools, may be seen show that girls are 2.5x more likely to to make such a difference? Well, for as predominantly male activities. take A Level physics at a girl’s school many children, this is the stage of These opportunities sit next to rather than a co-ed environment. education when we change from a 3-5 classroom topics about fairy tales, Our girls strive to achieve fantastic play-based and child-led curriculum to our extra-curricular knitting club and things throughout their school careers a more formal National Curriculum. netball where everyone is encouraged and beyond with a large proportion The learning is therefore dictated to take part in everything and learn going on to study at Russell Group and not led through the child’s own about their own passions with no . imagination and interests. In my view, gender bias whatsoever. One of the When I asked some of our girls in of the suspected influences are researchers from the Journal Science 1 (age six) what they think about their teachers and what is being taught discusses the idea of ‘hard work’ and gender, they informed me they would in the classroom. This linked with how pupils believe this is the key to much rather be a girl; ‘girls are much exposure to media stereotypes, parent success, particularly in girls. more sensible’ and ‘definitely then I views and messages from other Obviously we promote hard work and can boss my brothers around’ were children can all make an impact on it is even one of our golden rules in among their reasons why! boys’ and girls’ perception of gender. the junior school, ‘We work hard-we So, in an all-girl environment are Ideas such as thinking boys are don’t waste our own or other’s time’, we remotely bothered by boys, smarter, boys are in charge and boys however we also promote risk-taking, gender or stereotypes? With two go into STEM subjects more than resilience, learning from our mistakes women running the country it girls can really make a difference; and and believing in our ourselves surprises me that in this day and especially when making decisions At every opportunity we engage age researchers are still finding that about careers. and challenge the girls to develop gender stereotypes are a massive themselves in whatever activity they issue and particularly for holding At Ipswich High School for Girls, take part in. Our PSHE programme our girls-only environment allows back girls. Particularly as I work in provides strategies for our girls to an environment where this is not the to break down these stereotypes. grow and develop; a toolkit they can We find here, in our junior school case. I think it would be an incredibly delve into when in a tricky situation interesting study to look at 400 girls (for girls aged 3-11) they don’t even or a decision needs to be made. Our exist. Our girls have no boundaries; from girls’ schools and compare these Forest Schools sessions are based to co-educational pupils. Personally, they are encouraged to take risks, around the ethos of assessing risks, grab opportunities and have a go at I think we would see extremely building independence, co-operation different results. everything. and building self-esteem all in an Our curriculum is unique in that we outdoor environment where we build cover all areas with no gender bias, dens, make fires and learn tool use.

24 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Redwood Collections

Out of order? Grant Murray, Head of Risk & Compliance at Redwood Collections, explores both the moral and business cases for applying for an Order for Sale

According to the Independent Schools may not be secure. Depending on how were liquidated. Depending on the Financial Benchmarking Survey the charge was registered with HM value of their assets this could result 2015, 38% of surveyed schools Land Registry, the debtor may still in their debts being cleared, their have an unpaid debt that is secured be able to sell the property without monthly outgoings greatly reduced and via a charging order on a property. the consent of the school, leaving the substantial net funds given to them at However, very few charge holders charging order redundant and the the end of the process. realise that they may apply for an debt unpaid. This is something that Any reputable solicitor or debt order for sale that can result in the needs to be clarified. collection agency should have property being sold and the debt There will always be those who are measures in place to spot sensitive cleared. Charging orders have long simply taking advantage of the system. circumstances and take them into been a common way of enforcing Often such debtors know that the debt consideration when weighing up a County Court Judgment (CCJ). to the school will not immediately whether to issue an order for sale, It is believed that around 100,000 affect their credit worthiness in the then advise the school accordingly. charging orders are granted to same way that, for example, missing This helps to reassure the school claimants each year for anything from mortgage payments would. Priority that legal action is not issued an unpaid credit card, a water bill, or may therefore be given to their other inappropriately. unpaid school fees. outgoings rather than their obligation Further protection for the vulnerable There are many reasons why a creditor to pay the school. An application for is provided by Section 15 of the Trusts may choose to secure their CCJ with a an Order for Sale has been shown for Land and Appointment of Trustees charging order. In the case of schools, to reverse this standpoint and often Act 1996, which requires courts to it is often because there is a tacit produces favourable repayment offers consider the interests and the welfare agreement with the debtor to secure or settlements in full. of the debtor, other members of the the debt against the property until Net worth, where possible to debtor’s household (and dependent such time as the pupils finish their determine to a fair degree of children in particular) when examinations or otherwise leave at the certainty, can reasonably be taken considering a creditor’s application end of the current year or key stage. into consideration when assessing the for an order for sale. Therefore if a This is sometimes accompanied by an appropriateness of an order for sale judge ultimately approves a school’s agreement for the parents to make against a recalcitrant debtor. Some application for an Order for Sale, that token payments to clear the debt. may be experiencing genuine financial school can be sure that the decision So you have a charge on the property hardship in terms of their income/ has given appropriate consideration to and the debt is “secured” against an expenditure, but also have a very high the debtor’s circumstances. asset. But when the child has left, net worth. For these ‘cash poor, asset Finally, schools seeking assurance of the payments have stopped and rich’ debtors, does it really constitute the fair treatment of their debtors the debtor is no longer responding fair treatment of them to perpetuate should consider instructing a debt to letters – what happens next? their financial difficulty by accepting collection agency that is authorised The debtor will often be content to a low value instalment arrangement, by the Financial Conduct Authority simply let the charge remain on their keeping them indebted for an extended (FCA), the new regulator for the property. This can almost seem to be period of time, incurring even more financial services industry. Such a guaranteed long-term investment interest? Perhaps it would suit all agencies are bound by the principles (charging orders generally accrue 8% parties if the court granted the school’s of the FCA’s Treating Customers Fairly statutory interest pa) but the charge Order for Sale and the debtor’s assets initiative.

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 25 Teaching

Engaging with English

Tobias Bown, Assistant Head (Academic) and Head of Drama at The Perse Prep School in Cambridge, discusses using drama and media techniques to engage children with literature

There’s an old adage that drama The aim is to develop literacy skills in caretaker’s gruff voice, in role as the teachers are all failed actors, English a fun, dynamic and challenging way angel-like figure who is discovered by teachers failed writers and teachers and to place an equal emphasis on a boy in his garage in the book, asking who run media clubs failed radio analytical as well as creative English. “What do you want?” presenters. As Head of Drama, a This is really the next step from After screams of shock had subsided, former Head of English and the initiatives such as ‘Talk for Writing’ the children were encouraged to founding member of our school’s and ‘Drama for Writing’ which for go into role and film themselves media club, this joke begins to wear a the last twenty years have recognised approaching this mysterious character that it is much easier to describe little thin. In reality, these experiences with questions about his life, his stepping out onto a snowy scene if you have proven to me the power of motivations and his feelings which have actually had a go at it, or failing using drama and media strategies in would become part of the trailer they that (given how unreliable British the classroom to engage pupils with were making for the film. I chuckle at weather is), used the power of your literature and bring texts to life. the idea that at the end, the teacher imagination to try it and then discuss Drama and media techniques can beckoned the slightly shell-shocked the experience before putting pen to make a big difference to a child’s children back into the classroom with paper. You can spot the difference experience of a text, helping them to a cry of “Now go in and plan the rest yourself in any lesson if you compare ‘enter the story’ and develop a more of your trailer!” the quality of the children’s work rounded understanding of the world before and after they have had an A less terrifying version of this in which the narrative inhabits, which opportunity to ‘live’ the experience activity, and one which does not in turn enhances the quality of their you are trying to get them to think require you to cover yourself in learning and enjoyment of literature. about. I remember hearing another cobwebs, is the classic ‘hot seat’. This Technology plays a growing role in our teacher tell me about a school she can be given a 21st century twist lives in the 21st century. Children are had worked in where the caretaker if a media element is added to the surrounded by new ways of accessing had been asked to dress up in shabby drama. Apps such as Tellagami allow content and can often teach their clothes and sit in the school’s old you to animate a cartoon figure with teachers when it comes to the latest app air-raid shelter that was now used as your voice. Children can go into role or device. As a school where we study a store cupboard for PE equipment. and answer questions from others one set text per term and link all of our The teacher’s class had been studying in character. Some work on Thief English objectives to the book, we have Skellig by David Almond. If you know by Malorie Blackman for example, looked for ways to enhance our schemes the novel, you may be able to guess involved children dreaming up of work with a merging of drama and what happened next when the class journalistic questions to ask witnesses media activities to capitalise on the entered the pitch-dark room. The of a car accident that features in children’s interests and experiences. total silence was disrupted by the the novel. It was clear the children

26 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Teaching

understood the need to ask the participation and can also be used right questions in order to achieve to promote collaboration, problem QUICK TIPS: an eye-catching quote for the front solving and perseverance. If we Trying to find a fun way into page of their article! Combining can get children switched on to the poetry? Ask the children to drama and media does not need to delights of a text whilst we’re at it, write a rap and edit the class’ be complicated. It can be as simple as then that’s even better. At my school, efforts into a music video. We learning about story sequencing by the culmination of English for Year tried this with characters from taking photographs of the key events 6 is an in-depth study of William Eva Ibbotson’s The Secret of and writing captions alongside each Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in the Platform Thirteen. one to explain the action. summer term. We bring the children Struggling to make Shakespeare We tried this with frozen images of out on to the grass and use drama and media tools to wander the streets of relevant? Take photographs of the plot of The Knight’s Tale when dramatic moments in the play studying Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Verona, witness Mercutio’s epic death, quiz the Friar on whether he is to and use them as part of a gossip Canterbury Tales and I was in no doubt magazine article. We tried this that the experience had improved blame and debate if the protagonists’ fate could have been avoided. I with the Capulet Ball in William the children’s understanding of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. the story. Another of my favourite am in no doubt that the children’s projects involves filming and editing experience of the play is far richer Looking to improve the quality using iMovie to produce talking- as a result and this pays dividends of descriptive writing? Explain head interviews with evacuees when in their analysis, understanding and to the children that you will film studying Goodnight Mister Tom. creative responses. Although the them as they imagine stepping The children’s ability to empathise play was written over 400 years ago, into a magical world on the other was poignant and increased their a combination of drama and media side of a door. Offer them one understanding of the plight of the brings it right up to date and offers or two props to get them started main character. a range of new ways to explore the once they enter and play some story. This helps us achieve one part atmospheric music or sound A useful tip I picked up a while ago of our ultimate mission as English effects to make the experience was ‘more of the children, more of teachers: to enable children to find even more realistic. Stop them the time’. This mantra encourages their own ways to explore and engage after a minute or so and ask them teachers to think about how the with literature in the 21st century. what they have sensed (sight, highest number of children can be sound, taste, smell, touch). We involved in a learning activity for tried this with C S Lewis’ The as much of the lesson as possible. Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Drama and media activities increase

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 27 Boarding

The perfect foil for deadly Daleks Robin Fletcher, the Chief Executive of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA), talks of boarding fun and the experience many students are fortunate enough to have

parents. But just as Daleks, however times akin to inspecting the education formidable and deadly, struggle when wing of the National Trust. About they come to a flight of stairs, the a quarter of my visits have been to arguments against prep boarding can prep schools, urban and rural, large be just as fragile. Here are two good and small, co-ed and single sex. Each reasons why: school has been different in location, 1. It is common sense that boarding name, style, size, uniform ethos and will never be the right solution character (not to mention food!). Each for all children, whatever their one has been more individual than the age, and no one today argues the last. But for all their differences there point. That’s why any decision has been a golden thread stitching to board is today a three-way them together - the common sound of process involving parents, young, busy, bustling children having schools, and most importantly, fun. At a school in Wales prep boarders Disraeli was right of course. There are children themselves. proclaimed with giggles and not a indeed lies, damned lies and statistics second’s hesitation that they loved - and today they are as dangerous and 2. If boarding for young people is boarding because it got them away from persistent an enemy to prep schools so obviously harmful, why are ‘nagging parents’. They then marched as the Daleks are to Dr Who. When thousands of children at prep in their wellies across a field and bridge it comes to the very notion of young schools across the UK thoroughly to help me plant a tree in the shadow of children spending time away from enjoying themselves? the snow-topped Brecon Beacons. home in boarding schools, there are I spend hours of my working week In the north-west, a seven-year-old times when it can seem that life is reading this or that report setting girl excitedly told me all about her divided between the majority who out the wisdom and experience of first night taster boarding, and of oppose it and the minority who eminent educators. I consider the course she had brought her favourite recognise a hidden gem when they speeches and thoughts of the great and soft toy from home to join her. In see one. In the prep world, Daleks good, counsellors, psychologists and Oxford, two boarder prep boys (one determined to exterminate younger- consultants. Enough material crosses loud, one more reflective) gave me age boarding flash their falsehoods my desk and invades my inbox to fill a an expert tour, including a potted and half-truths to a susceptible and PhD thesis every year, but guess what? biography of Harold Macmillan credulous audience. The collected wisdom of a thousand whose portrait hung magisterially Children who board at prep school, expert adults counts for nothing when in the one of the rooms. At a Home they claim, can only be harmed in weighed against the direct testimony Counties’ school, two boys rushed the process, their relationships with of the only ones who really matter: in to the Head’s study to add a few parents, wider family and friends children. In my job I have the enormous more pieces to the latest Lego creation at home forever ruined. They also privilege of visiting boarding schools in - demonstrating their confidence say boarding staff, however well- the UK and different parts of the world. and enthusiasm as boarders and intentioned or trained, can never be I have entered the hallowed portals the welcoming openness of their full and proper substitutes for real of over 140 schools, an experience at environment. And at another school,

