Independent Educ Today Sept 2015

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Source of
Keeping CALCIUM
bones strong
Growing muscle,
skin and organs
Source of
PROTEIN
Source of
FIBRE
Eat ng
L fe
for
Slow-releasing
carbohydrates
providing longlasting energy
Avoiding
sugar, salt and
saturated fat
See page
Source of
35
Maintaining a VITAMINS
healthy body
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Issue 62 | September 2015 | 3.99 where sold
iE
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Celebrating the UK's private schools
IN WITH THE NEW

Wear it's at: new uniforms, keeping up traditions
and top tips from schoolwear suppliers
IN THIS ISSUE:
SCHOOL
FINANCE
COMMENT
& OPINION
SPECIAL REPORT
- TEACHING
Paying for 'extras'
Steiner myth-busting
Bucking the trend
How schools can help

parents balance the costs
The rumours and realities

of Steiner education
What's new in the

classroom this year?
OUR SERVICE IS
AS BESPOKE AS
OUR UNIFORMS
Uniform is an integral part of your
schools brand identity, so you need
a partner who is expert in creating
distinctive designs and sourcing high
quality fabrics which make an impact.
We also tailor our wide range of
support services to make buying easy
all year round. With 90 years
experience, maybe its time you tried
us for size.
retail shops
school shops
popup shops
www.stevensons.co.uk
online
t: 01727 815715
e: info@stevensons.co.uk
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Celebrating the UK's private schools
CONTENTS
32
22
R EG U L A R S
13
06 News
Updates from around the sector, from particle physics
to academy sponsorship to new builds
20 The smell of fresh stationery
FE AT U R E S
Hilary Moriarty reflects on her own school days and

what it means to be a great teacher
13 Wear it's at
35 Insight from the experts
Simon Fry investigates new uniforms and existing

traditions, while top suppliers offer their advice
When it comes to teaching healthy eating habits, the

younger the better, says Sue Parfett
Cover image: the new Rossall school uniform designed and supplied by Schoolblazer. Photo Schoolblazer
22 Navigating discrimination
Alice Reeve from VWV offers examples of school
discrimination cases and advice on how to stay
compliant with the Equality Act
42 All abroad
Ted Underwood shows us how valuable it can be to join
up with schools around the world
28 Bucking the trend

In our special teaching and learning feature, Stephanie
Broad explores a number of new trends in classrooms
across the country
32 The kids are alright

Lancing College is investing in facilities to offer pupils
an even better experience. Mark Milling tells us about
what makes Lancing so special
37 More than turning taps off

Protect your liquid assets - Amar Hussain shows us
how to be more water-efficient
37
20
Next month:
October The Furniture Issue

Furniture and storage solutions
Travel and transport - where to go
Fix up, look sharp
traighten your tie - it's a brand

new term and your students are
looking sharper than ever. Take a
look at our special uniform feature
on page 13, which is packed with insight
from top schools and schoolwear suppliers.
This summer saw some of the
highest ever results in the International
Baccalaureate. More schools are choosing
to offer the diploma programme as an
alternative to A levels, with 4,997 students
collecting results this year - an 11 per cent
increase over five years. In an increasingly
global business community, having an
internationally-recognised qualification
can only be good for students' career paths.
Just like any new year, 2015/16 is full
MIS solutions - the latest developments

Our regular columnists
share their views
of possibilities. Looking for something

fresh to try in your classroom?
With many schools concerned about
the 'skills gap' between what's on the
curriculum and what's required in the 21st
century workplace, our feature on teaching
and learning trends will offer plenty of
food for thought. We also take you behind
the scenes at stunning Lancing College
(page 32), show you how to be more water
efficient (page 37) and unravel the myths
of Steiner education on page nine.
We'd love to hear what you're up to.
Have you got something to say on a hot
topic, or a great piece of news to share
with us? Send it to me at stephanie.
broad@wildfirecomms.co.uk.
Until next time,
Stephanie Broad
Editor
Connect with us
For all the latest news and views in independent schools, visit: ie-today.co.uk
www.facebook.com/ietoday
@IE_Today
IE
Managing Editor Hannah Oakman | hannah.oakman@wildfirecomms.co.uk
Editor Stephanie Broad | stephanie.broad@wildfirecomms.co.uk
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Simon Fry, Rebecca Tear, Helen Jeys, Hilary Moriarty, Alice Reeve, Ben Arnold,
Andy Badger, Tom Allardice, Stacy Leidwinger, Sue Parfett, Amar Hussain, Lee
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0 4 | ie-today.co.uk | @ie_today
DIARY | OPEN DAYS
Making a good impression

