Ian Thorpe has been head of Downsend School, , since 2013. The school serves over 700 boys and girls between age 2 and 13 across sites in , and . He was previously Head of Chinthurst

School, Surrey. Howard House - the original part of Downsend School

Comprehension, History or ICT? In truth, such homework using a pen and paper. They learn to Is it open only to your own pupils? Do you skills span the curriculum, so the more we can programme in our ICT Suite, but then build their consider it an integral and successful part of encourage pupils to recognise this, the more robots and toys in Design Technology. They can your marketing offering to parents? engaged they will become and they will stop also use our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Downsend+ is a fantastic seeing individual subjects as something they to access information and homework at home, facility that offers 50 weeks a are ‘good’ or ‘not good’ at. This art of ‘thinking but will always have an exercise book to track year wraparound provision for about thinking’ is called metacognition and is their work and progress throughout the year. A Downsend parents and children in the local one of the key components of outstanding pupil Technology should be used when it can help, outcomes. At Downsend, it is our approach to not because it is there; this is a trap that has community. There are courses based here, ‘creative learning’ that brings this concept to befallen too many schools! using our Pool, Astro-Turf, Sports life. Teachers recognise that the first 5 minutes Hall, Food Technology, Art and ICT Rooms of any lesson define its success. If we can ‘light One of the difficulties faced by where children can do everything from SCUBA the touch paper’ when we introduce a new parents and schools is how to to Cookery, to Golf. In addition, we concept, and have children appreciate the Q allow young people access to the run trips as far afield as Chessington World of Adventures and Sandown ski centre as transferable nature of the skills learned, we benefits of the internet whilst still ensuring are more likely to see their learning develop the appropriateness of what is written or well as water sports offsite. It’s a brilliant exponentially. Whether this is introducing seen. Many parents have blocks and monitors scheme, hugely valued by working parents of simultaneous equations through magic, on the PCs at home, but these tools are less Downsend and other local schools, and all run creative writing in our Woodland School, available - and often more complicated to and organised by our own team here, including problem-solving through STEAM activities, supervise - on mobile devices. What advice a specialist Downsend Nursery+ based at our re-enacting the Battle of Hastings on the 1st XI can you impart about keeping children safe, Leatherhead Pre-Prep. It’s important for us Football pitch or introducing fractions through and about what to say or do if one discovers to provide a service our parents need and if chocolate, we are always trying to make that boundaries have been crossed? Downsend+ supports other parents in our local learning memorable as we set about our aim of community too, we are here to help. This is unquestionably one of the ‘Inspiring Young Minds’. biggest challenges for modern Parents are sometimes tempted to parents. Smartphones are affordable You were head of the IT teaching A pay for tutoring in their enthusiasm and peer pressure can feel intense to encourage departments at Witham Hall School Q to get their children into their children to own one, not necessarily for the and at Broadwater Manor School. first choice selective senior schools, whether Q right reasons. That said, the potential for Some schools now admit to having wasted independent or state grammar. What would exposure to harm, whether through access or money on the latest gizmos without really you say to parents considering such a step? unsuitable information, is immense and parents thinking through how they would make use should always consider this when deciding This is not a modern phenomenon, of them. How do you evaluate the educational how to introduce mobile technology in their but has become more prevalent with benefits of technology in the classroom, homes. When we introduced a Mobile Phone the onset of 11+ pre-testing in the and ensure it successfully dovetails with A ban in school 2 years ago, it was to widespread local area. It has generated a momentum of its traditional methods? gratitude from the parent body. We also run own, with parents feeling forced into having As a model, education tends to termly information sessions for parents, as this tutoring as so many others are doing it. My worry operate either cyclically or like a is such a fast-moving area that they are often is that parents are not taking a step back to pendulum, swinging from side unaware of the perils facing their children. This consider the impact. As a father who has spent A no money at all on tutoring, I would certainly to side until it finds its true value. The use of was brought home to me when one of my son’s technology certainly fits this latter theme and former Year group colleagues at Caterham recommend that parents invest in music lessons, there has been significant investment in this School, Breck Bednar, was killed by someone sports coaching, cubs, guides and Duke of key area over the past 15 years. The question he had met online; he was just 14. Schools and Edinburgh long before they invest in tutoring. is, has it really affected pupil outcomes? parents have to work together to safeguard I have concerns that the tutoring industry is Interactive whiteboards are now being replaced children against such dangers. My advice to unregulated – whilst I have to conduct 12 checks by touch screens and there is huge debate parents would be to resist peer pressure and be on every individual who I choose to appoint about whether all work should be carried out strong enough to avoid giving primary aged to my staff, there is nowhere near the same on iPads. Although schools invest heavily in children smartphones, and to avoid buying age- rigour in most cases involving tutors. I would hardware, they rarely spend enough time or inappropriate games for them. encourage parents to ask: are they qualified? energy on quality training, so the technology Experienced? Safeguarded? Whilst schools have is all too often not used effectively enough. I Downsend offers a programme for never been happier, and safer places, more and believe that technology should be used as part half-terms and holidays, known more children now need counselling to cope with of a teacher’s toolkit, not as the golden cure. Q as Downsend+ which along with stress, invariably imposed from home. Parents Downsend pupils can still research using our regular school provides activity 50 weeks a should consider the impact of this pressure on tablets and thinkpads, but tend to record their year. How is this administered and managed? their children. Continued Overleaf >

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