28 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Boarding

Westbourne House School boarders a pair of ebullient 12-year-old girls are young boarders having the time pack her trunk tomorrow given half explained just how much they enjoyed of their lives - the sort of kids who the chance (although I have tried to boarding on a Tuesday, Wednesday probably know by now how to build a explain that now many schools on and Thursday night each week, Dalek, and exterminate one too. remote Cornish clifftops actually exist allowing them time to do evening I am fortunate enough to be dad to in real life!). prep, music practice and drama four daughters and step daughters So as I wrote at the start, boarding rehearsals without wasted hours spent aged six to ten. Naturally one of the is not for everyone, and for some it in the car on the school run. questions I am frequently asked, might be the perfect solution at the For these girls junior boarding wasn’t because of my job, is whether my age of eight, or 11, or 13, or 16 – or about being away from home, but girls board. The honest answer is no, perhaps never; it all depends on the rather combining the best of long principally because like many UK child. What I do know, however, is weekends at home with sensible parents cost is a genuine issue and that for those lucky children who get time spent at school doing all the offering the boarding experience to the chance to enjoy the very best a myriad things busy young girls just one daughter and not all four boarding prep school can offer, deadly do. Five examples from five very would be unforgiveable! The deeper Daleks will hold no fear. different schools in different parts answer however is while I am certain Robin Fletcher is Chief Executive of of the country. Every child different each girl in their own way would gain the BSA, the largest association of but every one of them relishing the a great deal from the experience, it boarding schools in the world with experience. There will those children would not suit all of them. One of the over 500 members in 23 countries. of course who not would enjoy what I quartet for instance, while extrovert, Robin was a boarder at Rugby School have described or parents who simply full of energy and bounce (perfect and spent 30 years working as a like to have their children with them prep school material?), is very much a journalist, newspaper editor and at home. That’s natural and fine. But home bird. Her quieter sister however communications director before it does not change the fact that at prep has read every Mallory Towers book joining the BSA in 2014. schools up and down the land there Enid Blyton ever wrote and would

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 29 Murcia · Spain

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PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 31 Teaching

Books in Translation Charlotte Weatherley, the Deputy Head and Head of English at Knighton House School in Blandford, explores the benefits of the use of translated texts and international writing within the academic classroom

far away (South America: Letters to My Mother by Teresa Cardenas). Something seems to unite these titles and offers brilliant and unexpected dimensions to children’s reading and writing. I believe there is a sort of literary triumvirate in international writing for children: firstly, the openness with which complex and sensitive issues are broached; secondly, a downright quirkiness of subject matter and finally, books in translation encourage young readers to think unashamedly about the complicated business of life, in the true spirit of philosophical enquiry, which Europe in particular has never lost. I have seen meaningful discussion of complex themes, even for very My six-month-old spaniel puppy, evening reacquainting myself with young children, brought about currently very much at the chewing all the books on my shelves, which through a simple question-answer stage, recently helped himself to a were written by Europeans or were format (Ask Me by Antje Damm). favourite book of mine, as it lay on translations of books from countries Furthermore, books about being the settee. Although small pieces of further afield. Many of these different, (Bambert’s Book of Missing the text were still dangling from the books were children’s books and I Stories by Reinhardt Jung), domestic corner of his mouth, the front cover was reminded how much books in abuse (The Book of Everything by Guus and the lovely introduction by the translation have increasingly become Kuijer), cross-generational friendships book’s translator, Giovanni Pontiero, part of my repertoire in the classroom. (The Duel by David Grossman), were already beyond rescuing and In the last few years, books by Cornelia freedom and justice (From Another there was nothing I could do to Funke (Igraine the Brave) and Henning World by Anna Maria Machado), and salvage the rest. The History of the Mankell (The Cat Who Liked Rain) have even terrible parenting (The World’s Siege of Lisbon by Jose Saramago become favourite class readers with my Worst Mothers by Sabine Ludwig), had come to a spectacularly violent pupils, and on the shelves in my school are a platform for imaginative and end. In a bid to find something library are books by international worthwhile dialogue with children constructive in the doings of those authors from near (Holland: Against the and often bring about exceptionally little shark teeth, I spent an enjoyable Odds by Marjolijn Hoff) and really very honest writing in the classroom.

32 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Teaching

Books in translation encourage young readers to think unashamedly about the complicated business of life, in the true spirit of philosophical enquiry, which Europe in particular has never lost.

War is written about by foreign by Ana Salvador and Pictures That that books in translation will save writers with a ferocity which surprises Tell Stories: Art for Children’ series young readers from the awfulness of the English reader (And Picasso Painted by Prestel. Even with Year 7 and 8 narrow horizons. The writer David Guernica by Alain Serres), although pupils, art picture books provoke Almond said, ‘Our children need to we have an eye-watering openness the imagination; perhaps their be exposed to a world of voices so about teen relationships in Young very simplicity inviting discussion, that the whole world becomes their Adult fiction which makes that seem unencumbered as they are by the home.’ (David Almond, ‘Moving contradictory. weight of too much back-story; such Through Borders’, Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation, War through the eyes of the occupied is, A Bird in Winter and The Little School Librarian, Spring 2003) so it (The Boys from St. Petri by Bjarne Ballerina, both by Helene Krellis, is the duty of teachers and librarians Reuter), the displaced (In the Sea which take famous paintings and to bring those voices into the There are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda) build stories around them. In The mainstream so that this can happen. and the tortured (Traitor by Gudrun Forest by Sophie Strady is simply Pausewang) shock and grab at the a beautiful piece of art in itself, A current class of mine has just same time, particularly so adolescent but as a discussion prompt about finished reading Jean Giono’s classic, readers, who strongly need to have the sustainability and environmental The Man Who Planted Trees. The 24-hour news culture of which they activism, it is a new way in. book has been a peg on which to are a product, put into a wider, more Changing course, if you haven’t read hang grammar points (compound balanced narrative. Importantly, little When I Was a Boy, Neruda Called conjunctions) and features of personal known struggles in other parts of Me Policarpo by Poli DeLano, can I writing (Writing Task: A Place I Know the globe are brought to life in books thoroughly recommend you get a copy. Well) but it has been a fantastic in translation, which give a welcome What a way to introduce children to opportunity to discuss the power of new perspective in the classroom Pablo Neruda’s poems and a super the individual to bring about change, on more well-worn points of view starting point for modelling really the difficulties of translation and (From Another World by Ana Maria challenging writing. My class read where, if we could plant trees, we Machado). Neruda’s Ode to My Socks and finished would want to plant them. Art is seen as fundamental in the up writing odes to every favourite Charlotte Weatherley initially wrote development of the whole child to article of clothing they owned. Books in Translation for the School the European sensibility, so with For the badger alone, if not for the Library Association and will feature the removal of the History of Art A aperitif snack story, it is a must read in the next issue of their journal The Level in the news, it comes as a relief of eccentricity; who said the British School Librarian to know that fantastic art books had the monopoly on outrageous behaviour! Charlotte is the new SATIPS English for children thrive in translation. broadsheet editor Experiential learning is taken to heart And finally, as I quietly pursue the by a number of children’s authors, line that reading for pleasure will save with both the Draw with ... series the known world, I specifically believe

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 33 Leadership

A real sense of belonging James Rainer, Housemaster of St Cuthbert’s House at Ampleforth College, considers the value of communication between parents and Houseparents during and after the transition from prep to senior school

Visiting a post-13 school for the it is often their biggest worry upon hear from outside the new first-year first time is often an overwhelming leaving a prep school which they feel boys playing football on the astro-turf experience for parents and children a close and familial bond to. Our first with the older boys. The value of this alike. When a family arrive in my aim at Ampleforth is to generate a sense of home cannot be overstated; study, they are generally on a visit of sense of belonging to the House, with the child feels that their House choice two or three boarding houses before inter-house tug o’ war over the first is validated and the parents breathe a an appointment with the Headmaster weekend and fiercely competitive raft sigh of relief. and the Senior Admissions Registrar. races on one of our lakes over the These visits provide a further On paper, three-quarters of an hour second and third weekends. These opportunity for communication seems an awfully hasty period of are fun events, giving the boys and between parents and the House team. time in which to decide whether one girls many tales to tell when they For example, Matron is on hand to of my colleagues or I is going to be return home for their first reassure everyone that she has seen the best fit for both the child and weekend – which House won? Which it all before and answer one-hundred- the family through some of the most Housemistress got soaking wet on her and-one questions about name-taping important years of their lives. And raft? Who has the best House song? clothes! I encourage the parents to be yet, brief as these visits are, the choice We put photographs up of all these as open and honest with me as they regularly feels organic and exciting. events on our House Facebook pages, feel they can be; the only problems It is really the choice of House which which in turn feed through to the which we cannot arrange some degree begins the transition between prep Ampleforth app – a fantastic platform of pastoral care for are the problems school and senior school; key to this to keep parents informed of the day to which we do not know about. As such, succeeding is the relationship between day life in the House and the school as whilst the new boys are being looked the Housemaster or Housemistress, a whole. after by the older boys, I make time parents and child. As a Housemaster, I make a particular for a five minute private conversation When I am showing parents and effort to get to know the families of with each set of parents. I find it children around St Cuthbert’s, they new starters before they arrive. A tremendously useful when a prep will notice the photographs of current taster stay can be so important to school have discussed the transition students on the walls – more often calm any nerves, particularly for boys with parents as this helps them to than not wearing the green and white and girls who are going to be new to identify key points to draw to my House shirt. This is important, of boarding. Likewise, the new starters’ attention. course; the House must become akin day in late June gets all of our new One of the most rewarding aspects of to a home for the child to flourish boys and girls together; I love the my job is visiting prep schools. Not and so a sense of identity and juxtaposition of chatting through only do I get to see another world and comradeship are critical things to practicalities with parents and enjoy the energy which seems to be develop. I mention this to parents as guardians in my study whilst we can an innate part of every prep school,

34 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Leadership

but I can also cultivate relationships the development of this knowledge of service between them!) marked on with pastoral staff. The sense of is the first year tutor. At Ampleforth there - we have the chance to reflect relief from parents is palpable when these tend to be either the resident on a proud history and look forward I can talk about my connections Assistant Housemaster or Assistant with some ambition. Will this eleven with colleagues in their prep school. Housemistress, or an experienced year-old prep school boy be added to A good Housemaster will use these teacher who has often been a Year that very board in six years? Perhaps, relationships to ensure that we can 9 tutor for a number of years. The or perhaps not. No matter, really, as provide the right level of care for new tutor is the first person at the each boy and girl who passes through starters. After all, prep school teachers College to develop an overall view of Ampleforth is valued for what they will have lived with these children and the new students and is critical in contribute to our special community. know intimately what arrangements helping them to navigate their new When Francis Dobson, our beloved they need to succeed. Where there school and complicated timetable and recently retired House Chaplain, is an acute case of psychological or whilst being fully engaged with prayed not long after I took over medical need, I find it useful to visit the extra-curricular programme. as Housemaster, for the 229 St a prep school and learn from the Underpinning this is an outstanding Cuthbert’s boys who had died since pastoral systems which are already in level of communication home; the the House was founded in 1926, he place. If it can be made to work in our good is reinforced and the worries are was not doing so to be mournful or context, I have no desire to reinvent contextualised. The first year tutor, macabre. Instead, he was praying for a the wheel when it is plain to see that then, is often the bridge between family which grows by one every time a child is happy and comfortable with the need for greater independence a new, nervous face walks through the support they are receiving at prep in GCSE years and the expectations the door on an early September school. fostered at prep school of close afternoon. Their parents have a right I tell each new boy to my House that, pastoral and academic support. to be nervous and will always find a at Ampleforth, the Housemaster will As we stop towards the end of the listening ear at the end of a telephone be both their biggest fan and their House tour to look at the House line or a cup of coffee waiting when harshest critic. The Housemaster honours board - with the names of they come to visit their children. In or Housemistress has the ‘wide each previous Head of House and this sense, the senior school boarding angle lens’, we learn what makes our my predecessors (including two house is the logical next-step after charges tick and we communicate former Housemasters who chalked a happy and fulfilling experience at this back home to parents. Key to up an intimidating sixty-two years prep school.