Open days and individual visits have different emphases, but the key to the success of
either is in the preparation, says Rebecca Tear
n open day is an excellent way to
showcase the school and whet a
parents appetite in an unpressured,
group environment. It will often be the
visitors first experience of the school and
therefore serves to introduce the school, its
grounds, its staff and its processes to them.
First impressions really do count. The
experience needs to be smooth and easy
right from the start be that the reply to an
invitation to attend or to finding an available
parking space and knowing where reception
is. This means that preparation for these key
recruitment days starts months before the
date itself.
vital it might be that they meet and greet

the visitors on arrival, guide them around
a part of the school or chat with them over
coffee. Your pupils are your greatest asset
and giving them the chance to showcase
the school is also good for building their
presentation and communication skills.
An open day is a lot of work and coordination, but it only happens two
or three times a year, so go for it.
Individual visits to the school happen
throughout the year and are often a followup to an open day. Parents will have chosen
an individual visit for a reason, so take time
to ensure it is personal. Always look back to
management team will also make the

visitors feel special and that their child, their
visit and their questions are important.
A successful visit ends with your visitor
leaving feeling as if their questions have
been answered. It also means that the
team in school are already getting to
know your visitor well and so it will be an
easy transition for them into the school
community: time well invested. iE
YOUR PUPILS ARE YOUR GREATEST ASSET

Dont forget: many of the visitors are
busy parents so an email reminder of
when to arrive and the key points of the day
would be well received about a week before.
Similarly, many of the staff around school
will be busy with their day-to-day routines,
so dont forget to remind everyone. The day
will work better if everybody feels included.
On the day, it is important that the
school is looking at its best: grounds tidy,
displays interesting and giving a sense of
what pupils get up to. Parents want to know
what their children would do at the school
and to feel it is going to make a difference
for their son or daughter. Having relevant
members of staff, both academic and
support, on hand to talk to parents at some
point during the day will give visitors the
opportunity to ask questions that either
they have prepared previously or have come
up during the visit. Ensuring that current
pupils feature somewhere in the visit is also
see what contact the visitor has made with

the school before when they last visited,
what they are specifically interested in and,
of course, if they are friends with or related
to any current or past pupils. This will
ensure you make them feel known, valued
and welcomed. Whatever you do, dont give
them the same tour that they had a month
ago at open day. If you can, spend extra time
in the subject area that they are interested in,
select a tour guide with the similar qualities
and hobbies, include a talk with relevant
members of staff or even let them catch
up with current pupils who are friends.
A big deal can be made of alumni find
any long-serving members of staff who
may remember them or even show them
their old form room or dorm. If they feel
like they are back at home, their children
will notice and it will warm up the visit
no end. Making time for a chat with the
head or another member of the senior
Rebecca Tear is headmistress

of Badminton School, Bristol
W: www.badmintonschool.co.uk
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@ie_today
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ie-today.co.uk|
0 5
SCIENCE NEWS
I N N O VAT I O N N E W S
Students collide
with particle physics
Physics students from St Albans School

recently visited CERN to talk to scientists
and engineers about the Large Hadron
Collider and learn more about the
development of particle physics. The
group of 40 students and staff also visited
the UN in Geneva and observed delegates
debating the crisis in Syria. The aim of
the trip was to inspire pupils to consider
careers in physics and engineering.
Physics is an extremely important
subject and very popular at the school,
with 120 students taking physics at A-level
in both year groups, says St Albans
headmaster Jonathan Gillespie. The visit
was a great success and will now become
an annual fixture.
Oundle pupils
encouraged to
collaborate
Former Sony CEO and chair Sir Howard
Stringer returned to his old school to
deliver this years Oundle Lecture. His
talk, The Robots are Coming, looked
at embracing entrepreneurial drive in
order to take risks and innovate and
at the acceleration of technological
advance. He reflected on his time at
Sony and urged pupils not to protect
what they have too jealously, but to
collaborate with others. If you think
that someone elses idea is better,
join them, he said. A charity dinner
following the lecture raised 1,750 for
Oundles Life-changing Bursary Scheme,
which aims to provide fully funded
places at Oundle for talented children.
L - R: S i r H o w a r d S t r i n g e r a n d H e a d m a s t e r ,
C h a r le s B u s h
BUILDING NEWS
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
SPONSORSHIP NEWS
STUDENT
New 2 million centre for prep school
ursery pupils at Eversfield

