What to Look for in a School ·Autumn Term Parents
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ISSUE 110 OCTOBER 2016 www.familiesonline.co.uk · What to look for in a school · Autumn term parents evenings · Open Day dates · Half term activities for the kids Families West · PO Box 32231 · London W5 1JR · Tel: 020 8930 4707 · Email: [email protected] 2 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR October 2016 CONTENTS In this issue... We are back with all things to do with education in West London. Are you looking around for next year or for the future? This is the issue for you. It is packed with useful information about the schools to choose from and what to look for. Good luck in your search! Contents Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Families West Magazine @FamiliesWest School News & Views Page 3 ‘Families West is part of Families Magazines Ltd a franchise company. Education Page 8 All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families® is a registered trademark of Families Magazines Ltd, Remenham School Open Day Dates Page 12 House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks, SL8 5TD. The contents of Families West are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or What’s On in West London Page 14 photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of the publisher. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be Classified Section/ held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence. ’ Half Term Workshops Page 20 Designed by Martin Driscoll. Email: [email protected] Printed by The MANSON Group Limited, 8 Porters Wood, Valley Road Industrial Estate, St Albans AL3 6PZ. www.mansongroup.co.uk October 2016 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR 3 EDUCATION Library renovations at Orley Farm Tim Calvey, headmaster at Orley Farm School told us about the new library they have set up at the school . “Here at Orley Farm we decided to continue our edu - cational revolution in the library! I am very conscious that schools and communities are merrily downsizing these essential places of wonder and replacing them 11+ interviews at Notting with a suite of tablets that can be trolleyed into any Hill & Ealing High School space offering, in my opinion, a poor substitute. As this Lauren Smith, Registrar at Notting Hill and Ealing High School was a boarding school set up in 1850, the dining hall explains what happens at the 11+ interview, “Every girl applying was understandably at the heart of the school, food to us is invited for an interview in January. We hold our inter - for the body. However, we are now a thriving forward- views across several days so the interview date may fall before looking day school that must capture and light the or after the 11+ exam itself. Staff conducting interviews don't imaginations of 500 pupils and therefore the entire old see the examination results so there is no advantage to a date either before or after the 11+exam date. Girls are interviewed dining hall has been converted into our stunning new on a one-to-one basis for about 15 minutes. The interview is a library, food and inspiration for the very soul! This is not chance for us to meet each girl applying to us and get to simply a school library, it is haven in the busy and know her better, so that we have as much information about bustling day to take time out for selfish indulgence... each applicant as possible when making our decisions. Girls do and I am delighted that pupils and staff are making the not need to bring anything to the interview, there is no aca - very most of it, so much so that we are drawing up demic content as such and no special preparation is required. plans for an extension linking a junior common room for We do understand that the thought of an interview can be nerve-wracking but our team of interviewers are all very Yr7 and Yr8 pupils to this space .” experienced. They will swiftly put your daughter at ease, get www.orleyfarm.harrow.sch.uk her talking and girls generally come out smiling. Encouraging your daughter to read regularly and talk about what she is reading, encouraging her to form opinions and express her views and to talk about her interests and ambitions are proba - bly the most useful preparation for interviews at this age. But perhaps the best thing parents can do to prepare their daugh - ters is to remind them that there are no right or wrong answers in an interview and to just be themselves. Parents do not attend the interview at NHEHS but are of course welcome in school on the day. We provide tea, coffee, newspapers (and the famous Noting Hill & Ealing flapjacks) so that the experience is as relaxed as possible for parents too!” www.nhehs.gdst.net Developing a real understanding of Maths and Science Clifton Lodge , like many prep schools does a great job in ensuring that pupils have the mathematical and scientific knowledge to pass exams and get into very academic schools. State schools for many years now, have used SATs levelling, which again is very knowledge focussed. However, whilst this can lead to pupils having considerable knowledge, it does not lead to mastery of the subjects. Real mastery comes from getting pupils to critically assess and evaluate a mathematical or scientific idea or hypothesis. Additionally, and of more concern, is that the subject can become very dry and uninteresting for the pupil who may then be put off the subject for life. The Government has also finally woken up to this by a move to assessment without levels and in particular, the concept of mastery. “At Clifton Lodge we have introduced Critical Thinking into the curriculum. The concept of critical thinking gives pupils an opportu - nity to develop their thought processes and begin to ask some fundamental questions (Kipling’s 6 wise men). It also leads to a greater understanding of how Maths and Science interrelate and form the basis of much of the world. This concept of mastery lies in the demonstration or application of a subject concept outside of lessons and thus looks at a more holistic and interesting approach to understanding a subject. “ Dr. Tony Thamia, Headmaster of Clifton Lodge Prep School, Ealing. www.cliftonlodgeschool.co.uk 4 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR October 2016 SCHOOL NEWS & VIEWS Computer Science: Left brain? Right brain? Or both? Thames Christian College has always been at the forefront of technology and as a Google Reference Site treats Computing as a fourth Science. Programming is highly creative. Our updated Computer Science curriculum is designed by two teachers with extensive experience in the software development industry. It includes principles of object orientated design and coding in high level programming languages like Java as well as the visual environments such as App Inventor which creates apps for Android tablets and phones. Drawing on the school's very successful and innovative approach to Maths, the curriculum now teaches concepts before knowledge and skills. In this way pupils learn to solve not just specific problems but also use that under - standing to solve a whole range of problems. Pupils take Computer Science IGCSE early which looks at both theory and a number of practical programming tasks in high level languages . For more information visit: www.thameschristiancollege.org.uk Or contact: 020 72283933. New facilities at Stellar exam results at St. Benedict’s St. Augustine’s Priory Students at St Benedict’s in Ealing are celebrating an St Augustine’s Priory, Ealing’s leading Catholic excellent set of A Level and GCSE results. At A Level, Independent Day School for girls aged 3-18, has there were record numbers of A* grades and nearly ¾ of grades were A*- B. GCSE students collectively gained announced plans to invest significantly in further 238 A*s and 385 As. In fact, almost half of all exams developing facilities across the 100 year old site. taken at GCSE were graded A* or A. These results The ambitious ten-year capital development reflect St Benedict’s commitment to supporting all chil - programme is planned in 3 phases, and com - dren to develop their full potential and its proud aca - menced in August 2016. Phase 1 begins the com - demic record. Inspections by ISI (November 2012) and plete refurbishment of the school hall and instal - Westminster Diocese (September 2013) have endorsed lation of new entrance facilities, with an estimat - our success in fulfilling the School’s aims and have recog - ed date of completion in May 2017. Phases 2 and nised the many strengths of the School. More recently, in 3 include a new purpose-built Sports Hall and August 2015, The Telegraph Performing Arts Centre. These new facilities will included St Benedict’s among its list of ‘ten best value complement the existing full-size, floodlit private schools in the UK’, the only London school to be included. Retiring Headmaster, Chris Cleugh, said “ I am Astroturf, specialised Science Centre, Forest delighted for all our students and their teachers - their School, Meadow and Open Air Theatre, all of hard work has been rewarded. I wish them every future which serve to differentiate St Augustine’s Priory success. ” www.stbenedicts.org.uk among the capital’s independent schools. The 13 acres of grounds in which the school sits provide a physical freedom unique in the heart of London. The school is working closely with relevant plan - ning authorities as well as environmental experts to ensure the project reflects sustainability goals.