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 35 Learning

Read, read, read! Fiona Booth, the Librarian at Dulwich Preparatory School in Cranbrook, discusses the importance of children reading for pleasure

According to UNESCO, the biggest world and a means by which the choose to read’. This is not only single indicator of whether a child is growing child can help determine demonstrably untrue (it’s about the going to thrive at school and in work what sort of person they are and only growth area in a struggling is whether or not that child reads want to be. Stories nourish emotional publishing industry) but is in danger for pleasure. Reading fiction enables intelligence. of becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy children to imagine and identify The ethos at Dulwich Prep School, if schools in particular are too quick with lives and situations beyond the Cranbrook is to assume that reading to assume that books are obsolete. boundaries of their own experience. is both essential and enjoyable, At Dulwich Prep School, Cranbrook It opens minds and hearts. It is both rather than to make the common we have a daily ‘reading period’ for a relaxing escape from a demanding assumption that ‘children no longer twenty minutes after lunch for both

36 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Learning

pupils and staff and we regularly be that of enthusing children about English and form teachers. We play incorporate library activities and the reading for pleasure; and the greatest games – for example, using a version promotion of reading for enjoyment pleasure of the job is matching the of Carel Press’s Reading Game, where into English lessons. Our theme for child to the books that they will enjoy. a selection of titles is displayed in this term, in fact, is ‘READ, READ, It is great to discuss books with the different areas, by genre. The children READ!’ The libraries in all three areas keen readers but equally satisfying have to travel from ‘island’ to ‘island’ of our school are purpose-built, light, finally to find the book that gets a when I blow a whistle ( an enjoyable comfortable and peaceful spaces, reluctant reader hooked! There are so and very un-librarian-like experience!) filled with exciting displays. We run many now to choose from - fiction choosing from each table by looking competitions, book fairs and host for boys has, particularly, blossomed at covers, blurb and then – vitally – regular author visits, keeping the since my early days of bookselling - reading the first paragraph or so of library at the bustling heart of school and there really is something in our the book. They have to think about life. Most importantly, however, we library for everyone. We also have a how they choose a book and why. have dedicated librarians in our Little huge selection of audio books, and These activities result in the children Stream (Years 1 -4) and Upper School books suitable for children with making regular ‘wish-lists’ across libraries to advise and enthuse: reading difficulties, all of which may several genres, which they can then “School libraries with enthusiastic, be borrowed. refer to when they want something experienced staff change lives. They As well as our official school book new to read. provide a means and a physical space lists of recommended titles, I publish Finally if, after all this, a child is for children, regardless of their homes a monthly blog discussing books by still reluctant to read for pleasure - and families, to have free access genre - which I think is more useful, which, of course, does happen - then to books, information and often particularly to parents, than a simple the one thing that, in my very long technology, as well as crucially, the list of titles. experience, makes all the difference, expertise to help children and young I have an enthusiastic team of is for parents to read stories aloud and people find and use it. They open Year 8 helpers who are essential to continue to do so long after the child children’s eyes to the magic of fiction, me and who are also very good at is able to read alone. Audio books help with homework and give space, recommending books to younger can be a good substitute. Children advice and joy to any child that wants children. They have their own notice can always listen to something more it.” - The Bookseller, 2016 board in the library on which they challenging than they are able to The Upper School Library, which I publicise their favourite books - read - even older, keen readers will run, is always open to the children and are rewarded for their efforts, enjoy listening to, say, Dickens - and as a place of quiet refuge, as well as occasionally with chocolate! The older it does remove, for reluctant readers, for the borrowing of books. Many children may use our digital ‘thumb- the nagging and the sense that it’s all children really need an opportunity print’ recognition system to borrow just more hard work! Instead, they can for quiet contemplation away from the books when they come into the library just relax and listen, possibly while demanding social activity of a school for prep or before school, and tend drawing or playing with Lego… All the day. If we lose traditional libraries to recommend books to each-other benefits of reading fiction, painlessly and librarians in favour of purely (which we encourage with the aid absorbed. technological options we will lose of various games and activities in Fiona has been the Librarian at not just the peaceful atmosphere of English lessons) while Year 5 children Dulwich Prep School, Cranbrook the library, but also the guidance of have a Library Lesson every week. since 2003 and prior to this worked the specialist librarian. Amazon, via This gives me an opportunity to in children’s book publishing, and as Kindle, will recommend titles based discuss with them the importance manager of the Puffin Bookshop in on previous choices; they are all likely of books and reading, to teach them Covent Garden. to be within the same genre and they how a library works and why (a will all be new titles, or titles that process which begins in Nursery) and, Amazon have a commercial interest especially, to help them to choose in promoting. A good librarian, on their reading material. the other hand, will think about what Over the years I have constructed that individual child might enjoy that a scheme of work which makes the is not an obvious choice and may be most of these Year 5 lessons. When completely unlike what the child has the children first come to Upper previously read. School in September, they fill in a The librarians at Dulwich Prep School, ‘Reader Profile’, and I get to know Cranbrook consider their main role to the children with the help of their

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 37 Teaching

WoT! is your story? Ian Morris, the Chaplain at Bishop’s Stortford College, follows on from the previous issue of Prep School to present an assembly about beginnings and the end

As this assembly has a literature story ever told – the story of Romeo person passed away it apparently theme, I began with these jokes: and Juliet. To understand these words caught the attention of the nurses in If a tree whose leaves never turn is and appreciate their meaning, we have the care home who then made copies called an ‘ever green’ what do you to read the whole story, we need to of it and circulated it around before call a book whose leave never turn? A understand the bigger picture in order it was picked up by a newspaper and ‘never read’! for these snippets to make sense. published. When we meet people for the first Why are avid readers the most You can find a video of it here: www. time, it’s like picking up an unknown youtube.com/watch?v=gTHiVT5TPsY positive people? Because they love book and starting to read it from the turning over new leaves! or get a copy of the words here: www. latter part of the story. agingcare.com/Articles/cranky- D’you hear about the library that’s The main character will act in ways old-man-legend-157110.htm I did wanting to get young men reading by you have no or little idea why behave a mixture of both – showing video opening after pub hours and has a that way. Consequently, if we don’t when it was focused on the old man Turkish takeaway inside? It’s situated take the time to read and understand then read it when it was talking in the hummus section and will be their earlier chapters, we may well end about the younger man (and showed serving “Shhh! Kebabs!!” up becoming prejudice, judging people appropriate photos from my own Show some random lines from a story by what we read in front of us without timeline to make it more personal). – you can either have them on a loop as knowing the whole story. There’s a The poem reveals that the nurses were the school gathers or stick individual wonderful poem called Cranky old only able to read the final chapter lines under chairs so the ‘volunteer’ Man/Woman that illustrates this point. of this person’s story; they only has to read it out when asked to go so. It’s about a fragile old person who asks comprehended the feeble, old fogey Once words have been shown/read out, the nurses to see beyond the façade to and were unable to see the person ask the questions – what does it mean? the person who he was and is inside. behind the frail façade. And it’s not Whose story is it from? Some say the poem was originally just the elderly we can fail to read. penned by an old lady in Dundee, Make the point: out of sync and out What about the homeless person, the Scotland whilst others claim that it was of context these words make little if refugee, or one with disabilities. The an old man in Melbourne, Australia. any sense. These words are from what truth of the matter is that as soon as some may say, is the greatest love Whichever is true, after the elderly we think we have sussed someone we become deluded and are in danger of discriminating against them. Secondly, just as we can rush to judge Don’t waste your love on somebody, who doesn’t value it someone without knowing their back Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast story so it’s easy to forget that the Did ever a dragon keep so fair a cave? future of each one of us is not yet finished. Every life is an unwritten Women may fall when there’s no strength in men. story that is yet to be completed. Your Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake. manuscript is still being worked on, Do not swear by the moon there are still plenty more blank pages to fill and none of us knows how our What does it mean? own individual story will end. What is Whose story is it from? and what has been doesn’t have to be in the future. Your story can change.

38 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Teaching

If you had met Saul around 33AD you would have thought you would know how his story would end. Compared to him, Donald Trump was a moderate! Saul was a Pharisee who thought his race was superior and even within his own race he was the most superior! Zealously he persecuted those who believed differently from him, yet his story had a dramatic plot twist. His encounter with Christ radically changed his life. Those he’d persecuted he now protected, those he’d argued against he argued for, those he’d excluded he included. Saul’s life shows that what is and has been does not mean that it will be. Our story is not yet complete, the ending is up to us. The same is true of others. We might be reading a chapter of someone’s life that we don’t like and so we metaphorically ditch the book and stop reading. We’ve made our judgement and convicted the character as guilty, unworthy, and simply not worth the effort of continuing on with their story. We then spend the rest of our lives living in the land of the deluded thinking we knew what is and was and will be for said character and thus we end up being just as prejudice as the disdainful character with which we disagreed.

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 39 FOR AGE A clawsome scorcher Are you of a 7-11s musical getting the most out of SchoolSearch?

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To win or not to win? Jonathan Slot, the Deputy Head of Eagle House in , discusses sporting success

Why is it that sport departments experience, to work hard and to try the match as a coaching opportunity. receive far more strongly-worded their best. We rarely shout and when As coaches, we’ll be on the pitch emails than any other department? individuals struggle, we’ll take them helping our kids to develop and to Unhappy with results? Ping – in to one side and fill in the gaps. We’ll enjoy the occasion. What better way comes an email. Dropped from the differentiate our lessons so that every to improve standards than in a match team? Ping – in comes another. The child is receiving personalised and environment? If the game is too one- list of complaints doesn’t end there. tuition. That’s what we all spend hours sided then we’ll mix the teams up. Matches too short, drive times to upon hours planning for. And the In the older years, match days will away matches too long, kids not tough result? Progress. That’s the barometer never be one-sided. If a side gets too enough, kids not skilled enough. Ask of classroom success. Do we teach far ahead, we’ll call the game or find any sports department for a peek into sport lessons and judge our success as a way to even it out. We don’t want their email archive. You’ll be amazed sport teachers by the same criteria? I’m to either win or lose by too large a at the quantity and tone of them. not sure. At Eagle House we are proud margin. If needs be, the coaches will be Interestingly, the music department of our sport. The kids enjoy over four on the pitch talking to the players. Win rarely hears from parents unhappy with hours of sport every week, excluding or lose, the result is not important. the standard of the school choir, choral PE lessons. Amazing. Are we successful Progress and enjoyment is everything. society or strong quartet. School drama though? According to some of the e-mails we receive and the comments What about the parents? We bring productions are always praised to the them with us on this journey. Parent hilt, regardless of the quality of acting on the side lines – probably not. We lost to our local rivals the other week. sport forums are being organised as or the number of missed or forgotten communication is vital. We hope they lines. If Little Jonny misses out on the “Disaster”. “School sport in freefall”. “We need better coaches”. will focus on the progress made, not main part in the school play, it is put the result. After the game we would down to a learning experience. Being So what does sporting success really love the first question to be, “did you dropped from the football A team? look like? We’ve decided that if a child enjoy the game?” rather than “did you Armageddon. Sport for some reason comes off the training pitch red-faced, win?” We’ve considered giving the brings out a different side to most full of smiles, having enjoyed the parents target cards for their child to parents - just listen to the commentary experience and having developed as encourage them to applaud the areas on most touch lines. As educators, we a sportsman or women, then that’s we have been working on. have become guilty of teaching to these a successful session. We’ve done our demands. The result has become more job. We don’t want our kids spending Some will argue this philosophy will important than the experience; the hours in a line waiting to work on a create kids that lack competitiveness, performance more important than the skill. We want loads of game play with who won’t learn how to lose and who’ll progress. Most teachers would shake at brief skill and tactical interludes, then be ill-prepared to learn how to win. We the very thoughts of being accused of we want to go back to the game. We disagree. We feel that this approach teaching to the test. As sport coaches, were challenged to record how much to coaching will help improve their if our main focus is on results, what’s time a child actually spends playing enjoyment of sport, in turn helping the difference? If getting one over a sport in one of our sessions. You’ll be them develop tactical know-how and rival school is all that drives the sport amazed how little that can be. teamwork. They will become better sportsmen and women who will be sessions – are we forgetting our role as And on match days? The result is not educators? much better prepared for sporting life important. In Years 3 and 4, we will once they have left our school. In the classroom, we want our kids to not keep track of the score and no be engaged; we want them to enjoy the score will be published. We will use

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 41 Communication

Gossip and communication: facts and fiction

Simon Detre, the Headmaster of St Teresa’s School, takes a look at the infamous concept of ‘fake news’ that has dominated the media