Preparatory School in Solihull
donned hard hats and highvisibility safety gear to get a
sneak preview of the schools new sports
and performing arts facilities shortly before
they were completed. The 2 million
project, known as ESPACe, is being built by
construction firm Stepnell and incorporates a
multi-purpose school hall and swimming pool.
Stepnell site manager Kevin Hudson
said: The nursery children, who are based
in the neighbouring early years building,
have been fascinated by the project. Theyve
loved seeing the construction equipment in
action and watching the development take
shape. Its been great to see them taking
such an interest and, when we were nearing
completion, we organised the tours for
small groups of nursery pupils to show them
round the facilities and give them the chance
to ask questions. They were particularly
impressed with how much bigger the new
hall is than their old assembly hall.
The new hall trebles the prep schools
indoor sports space, with facilities for
badminton, mini tennis, mini-basketball,
indoor hockey, cricket and many other
sports. The building will also be used for
large assemblies and drama performances.
It also includes a foyer, office and reception
area linking the hall and indoor pool to
the existing sports changing rooms.
School staff go mobile
ablet devices are now used

by more than 54 percent of
independent school staff, a
recent survey has discovered.
The results of Capitas research also found
that 56 percent of respondents said that
the use of tablets was primarily driven by
the schools senior leadership team.
There has been much media attention
around the growth in the use of tablets to
enhance pupils learning, but very little on the
benefits that these devices can bring for staff,
said Julie Booth, head of SIMS Independent,
which is part of Capita and conducted the
survey at its annual conference. When
teachers workloads are under the spotlight,
the survey results suggest that many school
leaders are starting to champion the view
that technology also needs to ease the burden
of administration for teachers, freeing them
to spend more time with their pupils.
More than 32 percent of respondents said
ils
m E e sfield
P r e p v is it th e n e w
fa c ilitie s
STUDENT NEWS
SCIENCE NEWS
I N N O VAT I O N N E W S
ool
BUILDING NEWS
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
SPONSORSHI
New Hall School celebrates academy success
he first independent school

to sponsor a state primary
and support its transition to
academy status has seen its
work rewarded by an Ofsted outstanding
rating for leadership and management
at Messing Primary School in Essex.
The inspectors praised the schools
extremely rapid improvements over
the past two years in all aspects of its
work, the partnership with New Hall
and the change to academy status.
New Hall School was approached by
the Department for Education in 2012 and
invited to sponsor the small rural primary
school, which Ofsted had placed in special
measures the year before. Messing was
launched as an academy inSeptember 2013
with 40 pupils. The partnership means
pupils can access facilities at the independent
school and that subject teachers from New
Hall assist those in the primary school.
New Hall principal Katherine Jeffrey
says: It is wonderful to receive the news of
this accolade for Messing Primary School.
It always made perfect sense for New Hall
School to share its educational expertise
M e s s in g P r im a r y S c h o o l c e le b r a te th e ir
'O u t s t a n d in g ' r a t in g
to benefit childrens learning and we were
proud to be the first independent school
to sponsor a primary academy. This is
a fantastic example of how schools can
work together in the community, to share
professional expertise and resources.
Nottingham High School turns co-ed
F
that tablets were being
used by staff to access
email and deliver
lesson content and a
quarter said that they
were recording or
tracking attendance
on them. The survey
also found, however,
that concerns around
bring your own
device (BYOD)
remain in some
schools and nearly
70 percent said their
schools did not have a
BYOD policy in place.
Te c h n o l o g y c a n
h e lp w ith te a c h e r s '
a d m in is tr a tio n ta s k s
or the first time