I am not a fan of Donald Trump. own points of view, naturally) and no other day I found myself sitting with Regardless of politics, compared to his media can be entirely objective. a group of girls discussing how long predecessor who seemed gentlemanly, There is bias in the news for all sorts their parents spend in the shower statesmanlike and a gifted orator, of reasons. For a start, if the media (answers ranged from “five seconds” to me Trump comes across as a simply reported the facts, the news for one mother to “far too long” for a nasty bully (and bullies always get would be much less interesting to father). their comeuppance in the end). But consumers. Gossip and scandal sell Most of us carry in our pockets a although I disagree with Trump about newspapers. Gossip can also be a plethora of different channels of more or less everything, there is one problem in schools – the gossip on communication available via our area where I can just about see his the school gate can cause widespread smartphones. Text messages, email point of view: ‘fake’ news. I don’t anxiety amongst parents, staff and and the various different flavours mean stories that have been made up pupils. Unless school communication of social media – Facebook, Twitter, and have no factual basis. No – I am is consistent, open and clear, it is WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram referring to his accusations of bias in likely to make matters worse. and many more (not to mention the the mainstream media. Trump would possibility of a good old-fashioned have us believe that the likes of CNN, For headteachers in particular, it’s telephone call). You might have The New York Times and even our not just about what you say but how thought that these would help schools own BBC are reporting with bias and you say it – every nuance is open with communication, enabling them not sticking objectively to the facts. to (mis-)interpretation. There was an old headmaster of Westminster to push out their messages loud and Whilst I do not suggest that these School who used to offer parents the clear. In some ways they do. long-established and well-respected following deal: “If you don’t believe There is another side to this though news organisations are nearly as bad everything your children tell you – apps such as WhatsApp can serve as he and his henchmen make out, about school then I won’t believe to feed and stir the rumours, so that it cannot be denied that there is bias everything they tell me about home”. what begins as ill-informed gossip can in all reporting (humans are always I applied this when, at lunch the quickly spread and take on a life of prone to bias and promoting their

42 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Communication

Parents feel that they are somehow disadvantaging their child if they don’t tutor them, because they feel that everybody else is.

its own, becoming a large scale game One area where the gossip on the old and its design was outdated. We of Chinese whispers played out over gate can cause real anxiety is when it replaced it with a responsive site that the course of an evening and, dare I comes to tutoring in preparation for works equally well on smartphones, say it, fuelled by the odd glass of wine tests. In my current school it’s the tablets and computers and included or similar which loosens the tongue 11+; at my last school it was the ISEB an online calendar so that parents (or rather, the fingers tapping the Common Pre-tests. Parents feel that can keep up with what’s happening messages in to the group chats). they are somehow disadvantaging at school. Other innovations like an Many parents are too level-headed or their child if they don’t tutor them, online booking system for parents’ too busy to pay much heed to this sort because they feel that everybody meetings have helped too, and we are of thing and the most sensible are the else is. But if a tutor has never overhauling our systems for reporting ones who simply ask the school for actually seen the test for which they and parents’ evenings so that parents clarification (“Is it really true that the are coaching children, it’s worth will receive information about their computer room is going to be done considering how effective this is likely child each half term. away with to make room for another to be. We also now have a system whereby classroom?” Answer: “No”). With these tides of information and class reps have a termly Q&A with Sometimes though, the rumours misinformation sloshing around, me and any parent can submit a go unchecked because the school is how are schools and parents to question. I was encouraged that at our unaware of them. I have seen – not respond? School communication in most recent meeting there was only at my own school – these channels the twenty-first century has to be one question about communication of parent communication take on multi-channelled – schools nowadays whereas previously there had been quasi-official proportions, with publish updates to Facebook, Twitter several. But communication – like emails sent to year groups of parents and so on, providing parents with an marketing – is one of those things using the school’s logo and colours ongoing drip feed of communication. that can never be ticked off as done. and circulating information about Some engage specialist companies It needs ongoing thought, innovation forthcoming events, homework and to help with or manage these. But and refinement of processes. more, presumably with the best this needs to be backed up with It gets trickier when the problem is intentions but without the school’s personal interaction and regular the message rather than the medium. knowledge. A deputy head friend tells opportunities for parents to talk to Have you heard the latest gossip a story of a parent who came to ask an staff. Staff – including senior staff about Donald Trump? Apparently he’s “Is it true that…” question and when – need to be visible, for example on planning to build a wall along the he set them straight on the facts, the the school gate in the mornings. Any border with Mexico! Can you believe parent retorted that they were more amount of misunderstanding can that? inclined to believe what they had often be quickly dealt with by a short conversation, to clarify a matter. Simon Detre is Headmaster of St heard from other parents on the gate! Teresa’s School, Princes Risborough. My own children’s school produces When I arrived at St Teresa’s, He tweets @SimonDetre.. a comprehensive weekly newsletter there was criticism from parents – but I know some (many?) parents about communication. Some of the don’t read it. information on the web site was

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Taking exams Kate Allen, from the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB), reflects on the dreaded exam period that every pupil endures

Summer term arrives, bringing long examiner and the ‘high’ that comes interesting to look at how an athlete days of sunshine, picnics, cricket from the feeling of stretching to or a sportsperson might prepare for a matches, sports days and, inevitably, achieve all that they can. competition. Naturally the building of exams. How do our prep school pupils Examinations are not a new aspect of strength and stamina must start early, balance the needs of their academic school life. We have all encountered at first gently, until moves and skills demands with the excitements offered them and, in varying degrees, have been mastered and muscles and in the final term of their prep school survived the experience. How, though, stamina developed. life? How do their teachers and can we ensure that our pupils’ first Practice sessions may well be short, families support them in this? experience of ‘major’ examinations focusing on one key skill at a time The absolute certainty is that all our is positive, to promote confidence until each has been mastered. pupils will meet examinations of and set the tone for their future Selective practice, to address increasing formality as they move challenges? Teachers and parents individual needs, will achieve more through their education. Most, by are at the forefront of this. With than repetition of skills which are quite an early age, will have taken their guidance and encouragement, already secure. Rest and variety examinations, perhaps in music even the most cautious of pupils will be equally critical, both to or speech and drama. Each child’s can successfully navigate their first recharge energy levels and to stop experience will be different. Some examination experiences. They will ‘burnout’ and fatigue. A trainer will have had to cope with pre-exam then build a positive attitude to take will be alongside, monitoring the nerves; others may have enjoyed with them into the years ahead. What athlete’s state of physical and the challenge of performing for the is the best way to achieve this? It is mental preparedness. He or she will

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 45

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As in sport, the preparation for examinations will start early, often built very gradually and imperceptibly as far as the pupil is concerned.

emphasise the power of positive be the case? Pupil well-being and pupil may need to try out different thinking and every effort will be academic success are not mutually approaches before knowing what made to build confidence and to focus exclusive or even in competition with works best for him or her. Many will on success. Setbacks are inevitable, each other. It is clear that pupils who benefit far more from applying their but will be met by the trainer and feel calm, confident and sensibly skills, rather than simply trying to athlete working together, looking prepared will be far better equipped to commit facts to memory. at what may have gone wrong and achieve their potential. Well-being is Focused learning will achieve more learning as much as they can from vital to achieving high standards. than hours of repetition. Short bursts the process. In this way, the athlete As in sport, the preparation for of activity are likely to be more will be able to deal with problems and examinations will start early, often productive than hours spent making build resilience and determination for built very gradually and imperceptibly revision lists. Parents may also need the future. as far as the pupil is concerned. guidance so that they give appropriate The final preparations for competition Exciting lessons promote enjoyment support to their children and help will focus on rest, good nutrition and and interest, encouraging pupils to them to approach their examinations a positive and optimistic attitude. be actively involved in their learning. with a balanced and positive attitude. No trainer would want to raise Lively and engaged teaching will We often hear our top sportsmen and levels of stress or encourage last be interwoven with opportunities women, giving thanks to all who have minute overwork. Indeed the trainer to learn the all-important skills of prepared them for competition and will make sure that his or her own reading and responding to questions contributed to their success. They demeanour is calm. It is time to let and working within time constraints. know that their achievements have the preparation stand and for the By introducing these skills steadily, in depended upon those who have given competitor to feel relaxed and ready small and achievable steps, no pupil them good advice, practised with for the challenge. Good teachers know should be daunted or feel over-faced. them, encouraged them when things this too and use the same principles Indeed, the challenges met are likely were difficult and rejoiced with them as they prepare their examination to be enjoyed and relished, fostering when personal targets were met or groups. They take time to reflect with an ‘I can do it’ mind-set from the exceeded. their pupils and help each to assess start. So, as the summer term comes to an his or her progress. They know that In sport, the importance of skills end, will our pupils move confidently confidence is crucial and that pupils practice to improve performance is to their senior school secure in the who are over-anxious will not achieve clear. Teachers and trainers make knowledge that they have all the all that they are capable of. this enjoyable for children through a skills that they need to deal with the There is much current concern in variety of activities and games. Within challenge of ‘formal’ examinations? our schools about pupil well-being academic learning and the lead-up to If so, they will have a real sense of and how to help children to maintain examinations, practice may be more achievement and a solid foundation their equilibrium in a fast-paced and complex. This is particularly the case for the next stage of their education. demanding world. Sometimes striving when it comes to the difficult topic of Our schools and teachers will know for academic achievement is seen as a revision. Here, all too often, there can that they have done their job well. cause of stress, but should this really be confusion for the individual. Each

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 47 In Response... Is homework a waste of time? Cindy Blanes, the Lower School Principal at ACS Egham International School, examines the importance of homework – in response to last issue’s article from academic coach Lucy Parsons

Homework has always been one of than interrupting family life, while everyday scenes; counting out change the biggest challenges to school and children make time to carry out a at the supermarket or using a tape home life. Family tension, stress and rigid schedule of homework when measure to size up furniture on a trip time pressures are just a few of the they return from school, learning at to IKEA. Equally, parents are actively negatives associated with homework. home can be made more meaningful, encouraged to read with students as The discussion about the value of this manageable, and worthwhile. This is much as they can and for as long as ‘traditional’ homework is ongoing; what we have replaced home work or it’s enjoyable - there is no minimum several high-profile celebrities, ‘busy work’ with at ACS: a personal, or maximum time. When reading is including Kirstie Allsopp and Gary guided approach building on class not a chore but an enjoyable activity, Lineker, for example, have called work learning which parents and students’ literacy skills benefit. for a National Homework Boycott students can share together. Day. Abandoning homework, as its More constructive currently understood, simply isn’t Supporting parents approaches going to transform the learning Rather than set homework, ACS There are far less stressful ways to help experiences of our students and help teachers instead share with parents students engage with learning outside them develop the much-needed skills the ‘units of inquiry’ or learning topics of the classroom setting than setting they require to succeed in the world for the upcoming term and suggest rigid homework assignments, like beyond the school gates. that these subjects are explored at written tasks or sums that are marked home. The Lower School intranet right or wrong. Students can often Personalised approaches hosts ‘talk topics’ which link in find homework a torment, especially if At ACS International Schools, which with lessons and can be discussed they feel they have been set impossible has three campuses in and at home around the dinner table or tasks that they must face alone. Greater London, the teaching team during car journeys. We also include Research from Stanford Graduate collaborated on a research project, extracurricular activities which tie School of Education conducted which highlighted that for homework in to each unit, such as visiting a amongst 4,300 students highlighted to be truly beneficial it has to be museum, art exhibition or hands on that over 56% considered homework highly personalised for each student. activities which can be done at home. to be a primary source of stress, whilst Traditional homework or ‘busy work’, All of these opportunities allow others reported increased levels of as it should be better known, does students to apply their class-based anxiety, sleep deprivation, exhaustion little to enhance the student learning learning in a different context. In a and weight loss. These symptoms often experience. Old-fashioned homework multi-cultural class, exploring topics increase when parents are unable to assumes that every student is the at home can be particularly important assist with traditional homework tasks same, that each has the same maturity, for students who have a native - they may simply not be equipped concentration and ability level. In real- language other than English, giving with the knowledge, time or even the life this can vary enormously from one them the forum in which to widen vocabulary to provide help. student to the next. vocabulary in their mother tongue. Homework should come with a fail- This kind of generic ‘busy work’ takes Arithmetic and literacy skills can safe - a method that allows parents up a lot of time at home, which could also be enhanced at home without to notify teachers if students have actually be used in a more effective endless sums and compulsory reading struggled with a task, or that they have way, to apply the knowledge students times. Parents can help their children worked on an exercise, with help, until develop in the classroom. Rather practice mathematical skills in no further headway could be made.

48 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world In Response...

This would signal to teachers that enhances important skills such as presentations, artistic drawings and in students need more support in specific teamwork and communication, but some cases, hand-built models. areas and students would not fear improves student general well-being. being penalised for ‘failing to complete Projects the children enjoy homework.’ If students are unable to Developing skills for the working on finish off tasks, they are often left future Through the I-Inquiry project, feeling demoralised and demotivated. Of course children need to be prepared students developed a whole range of for , and some essential life skills; time management Using home time to refresh parents may argue that traditional and organisational skills as students body and mind homework tasks are key to developing were required to work on the Children are already at school for vital skills like time-management, project both at home and at school; seven hours a day and ‘busy work’ organisation and independent study independent inquiry, exploring simply eats up their free time, when skills. However, this new approach different sources to create their they should be spending time with we’ve adopted at ACS Egham ensures planet; as well as helping develop their families and taking part in that throughout their school life, a creative mindset. Students also extra-curricular activities in order to students hone more than these basics enhanced their communication skills refresh their minds and bodies. and develop a curious mind and lifelong and public speaking through their love of learning - important attributes final presentations. Most importantly, Younger students especially should be which set students up to thrive at students were energised by their encouraged to use the time after school university and the world of work. learning and engaged with their for unstructured play - developing their subjects on a much deeper level. own creativity. It can also be beneficial We prepare our nine to eleven for children to experience boredom year olds for secondary education Setting homework for the sake of it every so often, as it acts as a catalyst through ‘I-Inquiry’ projects. These doesn’t benefit children or prepare for their imagination. are individual research topics which them in a robust way for their next students investigate over a period of steps. Where we’ve adopted our new Extra-curricular activities are vital four to six weeks. Recently students approach at ACS, we can see our for ensuring students develop into designed, created and built their own students develop life skills through well-rounded adults. At ACS, all of planets, following a unit of inquiry extra-curricular activities, spending our students can choose from over that explored the solar system. Using time with their friends and family, and 39 different sports teams; the ‘Geek their iPads, students researched the engaging at home with meaningful, Club’- a technologically skilled student characteristics of different planets highly personalised tasks, like the group that mentors teachers and other before creating and naming their I-Inquiry Projects, which equips them children; and the school’s choir and own. The final projects were then for success beyond education and bands. Taking part in sports teams presented back to the class using iPad develops a lifelong love of learning. or performing arts activities not only

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 49 In Response...

Improving the ‘pitch’ for religious education Alex Synge, a member of the ISEB RS Setters Committee, responds to Charlotte Vardy’s article on religious education at Common Entrance

a broad range of ability. The aim is to Far from being “not necessarily promote a worthwhile and respected what is best for students to learn”, “common” benchmark; sometimes the these students are – quite often, clue really is in the name. if encouraged to do so – already Ms Vardy’s special bugbear is with making searching enquiries in the the plans for philosophy in the TPR area of ultimate questions. They are Charlotte Vardy’s thought-provoking proposals. Yet she admits that she demanding that such philosophical article in the last issue of Prep School does “...empathise and sympathise debates, as envisaged in the TPR deserves a response. We all certainly with prep school teachers who find the specification, should take place in subscribe to one thing she states: prospect of tackling the problem of evil their classes and in the exam room. “… almost every head of department in and suffering or the moral argument To seek to address such demands, a senior school would agree that ISEB tempting.” arising from the pupils’ innate and Common Entrance religious studies needs So why not allow them to do so? Her deeply pondered interests, will do reform, …”. However, her commitment answer is peculiar: “… what specialist much to reduce a potential danger to pursuing, or even accepting, teachers would love to teach is not identified by Ms Vardy. She suggests such reform must be doubted when necessarily what is best for students to “the juiciest topics” (and, incidentally, she reveals in her final paragraph learn.” if such topics exist why should prep that she plans not to use the ISEB schools not be entitled to these?) will specification, instead developing If ever a consideration of the become “the subject of CE cramming.” her own curriculum and assessment philosophy of curriculum planning But there is no reason why, or planning at Ardingly College. was needed, it is at this point! Many evidence for, this being any more the would agree that it is often a good idea No doubt such bespoke arrangements case due to topic selection than in any to include what students themselves other “fact-heavy” subject. will suit some schools. However, find interesting or important. I feel ISEB seeks to promote a nationally certain that I am not the only teacher Indeed, I argue that cramming will be recognised specification of high of Years 7 and 8 to note how often less intensive than might otherwise quality, which can be widely trusted the assumed “atheism” of this cohort be the case precisely because pupils and used with confidence in a wide is expressed in such questions as: “If and their teachers will genuinely have range of settings. The standards God is great and good, why does He explored the issues as real, live and sought are as high as possible, allow famine/war/natural disaster to personal. And there is really no exam commensurate with the age group and occur”. candidate who would not benefit from

50 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world In Response...

ISEB seeks to promote a nationally recognised specification of high quality, which can be widely trusted and used with confidence in a wide range of settings.

some short-term “cramming” in the basics that haven’t been understood or in a balanced way; well-chosen and run-up to any exam. even taught at prep school.” relevant examples; another point of Ms Vardy employs a fair amount of This, and her following remark view considered, supported by clear special pleading, and not only in her about prep school teaching (“.. it isn’t reasons.” (Level 7 of 8). promotion of the non-ISEB scheme helpful when … knowledge has not been While it is helpful to have debate she has devised at Ardingly. She properly understood…”), both seem on something as wide-ranging admits that the TPR proposals “may rather condescending to prep schools. and important as a new exam well have excited pupils and parents, Certainly, one function of the ISEB specification, and the ISEB RS marvelling over the opportunity to study specification is to make available a Committee has welcomed Ms Vardy’s philosophy from 11”. common strand of knowledge taught comments, it seems that she is But she then proposes that these in Years 7 and 8, which would enable a arguing to restrict RS in prep schools opportunities “… will come at the cost Year 9 course to avoid the very pitfalls even while she admits that there of unrealistic expectations and high drop- Ms Vardy envisages. I suggest that is something to “marvel” at in the out rates for senior schools RS”. the topics throughout the proposed proposals for TPR. We would certainly specification are wide-ranging and not wish to restrict the hand of senior From “marvelling” in the prep schools many are not likely to be repeated at school head of departments. But we to “high drop-out” at the end of Year GCSE because that exam does not believe that the proposals will in fact 9 suggests that something may be require their study. broaden their scope, especially in wrong in the senior school. But she Moreover, the theology section devising interesting, non-repetitive has her own answer to this dilemma: and challenging pre-GCSE – i.e. pre- “Departments need to be able to engage includes a set of core texts that many senior schools are very pleased to recruiting – courses for Year 9, which students and show them the excitement can build on the skills, knowledge and relevance of the subject in Year 9.” find their Year 9 pupils have studied. In this way the enterprise shared and understanding at the heart of the Quite so! When I was the RS head of by teachers of all age groups, to ISEB proposals. department in a senior school, the encourage the take-up of RS at all Alec Synge has been HoD RS in promotion of the subject in Year 9 was levels, has a greater chance of success. one senior and four prep schools, possibly the key work I did. The ISEB as well as a GCSE RS examiner and RS committee is also very conscious Ms Vardy notes that a “personal moderator of coursework. He was of the need to give senior school response” is no longer required at until last year General Secretary colleagues the best possible chance GCSE. It is true that the command in SATIPS. In the increasingly distant to “pitch” their subject to potential CE is “Do you agree?”, but I wonder past, he spent a total of 15 years as GCSE candidates. Therefore, it seems how very different that is when unbecoming for Ms Vardy to suggest compared with the GCSE command Head of two different prep schools, that the context for this all-important “Evaluate this statement” with its Birchfield and Hazelwood. year group will be a negative one, final sub-command being “reach a where pupils “… don’t want to be justified conclusion”. The generic mark reprising topics already tackled in Year scheme in CE really seeks the same 8 or spending all their time going over kind of answer eg “ideas developed

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 51 Teaching

These girls can, so what’s stopping them? Charlotte Avery, Headmistress of St Mary’s School, Cambridge and the President of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) considers a positive sporting education for girls

team in junior school, while others all? The longer these seeds of doubt might have had no such experience. are allowed to grow in children’s During the first weeks of term, minds, the more they will take root teachers will ask the new Year 7 girls and children will believe that they whether they will be signing up for cannot be good at sport. Children’s initial experiences of sport the netball team. The girls who have have a defining impact on their life- This is why it is so important to lay a previously experienced competitive long attitudes to physical activity. positive physical foundation during netball are more likely to sign up Imagine being six or seven years old children’s early years. I’m sure most while the girls who don’t yet know in the playground of a new school. adults at some time in their lives will whether they would do well in the Everyone else is playing football, have had to force themselves in to netball team are less likely to have the but you haven’t quite figured out the physical activity for the sake of getting/ confidence to do so – and so a similar rules of the game – perhaps it just keeping fit. Being able to do so is a skill cycle might develop here. If you’re hasn’t been part of your experience in itself but clearly being physically not selected for the team in Year of growing up so far. Some children active regularly becomes that bit easier, 7, how then would you develop the won’t be put off and will have the and more sustainable long-term, when confidence to join the team at a later confidence to join in without a second people have found a sport that they date? Some girls go through their thought. There will be some who truly enjoy and want to do. For some hesitate, because they are too shy to entire education, and into adulthood, it might be a personal race against ask to play with the group without believing that they are ‘not the sporty the clock in a swimming pool and first knowing what will be required type’. for others it might be the adrenaline of them and whether they will be any Running must be the most accessible of playing competitive rugby with good. The one who initially hesitates sport of all: it can be done for free, teammates. There’s no one sport fits might then progress through the outdoors; it can be used to get from all solution and yet at our school we do school considered by others as ‘the A to B as part of a regular routine, or have a mantra of ‘sport for all’, which boy who doesn’t play football’ and as a means to see more of the local refers to our determination to help so isn’t invited to play in future. He surroundings, or indeed to improve each child in our care find the sport(s) perceives his barriers to joining in fitness levels. Yet there are plenty that they will enjoy, so that they have becoming bigger and bigger. of adults who consider themselves a positive experience from an early age on which to develop their attitudes to Girls starting will ‘unable to run’! What is it about our physical activity. arrive with completely different school age experiences that make sporting backgrounds to each other: children feel that if they aren’t If we want four and five year olds some will have regularly participated winning races or matches, they should to grow up bucking the current in competitive fixtures as part of a gracefully bow out of taking part at national trend – that sees young

52 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Teaching

This is why GSA member schools are doing everything they can to offer their students – girls – an alternative narrative. In a single-sex environment we are more able to promote the entire range of sports as opportunities for girls – there is no prioritising one sport for boys’ timetable and another sport for girls’ timetable. In the same 2016 GSA poll of sports directors 89% of directors said that they believe girls participate more readily in competitive sport and other fitness activities in girls’ schools than they do in co-ed schools. The lack of judgement from the opposite sex – whether you think this is genuine or simply something that teenage girls exaggerate – is not something that has to be countered in single- sex schools, and so girls even from junior school age and right through to sixth form feel much more confident about participating in different sports without any fear of being judged by the opposite sex. You might think this is not pertinent to junior girls, but a 2014 study (Biddle, Braithwaite people becoming increasingly likely themselves off in terms of one sport & Pearson, 2014, p. 129) found that to suffer from obesity, and children’s (or even worse, sport generally) by the increases in girls’ participation misconceptions about body image the time they reach senior school is in sport in single-sex contexts were continuing to plague them and play simply not good enough. not only seen in adolescent girls, a prominent role in the development As girls progress from junior school who may be experiencing body of mental ill-health – we need to do to senior school many of them will image concerns, but younger girls everything we can to instil a positive become a little, or a lot, more reticent too. At our junior school, many girls outlook while they are still forming to take part in activities when they are involved in sport at every age their beliefs. As well as providing don’t feel confident. Curricular, and and we work to ensure that there children with opportunities to try even more so extra-curricular, sport is are opportunities for all pupils to out a vast range of different types of an area that sees less and less uptake experience competitive matches sports, and giving them some freedom by girls as the older they get. Always before they leave the junior school. and ownership to dedicate their time (whose #LikeAGirl campaign was a For instance, we have a number of to those that they prefer, we also need great success) argued that 75% of netball teams, particularly in Year 5 to encourage them to believe that girls’ confidence plummets during and Year 6, to ensure that all of our however much they know or don’t adolescence – in line with their levels netballers benefit from experiencing a know, however talented they might or of physical activity. We recognise competitive environment before they might not be, they can always improve the important link between physical leave Year 6. their abilities – and that having a go is activity and the way girls learn, Sport is so important – for developing all that’s needed. and feel, about themselves, and the fitness, maintaining a healthy mind, When you consider that children in potential positive impact of sport and building friendships, challenging are still just developing PE on girls. This was evidenced in a oneself, and improving cognitive their fundamental movement skills poll of sports directors conducted by function, brain flexibility and and co-ordination, and children in the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) in academic results – that we really must are only beginning to 2016; when asked what the top benefits ensure our youngest girls embark understand the key concepts involved are for girls taking part in competitive on their adolescent years confident in team opposition games, the sport and other fitness activities, 92% and optimistic about the sporting fact that some might have written said improved self-esteem. opportunities that lie ahead!

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 53 DEC 16 PREP SCHOOL MAG 1/4 PG AD_134X90MM

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10 reasons to use stop motion animation Meriel Winwood, from HUE HD, discusses the advantages of using stop motion animation in the classroom

Stop motion animation has been real-time. Children can see the results animation in the classroom are around for many years. Previously, it of their efforts in a very short time. endless. Fostering the 21st century was only for the few and they were With the click of a button, students skills of creativity, collaboration, mostly professional movie-makers. can start animating anything from and critical thinking, stop motion Now there are many easy-to-use a favourite toy, Lego figures, clay animation elicits a high engagement software products available for creations to a 2D drawing. They from students as they plan, execute, children that can introduce them to can then edit their creation and add and present their creations. It can be the world of film-making. Using a USB sound, text and special effects where used across the curriculum. camera or visualiser, the images can they like, or they can delete or fix Animation also meets the needs be captured instantly and edited in any errors. The uses for stop motion of kinesthetic, auditory, and visual

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 55 • Early support and screening for English and Maths Physical and mental • Easy to follow programmes • No preparation required challenges for children • 5 minute sessions that work • Excellent for English as an Additional Language (EAL) Parkour and Wall Bouldering • suitable for children of all abilities • designed in conjunction with professional Parkour practitioners and climbers

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AArere youyou challenging youryour pupils?ils?

On its roof, a police car has a three-digit number divisible by 7. 10 AnOn albatross its roof, adropping police car has has covered a three-digit the last number digit. divisible by 7. 10 WhatAn albatross is the last dropping digit? has covered the last digit. What is the last digit? A 4 B 5 C 6 D 7 E 8 A 4 B 5 C 6 D 7 E 8

Here is a question from a past paper. Here is a question from a past paper. Try it out in your school. Try it out in your school. PMC helps pupils develop their Problem Solving skills. PMC helps pupils develop their Problem Solving skills. HaveHave youyou ordered yoursyours yet?yet?

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5. Art: By taking a picture at various stages in the creation of a piece of artwork you can demonstrate how the picture or sculpture is created. 6. Chemistry: Use time-lapse to capture crystal growth. 7. Languages: Tell a story and record the voiceover in a foreign language. 8. Biology: Conduct an experiment using the time-lapse feature (i.e. to watch a chick hatch) or illustrate the lifecycle of a frog or a butterfly. Mrs Z Myerson from Beis Yaakov Primary School recalls her time using stop motion: “We had the Living Egg project at school. Ten eggs delivered at day 19 out of 21. The camera monitored the cracks and eventually the moment of emergence of the chicks. (Only one didn’t hatch but that’s nature!) The visualiser caught this miraculous occurrence and the excitement of the pupils too. After two weeks it was time for the chicks to go to their new and bigger home. We will miss them but have a wonderful memory forever.” 9. Dyslexia: The ability to bring stories to life using animation has helped children in our setting give purpose to story telling. “Dyslexics find it hard to write what’s in their minds but this allows learners, and has found great success and display pupil work, lesson objectives them to write their stories.” - Mils with students with special needs and exemplary work.” & Leon Chaffrey Super Thinkers (SEN). It is popular in numerous 1. Digital story telling: Teach Ltd. maker space areas in schools, and a reading lesson by having the 10. Autism and severe learning as a tool to teach STEAM subjects. students recreate a scene from a difficulties: “I have used HUE Whatever the subject, students will book. be developing both creative and Animation software and cameras digital literacy. Teachers can assess 2. Maths: Teach math by having with my class of students who their students’ learning as they students illustrate fractions. have autism and severe learning demonstrate what they know. 3. Geography: Use stop motion difficulties. They were able to animation as a tool for create their own short movies with The headteacher of Lionel Primary minimal support – the activity School has described stop motion as students to demonstrate their understanding of physical also encouraged them to work “a fantastic resource which we have used cooperatively, something that they in our school for several years. It has processes like a volcano, stages in the life of a river, the water cycle. can find very challenging. They were been instrumental in raising standards all very pleased with the results in a range of curriculum areas. Pupils are 4. History: Re-create a story from which we put onto our MLE to share inspired and motivated and thoroughly history by building characters with families.” - Sally Paveley, The enjoy making their own films and and scenes from a historic event. Bridge School. animations. Staff use them daily to model

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 57 Teaching

Why handwriting matters Anita Warwick, Headteacher of Uplands Primary School in Sandhurst, explains the importance of good handwriting and how to make it work in your school

Some ask: “Is it worth schools value of speedy handwriting for note- mom is the only one who still writes spending time teaching handwriting taking and the skills associated with me letters. And there’s something when it seems to matter less and selecting and prioritising the most visceral about opening a letter – I less?”. I have been teaching for over important information. see her on the page. I see her in her 30 years and have never wavered handwriting’. 2. It is part of the from my belief that handwriting Authors, particularly those who really does matter. There is a special communication tools have ‘switched’ from digital to pen kind of beauty when you see a well- children need. and paper, argue that the act of executed piece of writing whether it is Even the most avid of typists agree handwriting facilitates reflection and by a pupil, teacher, friend, relative or, that everyone should be able to pick the expansion of their ideas – it is even, someone you have never met! up a pen or pencil and write well far too easy to ‘edit before you think’ Apart from my predilections, there enough that others can understand with a keyboard! are many of us who still believe in the what they have written. However, significance of handwriting. Indeed some suggest many teachers place What can you do to ensure research suggests that it matters in too much emphasis on ‘neatness’ (i.e. that handwriting is embedded some very specific ways. legibility) rather than encouraging in your school’s curriculum? 1. It has major cognitive fluency (i.e. speed). My experience 1. Create a school-wide is that once children have learnt to handwriting policy benefits. form and then join letters correctly, Writing things down means we are legibility, fluency and neatness will An aim of every school should be more likely to remember, process and follow. To achieve this, handwriting to teach every child to write legibly, expand on them. For example Steve does require regular practice. fluently and at reasonable speed. By Graham said: ‘Mastery of handwriting creating a school-wide policy you can and spelling is required for idea 3. It reflects our culture and provide every child with a consistent conceptualisation and production imagination. approach throughout their time with you. When you come to create your of high-level content’. Research has Actor Steve Carell captured this policy, you need to look at current also shown a link between children’s succinctly. He said: ‘Sending a practice, work out how you want to handwriting ability and their handwritten letter is becoming such adapt it, and agree a process for doing performance at composition. Recent an anomaly. It’s disappearing. My studies have similarly emphasised the this and measuring the outcomes. Arrange a staff meeting and discuss current practice together, sharing “Is it worth schools spending time any difficulties, concerns, successes or issues. You could use the following teaching handwriting when it questions to help: • Does the school’s current approach seems to matter less and less?” ensure that every child achieves their full potential?

58 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Teaching

• Would more children achieve handwriting fun and help children • Making water or chalk paintings on national expectations in English to develop their fine muscle control, fences, walls and concrete paths. at the end of Key Stage 1 (or visual discrimination and co-ordinate With older children, it’s a good idea equivalent) if the school’s eye-hand movement. They will also to carry out some warm-up exercises handwriting policy were different? help establish a clear preference for before your handwriting lessons. • What resources do you have or need? left or right hand. This will help children to relax the • Can handwriting practice be linked Provide opportunities for children necessary muscles and focus their to spelling/phonic progression? to draw and paint using large sheets body and brain on what they are about of thick, blank paper and a variety to do. Decide on a model to use and agree of media (e.g. wide and narrow paint the time to be given to handwriting 3. Provide clear, consistent brushes, pencils, crayons, chalks and models of handwriting as well as which materials will be finger paint). Playing music during these used and when. Evaluate and review activities can help to create a relaxing Handwriting is a skill that needs to be your policy annually if you can. It environment and will also assist in taught explicitly and with consistency. keeps both policy and guidelines alive rhythmic control. You could also try: Teachers need to model the formation and informs both old and new staff. of each letter, talking through the Teachers need encouragement too. • Threading beads, macaroni or process as they do it – ideally using Ensure you recognise, celebrate and cotton reels on wool, string or fine the same language throughout advertise your successes! plastic tubing. the school. Encourage children to 2. Make handwriting engaging! • Practising forming individual letters verbalise the process from time to – for example in a sand tray or using time. This can give you a window into There are a range of pre-writing a whiteboard. their thought processes and can help activities we can do to make you pick up on problems. Draw attention to the connection between letters and the related writing patterns. Encouraging children to use the basic handwriting patterns both for practice and for decorative purposes is a valuable technique for fostering fluency and rhythmic movement. As children grow older, it can be tempting to assume that handwriting practice can be subsumed into other curriculum areas. However, it is also necessary to provide regular lessons for the teaching and/or revision of handwriting skills. Many children enjoy the quiet concentration of handwriting practice lessons. They find that producing high-quality, well- presented work leads to self-confidence and a sense of achievement. Whether it is about helping children to think at a higher level or simply about better note-taking, writing fluently and legibly, developing a useful skill in a rounded communications portfolio, a creative tool that feeds growing imaginations and reflects our culture, or just helps children write better the argument for good handwriting skills is hard to refute. Teaching handwriting well clearly remains important!

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 59 Take your golf all the way to the top

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Magformers, the award-winning In each Magformers piece, the bonds, sequencing, geometric shape magnetic construction toy, is to magnets are safely contained recognition and symmetry. launch a new ‘Maths In A Box’ within all the edge surfaces. Every While the new supersized classroom classroom set later this year to sit magnet can rotate 360 degrees so set will be available for the next alongside its other educational lines. that it always connects when two academic year, Magformers currently Containing 192 magnetic geometric Magformers are held together. offers four educational boxed sets: the pieces, plus special maths worksheets, The magnetic pieces allow children to School Series 180, Maths 87, Maths the new set can be used by pupils identify, compare, sort and easily make 42 and Pythagoras Set. to help reach key Key Stage 1 and different 2D nets and 3D structures Other themed Magformers Key Stage 2 attainment targets in including squares, triangles, pentagons, construction sets cover STEM mathematics. Toughened ABS plastic hexagons, rectangles, cuboids, topics, using gears, air compressors, geometric shapes like triangles, pyramids and prisms. rechargeable power blocks and lights. squares and rhomboids connect Workbooks or cards are included in quickly and simply using the power of Prep magazine readers can get every set and these assist the study 20% off any Magformers order at the built-in and very safe neodymium of number of sides, edges, vertices magnets. www.magformers.co.uk using the and faces, turns, angles, number special discount code PREP17.

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 61 From the Common Room...

From the Common Room... Emma Reid tells us how former pupils from Cranleigh Prep enjoyed visiting Austin, a guide dog they sponsored during their time at the school

On Friday the 3rd of March, the Neve school, Austin Neve’s year group chose responsible for organising his first family and pupils, to raise funds for a guide dog. Austin visit to Cranleigh School, where the who left the school the previous the puppy was born on the 17th of Neve family and lots of very excited summer, finally met Austin, a August 2016 and has settled in to his former Cranleigh School pupils beautiful yellow guide dog puppy. new home, learning a range of skills thoroughly enjoyed meeting Austin. The Cranleigh School pupils sponsored that he will need as a guide dog. Austin was very bouncy and full of the puppy in memory of their friend This was the earliest available fun, lapping up all the attention from Austin Neve, a former pupil at the opportunity for the pupils to meet so many people. All the pupils and school who loved dogs and sadly Austin, as they had to wait until he staff adored him, just like their much- passed away in January 2015. The was over 17 weeks old. Our Guide loved friend, Austin. following year, whilst in Year 8 at the Dogs Community Fundraiser was

62 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world Viewpoint

Over to you...

The first word on absence from the 11th November edition has prompted some questions from readers of The Weekly Word. As I mentioned last week, the whole issue of term-time absence continues to attract considerable controversy and I note that both BBC and ITV have recently made documentaries on the subject. In one of these pieces a parent argued very strongly that they should be free to decide when they took their child out of school. As a result, the parents found themselves embroiled in a series of court cases with their local council. I have no intention of getting drawn into that particular case. However, my article has prompted some parents to ask if, given my strong conviction that taking a child out of school always harms their long-term education and progress, I believe in issuing penalty fines to parents. My reaction might surprise you. I have never issued a fixed term penalty notice to a parent for term-time absence. I will go further. Whilst I am head of this school, Lawrence Sheriff will not take this step. At first glance this may appear a contradictory stance given my views on term-time absence. However, if schools are not a partnership then they are nothing. I will continue to seek to persuade and convince on the subject, but the matter then has to rest with the parents concerned. Parents have rights and responsibilities and in the end it is a matter for them how they balance the two. I fully accept that decisions on term time absence can involve weighing up a set of complex set of competing issues. I have always taken the view, supported by the governing body, that it is up to me to raise my concerns, but that the final decision must then rest with the parent. I remember when our eldest child was born the doctor handed her to us and said ‘Right, it’s over to you now’. The phrase has always felt like a rather good summary of parenthood. I think I would now echo that doctor’s words. We have explored the evidence on term-time absence together, but each individual parent understands the full context and so has to make the final choice.

Over to you.

Dr Peter Kent is the headmaster of Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby Let us know what you think of Dr Peter Kent’s views, get in touch with us at [email protected]

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 63 SATIPS Broadsheets: Physical Education & Games

The SATIPS Broadsheets are a superb practical resource for schools. Each issue, we will highlight a different subject.

Welcome to the summer edition of the SATIPS PE and competence, and seek out knowledge about the world Broadsheet. We hope you had a great Christmas holiday (Piaget, 1972; Rogers, 1975). and are ready and raring to go for the new year ahead. Building Learning Power aims to prepare young people We are always on the look out for new contributors, so if for an uncertain future. Today’s education system needs you have something you want to publicise or even just to to be educating not just for exam results but for lifelong share some of your own or your schools success please get learning, developing wider skills and creating holistic and in contact. well-rounded learners. To thrive, or as some might say to Liz Myers, Physical Education Broadsheet Editor. survive, in the 21st century, it is not enough to leave school with an array of examination certificates. Young people Building Learning Power - Improving Teaching, need to have learnt how to be tenacious and resourceful, Learning & Education imaginative and logical, self-disciplined and self-aware, Building Learning Power (BLP) is an educational collaborative and inquisitive, resilient and self-motivated. philosophy that seeks to help young people become better Three Core Beliefs: Building Learning Power has learners, both within and beyond school education. developed three core beliefs that describes the core aims BLP aims to create a culture within classrooms and in the of it’s pedagogical philosophy. Firstly, BLP believes that wider school that systematically cultivates attitudes and the core purpose of education is to prepare young people behaviours that enables young people to face difficulty for life after school; helping them to build up the mental, and uncertainty calmly, confidently and creatively. This emotional, social and strategic resources to enjoy challenge enables them to develop the resilience and independence and cope well with uncertainty and complexity. Secondly, to overcome barriers to learning and foster curiosity and BLP believes that this purpose for education is valuable for interest in learning new and consolidating knowledge. all young people and involves helping them to discover the Building Learning Power’s vision is for young people – things that they are good at, enjoy and wish to pursue in who will be creative, energetic, and enterprising – who, the future, whilst strengthening their will and skill to be in their school years, will develop the values, knowledge, able to pursue them. Thirdly, BLP believes this confidence, and competencies that will enable them to live full and capability and passion can be developed since real-world satisfying lives – who will be confident, connected, actively intelligence is something that people can be helped to involved, in their education (Claxton, 2002). build up. These three core beliefs are particularly relevant in societies that are full of change, complexity, risk, Students who are confident in their own learning ability opportunity and individual opportunity for making your may be more likely to be able to become actively engaged own way in life. in their own learning. Active engagement is a term used to describe the notion that students learn most effectively The Three Grounding Roots: BLP developed three when they are interested, involved and appropriately grounding roots for a strong and stable foundation. challenged (DfES, 2004). This term has its academic routes Root 1: Research into the nature of learning. In the in the concept of active learning, which is considered as last ten years or so a number of disciplines have come the process in which learners strive for understanding together under the banner of ‘the learning sciences’.

64 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world SATIPS Broadsheet: Physical Education & Games

Geneticists, psychologists, developmental psychologists, enquirers with the research skills and resilience to seek out neuroscientists, sociocultural researchers and academic new knowledge. This knowledge can then be consolidated philosophers are shaping a new image of the malleability of within lessons and then developed further. young minds and BLP tries to make as much use of these Do you, or have you used a flipped classroom in your ideas as possible. own practice? What successes and difficulties have you Root 2: Practitioner research and experience. BLP is discovered using this pedagogical model? What is your grounded in the reality of schools and classrooms, and view on the flipped classroom? Please get in touch, we what busy teachers find possible, practical and interesting would be very interested to hear your thoughts. to try out. Teachers are encouraged to see themselves as research partners in the BLP community of enquiry, and where possible to write up their experiments and small action research projects. Root 3: Commitment to a vision of education. BLP is rooted on a vision of education that grows out of the real demands, risks and opportunities of the 21st century; is appealing and accessible to all young people, not just the academically ‘able’ or inclined; which values, in reality as well as in rhetoric, more kinds of outcomes than literacy, numeracy and examination grades. So BLP may appeal to anyone who wants to know how to get better results and contribute to the development of real-life learners. It is for anyone involved in formal and informal education. It particularly appeals to those who want more than sound-bites and quick fixes; who seek a satisfying approach that leads to cumulative growth in students’ real-life self-confidence and ingenuity. Building Learning Power teaches young people to become effective learners and well-rounded individuals and goes beyond just teaching students content.

For more information, please see the Building Learning Power website at www.buildinglearningpower.co.uk/ References: Claxton, G. (2002). Building learning power. TLO Limited Bristol; DfES. (2004) National Strategy: Pedagogy and Practice Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools - Unit 11: Active Engagement Techniques. London: DfES.; Piaget, J. (1972) Psychology and Epistemology. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.; Rogers, C. (1975) Freedom to learn. In Entwistle, N. and Hounsell, D. (eds) How Students Learn. Lancaster: University of Lancaster. The Flipped Classroom - A Pedagogical Model What is a flipped classroom? Why is it a useful pedagogical model? How can it be used to enhance learning? A flipped classroom may be an ideal pedagogical model for use Infographic created by Knewton and within examination subjects such as A Level, GCSE or Column Five Media. BTEC. This model may aid the development of independent

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 65 SATIPS Broadsheet: Physical Education & Games

17 Reasons Why Students Should Blog benefits this entails. Blogging is such a powerful learning tool. Why? Well here’s 15. Work is permanently stored, easily accessed and just 17 reasons for you... valuable comparisons can be made over time for 1. It is FUN! It provides students with the opportunity assessment and evaluation purposes. engage in learning using a different strategy. 16. Gives students a chance to show responsibility and 2. Authentic audience – no longer working for a teacher trustworthiness and engenders independence. who checks and evaluates work but a potential global 17. Prepares students for digital citizenship as they learn audience. cyber safety and netiquette. 3. Accessible for different learning styles – written, As you can see, blogging is clearly a powerful learning tool! verbal and video blogs. PE Research 4. Increased motivation for writing – all students will Physical literacy is a holistic concept that recognises that write and complete aspects of the post topic in writing. all people are on a journey throughout life, but how can Many will add to it in their own time, comment on we chart progress on this journey? And why is it charting other blogs an reply to comments posted on their own progress important anyway? blog. Margaret Whitehead has written previously about charting 5. Increased motivation for reading – students will spend progress as being the most appropriate form of assessment time browsing through fellow student posts and their of physical literacy (Whitehead, 2010). Each individual is global counterparts. Many will link their friends onto on a unique and personal journey, therefore in order to their blogroll for quick access. track progress on this journey, we should engage in ipsative 6. Improved confidence levels – a lot of this comes and individualised assessment (Edwards et al., 2016). This through comments and global dots on their cluster assessment has been called the ‘The missing piece’ within maps. It allows staff to often gain insight to how physical literacy research (Tremblay & Lloyd, 2010). It is students are feeling and thinking. Students can set an important step, as a clarified and standardised measure the topics for posts, this may lead to deeper thinking could provide empirical evidence for the claims, use and activities promoting independent enquirers. benefits of physical literacy. 7. Pride in their work –students will want their blogs to Although some research is beginning to tackle the issue, it look good in both terms of presentation and content. is by no means an easy task. The multi-faceted nature of 8. Blogs allow text, multimedia, widgets, audio and physical literacy makes the development of an assessment images which will encourage ICT literacy. or charting progress tool a complex undertaking (Lloyd, 2016). Whilst preserving the philosophical integrity of 9. Increased proofreading and validation skills. the concept also presents a range of potential problems 10. Improved awareness of possible dangers that may (Edwards et al., 2016). However, within , physical confront them in the real world, whilst in a sheltered literacy has been highlighted as a key performance classroom environment. indicator within the recent DCMS and Sport England 11. Ability to share – part of the conceptual revolution strategies, as such; the development of an assessment or that we are entering. They can share with each other, charting progress tool for physical literacy is now pressing staff, their parents, the community, and the globe. if we are to achieve the government’s vision for PE and physical activity in this country. 12. Mutual learning between students and staff. We are two researchers beginning a PhD with the aim 13. Parents with internet access can view their child’s work of “Developing a Physical Literacy Assessment Tool and writings – an important element in the parent for Primary School Children” and we are hoping to partnership with the classroom. contribute to the physical literacy movement by creating a 14. Blogs may be used for digital portfolios and all the philosophically aligned assessment/charting progress tool,

66 PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world SATIPS Broadsheet: Physical Education & Games

guided strongly by the work of Margaret Whitehead. academic development of Surrey Hills School as it extended As part of our project, one of our first tasks has been to from a Year 7 - Year 11 school into a Year 1 - Year 13 develop a short video, promoting the IPLA’s definition school. I have particular strengths in developing strategic of physical literacy. We wanted it to be a useful way vision and leading new innovations. I am open minded to summarise a complex definition and a way to start and enthusiastic about education and am excited at the conversations about physical literacy. We have so far used opportunity to join the School Council at SATIPS. it in presentations, lectures and of course on twitter! (www. ([email protected]) youtube.com/watch?v=umMukVTCTaQ)

We are keen to engage with a wider audience to discuss Thomas Savill and promote the concept, so please comment on YouTube, email, or tweet (using the hashtag #PL4Life) or contact us I am currently Deputy Head via Twitter (Cara Shearer – @Cara_Shearer94 and Hannah (Academic) at Dulwich Prep London. Goss – @hannah_goss). My passions lie in contemporary teaching and learning endeavours. I References: Edwards, L. C., Bryant, A. S., Keegan, R. J., Morgan, K., & Jones, A. M. (2016). Definitions, Foundations and Associations am a reflective practitioner who seeks of Physical Literacy: A Systematic Review. Sports medicine, 1-14. to evidence impact and empower doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0560-7; Lloyd, R. J. (2016). Becoming physically others to engage in evidence-based literate for life: embracing the functions, forms, feelings and flows of practice. As a former professional cricketer, I bring my alternative and mainstream physical activity. Journal of Teaching in ‘team player’ ethos into school and seek to empower others Physical Education, 35(2), 107-116.; Tremblay, M., & Lloyd, M. (2010). Physical Literacy Measurement The Missing Piece. Physical & Health with ‘growth mindset’ principles. I am a strong believer in Education Journal, 76(1), 26.; Whitehead. (2010). Physical literacy: life-long learning in both students and staff alike. Throughout the Lifecourse. London: Routledge. ([email protected]) About the Authors

Cara Shearer and Hannah Goss are both PhD students Alayne Parsley studying at Liverpool John Moores University. I have the pleasure of teaching art Contributors and DT for a living. My background We welcome any article contributions that pertains to the is in DT, but for most of my teaching topic areas listed above. If you require more information on life I have taught art. I believe my role how to write an article or for guidance please feel free to is to enthuse and inspire children contact the editor via email. to feel able to attempt any aspect of New council members this subject. I aim to give them as broad a range as possible and also to Anna Wheatley teach the basic skills needed to achieve and progress. I I have over 15 years of experience want the children to appreciate the important role that in both the preparatory and senior art, decoration and design performs in todays world. It is sectors and am currently the important to reflect, but not for too long as it is all about Academic Deputy Head at Homefield the future and pushing the boundaries. Preparatory School. In this post I ([email protected]) have focused on developing links with our neighbouring state schools while also ensuring our own educational offering is excellent. In my previous role as Academic Director at Haslemere Preparatory School, I was a key member of the team which raised the school from a ‘satisfactory’ ISI rating to ‘outstanding’. Prior to this, I oversaw the

PREP SCHOOL Reflecting the best in the prep & junior school world 67 1

SATIPSSupport and training in Prep Schools Why should my school be in membership?

• SATIPS offers a breadth of training, networking and supportive opportunities to schools in membership. • It is the ONLY organisation in Britain which is dedicated to the needs of teaching staff in Prep Schools.

• SATIPS is absolutely concerned to cater for staff ranging from NQT to Head of Department or Senior Leadership Team. We also aim to cover all age ranges from Nursery to Key Stage 3.

SATIPS offers a four-part core of activities and support:

Broadsheets These are published each term, covering a wide range of curriculum interests, as well as specific concerns: eg Senior Management, Special Needs and Pre-Prep.

Broadsheet articles are usually written by practising Prep School teachers with occasional contributions from leaders in their field. This ensures that, whatever the article is about, the reader can be certain that he or she will1 not only share subject and age-group relevance but also cultural assumptions: eg parental expectations or what “works”. Writing articles for the Broadsheets encourages staff to reflect on their classroom practice and curriculum development.

BroadsheetsSupport and trainingare edited in Prep by Schools Prep School teachers who, with proven track records SATIPSin their field, have taken on the role of subject ambassador. For further information about the Broadsheets, go to http://satips.org/ and, for sight of recentWhy editions,should my follow school the links be in to membership? “Specimen Broadsheets”.

• SATIPS offers a breadthCourses of training, and INSET networking and supportive SATIPS offersopportunities a wide range to schools of training in membership. courses, Conferences • It is the ONLYand otherorganisation In-Service in Britain opportunities. which is dedicated Courses can tobe the accessed needs ofon teaching the web-site staff atin http://satips.org/courses/ Prep Schools.

Courses are• SATIPS designed is absolutely to cover a concernedwide range to of cater interests. for staff Attention ranging is given to course fromfeed-back NQT towhich Head helps of Department to shape our or programme. Senior Leadership School Team. requests for We also aim totraining cover all is age particularly ranges from encouraged. Nursery to Key Stage 3.

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Broadsheet articles are usually written by practising Prep School teachers with occasional contributions from leaders in their field. This ensures that, whatever the article is about, the reader can be certain that he or she will not only share subject and age-group relevance but also cultural assumptions: eg parental expectations or what “works”. Writing articles for the Broadsheets encourages staff to reflect on their11 classroom practice and curriculum development.2 Broadsheets are edited by Prep School teachers who, with proven track records SATIPSSupportSATIPSSupport and and training training in inPrep Prep Schools Schools in their field, have taken on the roleSATIPS Supportof andsubject training in Prep Schools ambassador. WhyWhyWhy should should should my my my school school school be be be in in in membership? membership? membership? Competitions, Exhibitions and events for pupils SATIPS offers a variety of pupil-focussed events. 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Team. 3. • Poetry Competition WeWe also also aim aim to to cover cover all all age age ranges ranges from from Nursery Nursery to to Key Key Stage Stage 3. 3. • SATIPSKI the annual Ski competition SATIPS offers a fourSATIPS part core of activities offers and support: a wide range of training courses,held at Hemel Conferences Hempstead indoor ski centre SATIPSSATIPS offers offers a afour-part four-part core core of of activities activities and and support: support: • Annual Art Exhibition Broadsheets and other In-Service opportunities. 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SATIPSSupport and training in Prep Schools Why should my school be in membership?

• SATIPS offers a breadth of training, networking and supportive opportunities to schools in membership. • It is the ONLY organisation in Britain which is dedicated to the needs of teaching staff in Prep Schools.

• SATIPS is absolutely concerned to cater for staff ranging from NQT to Head of Department or Senior Leadership Team. We also aim to cover all age ranges from Nursery to Key Stage 3.

SATIPS offers a four-part core of activities and support:

Broadsheets These are published each term, covering a wide range of curriculum interests, as well as specific concerns: eg Senior Management, Special Needs and Pre-Prep.

Broadsheet articles are usually written by practising Prep School teachers with occasional contributions from leaders in their field. This ensures that, whatever the article is about, the reader can be certain that he or she will1 not only share subject and age-group relevance but also cultural assumptions: eg parental expectations or what “works”. Writing articles for the Broadsheets encourages staff to reflect on their classroom practice and curriculum development.

BroadsheetsSupport and trainingare edited in Prep by Schools Prep School teachers who, with proven track records SATIPSin their field, have taken on the role of subject ambassador. For further information about the Broadsheets, go to http://satips.org/ and, for sight of recentWhy editions,should my follow school the links be in to membership? “Specimen Broadsheets”.

• SATIPS offers a breadthCourses of training, and INSET networking and supportive SATIPS offersopportunities a wide range to schools of training in membership. courses, Conferences • It is the ONLYand otherorganisation In-Service in Britain opportunities. which is dedicated Courses can tobe the accessed needs ofon teaching the web-site staff atin http://satips.org/courses/ Prep Schools.

Courses are• SATIPS designed is absolutely to cover a concernedwide range to of cater interests. for staff Attention ranging is given to course fromfeed-back NQT towhich Head helps of Department to shape our or programme. Senior Leadership School Team. requests for We also aim totraining cover all is age particularly ranges from encouraged. Nursery to Key Stage 3.

CourseSATIPS presenters offers are verya four-part carefully core vetted. of Ouractivities aim is alwaysand support: to make use of known experts in their field who are also first-class presenters. Members schools receiveBroadsheets a substantial discount on course fees. These are published each term, covering a wide range of curriculum interests, as well as specific concerns: eg Senior Management, Special Needs and Pre-Prep.

Broadsheet articles are usually written by practising Prep School teachers with occasional contributions from leaders in their field. This ensures that, whatever the article is about, the reader can be certain that he or she will not only share subject and age-group relevance but also cultural assumptions: eg parental expectations or what “works”. Writing articles for the Broadsheets encourages staff to reflect on their classroom practice and curriculum development.2 1 Broadsheets are edited by Prep School teachers who, with proven track records in their field, have taken on the roleSATIPS Supportof andsubject training in Prep Schools ambassador. SATIPSSupport and training in Prep Schools Competitions,Competitions, Exhibitions andand events events for for pupils pupils Why should my school be in membership? For further information about the Broadsheets,SATIPSSATIPS go offers offersto a variety ahttp://satips.org/ variety of pupil-focussedof pupil-focussed events.events. OverOver manymany and,years years schools Schools for have have enjoyedenjoyed entering entering their their pupils pupils in events in events that that hold how a nation-widea nation-wide attraction with • SATIPS offers a breadth of training, networking and supportive sight of recent editions, follow the links to “Specimenhighwith standards. high standards. Broadsheets”. Currently, These these events events include: are: opportunities to schools in membership. • It is the ONLY organisation in Britain which is dedicated • SATIPS• SATIPS Challenge Challenge Annual (annual General general knowledge Knowledge quiz) quiz to the needs of teaching staff in Prep Schools. • National Handwriting• National Handwriting Competition, Competition held in conjunction with Cambridge• Poetry Competition University Press • SATIPS is absolutely concerned to cater for staff ranging Courses and INSET from NQT to Head of Department or Senior Leadership Team. • Poetry• SATIPSKI Competition We also aim to cover all age ranges from Nursery to Key Stage 3. • SATIPSKI• Annual the annual Art Exhibition Ski competition held at Hemel Hempstead indoor ski centre SATIPS offers a wide range of training courses,• Challenge HarryConferences Paget ([email protected]) • Annual Art Exhibition SATIPS offers a four-part core of activities and support: • National Handwriting Competition Emma McCrea ([email protected]) and other In-Service opportunities.• Poetry Competition Stephen Davies ([email protected]) Full details of all these events are at http://satips.org/competitions/ Broadsheets • SATIPSKI Gillian Gilyead ([email protected]) These are published each term, covering a wide range of curriculum interests, as • Annual Art Exhibition Alayne Parsley ([email protected]) Courses can be accessed on the web-site at http://satips.org/courses/ “Prep School” Magazine well as specific concerns: eg Senior Management, Special Needs and Pre-Prep. “Prep School”Full detailsis published of all these three events times are a year.at http://satips.org/competitions It offers readers in Prep Schools a broad range of authoritative articles on educational matters with an emphasis Broadsheet articles are usually written by practising Prep School teachers with on issuesPrep that School concern Magazine all Prep Schools. occasional contributions from leaders in their field. This ensures that, whatever Courses are designed to cover a wide range of“Prep interests. School” is published Attention three times a year. It offers is readers given in prep schoolsto a the article is about, the reader can be certain that he or she will not only share What next?broad Joiningrange of authoritative Satips or seekingarticles on further educational information? issues. subject and age-group relevance but also cultural assumptions: eg parental course feed-back which helps to shape our programme.We are proud of what SATIPS School offers. With all requests Council members andfor Officers expectations or what “works”. Writing articles for the Broadsheets encourages stillWhat working next? in Prep Joining Schools SATIPS we believe or seekingwe understand further the information? demands on staff staff to reflect on their classroom practice and curriculum development. training is particularly encouraged.We are proudworking of what in SATIPS schools offers. and are With here all Councilto support members them. and Officers still working in prep schools we believe we understand the demands on staff Broadsheets are edited by Prep School teachers who, with proven track records Please workingdo contact in school us if youand wouldare here like to support more information them. in their field, have taken on the role of subject ambassador. or if we can be of any assistance. For further information about the Broadsheets, go to http://satips.org/ and, for Chairman sight of recent editions, follow the links to “Specimen Broadsheets”. Course presenters are very carefully vetted. Our aim is alwaysDavidChairman Kendall to make use of [email protected] Newbould Courses and INSET known experts in their field who are also [email protected] presenters. SATIPS offers a wide range of training courses, Conferences and other In-Service opportunities. Director of Education Courses can be accessed on the web-site at http://satips.org/courses/ Members schools receive a substantial discount onDirector coursePaul of Jackson Education fees. [email protected] Jackson [email protected] Courses are designed to cover a wide range of interests. Attention is given to course feed-back which helps to shape our programme. School requests for Director of Training Director of Training training is particularly encouraged. Sarah Kirby-Smith Sarah Kirby-Smith [email protected] [email protected] Course presenters are very carefully vetted. Our aim is always to make use of known experts in their field who are also first-class presenters. GeneralGeneral SecretarySecretary Members schools receive a substantial discount on course fees. BillAlec Ibbetson-Price Synge [email protected]@satips.org SATIPS courses and directory Officers Chairman David Kendall Finance Director Christine Bilton [email protected] [email protected] Vice Presidents Trevor Mulryne & Richard Tovey MBE Director of Training Sarah Kirby-Smith [email protected] General Secretary Bill Ibbetson-Price Director of Education Paul Jackson [email protected] [email protected]

Members of Council Lisa Newbould ([email protected]) Brenda Marshall ([email protected]) Nick Armitage ([email protected]) Mark Middleton ([email protected]) Emma Goodbourn ([email protected]) Alayne Parsley (cheltenhamcollege.org) Jason Hyatt ([email protected] ) Tom Sevill ([email protected]) David Kendall ([email protected]) Mervyn Watch, South Lee Prep School Simon Marsden ([email protected]) Anna Wheatley ([email protected])

SATIPS Broadsheet editors Art Jan Miller, Moreton Hall ([email protected]) Classics Ed Clarke, Highfield School ([email protected]) Design Technology Gary Brown, The Chorister School ([email protected]) Mark Tovey, Bilton Grange ([email protected]) Drama Gabriel French, Ludgrove School ([email protected]) English Charlotte Weatherley, Knighton House ([email protected]) Geography Vacant History Matthew Howorth, Twickenham Prep ([email protected]) ICT Patrick Florance, Hallfield School ([email protected]) Mathematics Matthew Reames ([email protected]) Modern Foreign Languages Richard Smith ([email protected]) Music Tim Frost, The Junior King’s School ([email protected]) Physical Education & Games Liz Myers ([email protected]) PSHE Tim Pitman, Westbourne House ([email protected]) RE Richard Lock, Northwood School ([email protected] ) Science Luke Busfield, Ludgrove ([email protected]) Special Needs/Learning Development Vacant Years 3 & 4 Mark Philpott, The Elms, Trent College ([email protected]) Courses and events

A selection of forthcoming courses for Summer/Autumn 2017: 27/04/17 Non Fiction Writing London 09/05/17 Outstanding Behaviour for Outstanding Learning and Progress London 12/05/17 Learning to Learn London 12/05/17 20th Annual SEND Conference Swindon 16/05/17 Bringing Coding and Computing to Life - Early Years & KS1 London 06/06/17 In pursuit of the best Prep School curriculum London 19/06/17 Staff wellbeing and pastoral care London 29/06/17 9th National Dyscalculia and Maths Conference London 02/09/17 Digital Conference Taunton 25/09/17 English CE at 11+ London New for 2017 Introducing Certified Courses: Maximum Impact Effective Leadership * Office Management * Positive Behaviour Management * Staff Wellbeing and Pastoral Care Teaching & Learning * Team Building * Coaching & Mentoring - Education * Middle Leader’s Certificate

These courses will run as training days in London, Bristol, Birmingham and York. The cost of the day courses includes follow-up project based work and one to one feedback. They are also available as inset days. Bespoke training packages for schools are available with discount for more than one course booked. For more information please email the team on [email protected] or telephone 07584 862263.

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