in the schools
502-year history,
Nottingham High
School is now admitting
girls to its sixth form,
reception and years one
and two. Girls will be able
to join year seven and all
other years from September
next year. A recent sixthform induction day gave
the first girls a chance
to meet each other and
be introduced to sixthform life. They also took
part in an orienteering exercise around the
school and a careers profiling session.
The induction day went extremely well
and the students really seemed to enjoy
themselves, says headmaster Kevin Fear.
We are delighted that we have such a strong
sixth-form intake of both boys and girls this
year. We believe that the time to make this
change is now, when the school is achieving
high standards in terms of examination
success, pastoral care, co-curricular activities
and is in a position of financial stability.
No t t i n g h a m H i g h S c h o o l s t u d e n t s g e t t o
k n o w e a c h o th e r a t th e o p e n d a y
Zara Barnes, aged 16, adds: Im excited
to be one of the first girls to experience
the opportunities that Nottingham High
School offers. Its an exciting change and Ive
appreciated how welcoming and friendly
everyone has been. I really like the feel and
atmosphere here, its an amazing school.
@ie_today | ie-today.co.uk| 0 7
NOTICEBOARD
.
S
L
L
A
H
OF FAME.
Celebrating high achievers in
all areas of independent schools
SPORTS HALL
Oundle keeper signs with
Premier League Football Club
SCIENCE LAB
Winning is an exact science
for Polwhele House pupil
William Orwin, a year three pupil at Polwhele House in Truro,
has been awarded first prize in the junior category of the 2015
Bill Bryson Prize for Science Communication. The international
awards for 5-18-year-olds are organised by the Royal Society
of Chemistry. For his entry, William created an episode of
science news a bulletin outlining some of historys most
important scientific discoveries made by chance. Russell Main,
head of science at Polwhele House, is delighted: Its fantastic
to see our pupils garner such a passion for science, and the
time, effort and detail put into Williams entry shows his love
of the subject. William attended a ceremony in London where
Bill Bryson and Royal Society president Dominic Tildesley
presented him with his prizes.
Farnborough student
wins history prize
Imogen Usherwood from Farnborough Hill School has won the
15-18-year-old category of the Chalke Valley History Prize for
historical fiction. Imogens novel 300 Seconds, 300 Days is
the story of a Jewish family en route from the Krakow Ghetto
to the Sobibor extermination camp. Imogen received her award
from novelist Sebastian Faulks at Chalke Valley Festival. I loved
being in the company of so many gifted young people who all
shared the same interests and finding out what inspired them
to write historical fiction, she says. Imogens history teacher
Phil Gillingham adds: To even be short-listed for the award is a
tremendous success. To win is an extraordinary feat.
LIBRARY
Having started at Lincoln City as U11 goalkeeper, Oundle pupil

Freddie Craven has moved to Leicester City as U12 goalkeeper
on a one-year contract. Playing for the team I support is a dream
come true, he says. I do my homework at lunchtimes and catch up
any lessons I miss as soon as I can. Missing lunchtime football with
my friends is difficult, but I realise I have to make choices so that I
can go to Leicester to train with my squad.
Highlights for the team include a Premier League tournament in
Ypres and playing Chelsea and Liverpool away. We have played
some great football, but its all about our continued development.
Only the first team needs to win, adds Freddie.
When it comes to your ICT...
42% of independent
schools have no
strategy for their ICT.
Your future depends on your learners and your learners

depend on ICT; its an integral part of their social, school
and future working life.
Make your school fit for the future with an innovative
ICT strategy supported by RM Education.
You can depend on us to help you

be independent.
.com/independent
PARENT COMMUNICATION | COMMENT
Do parents need to know

everything?
Helen Jeys looks at the pros and cons of sharing assessment records with parents
TO P :
to s c h
d e c id
in fo r m
re v e a
It i s u p
o o ls to
e h o w m u c h
a tio n is
le d to p a r e n ts
Sometimes
what seem to be
the most risky
educational
decisions are
the ones worth
making
Parents may feel

that this data
provides a level of
certainty about
GCSE results that
is not the case.
Furthermore, a
test completed on
a single day can
never provide a
definitive summary
of academic ability
and cannot replace
the professional
judgement of
teachers. Indeed,
in an article in
iE
February 2014,
the view expressed
by one parent
Read more from Helen Jeys here:
reflects the dangers
of sharing such
n the maintained sector,
information with parents and
parents have an
their children: My son was
I
independent right of
told he was heading for a B in
access to their childs educational
GCSE maths and science but
record. There is no equivalent in
a D in French, which was a bit
our sector and it is up to us to
surreal, says Esther Williams
decide how much information
from Esher in Surrey, whose son
about a student we want to release
sat the tests last year. It seems
to parents. It is clear that involving
ludicrous that they could predict
parents in their childs education is
that when he had only started
positive for all concerned.
French a few weeks before. He
However, should this openness
was instantly put off the subject
extend to sharing the results of
you could see him switching
baseline assessments such as those
off at the parents evening when
provided by CEM or GL
the teacher was talking.
Assessment? Do parents really need
Along with a number of schools,
to know these results? Should we
at Manchester High School for
just keep these results to ourselves
Girls, we have decided to take
for the purposes of tracking and
the plunge and share some of
monitoring of academic progress?
this data with both students and
Many schools do not share the
their parents. However, to do this
results of these tests with their
successfully, I feel that parents
parents and there are many good
must be provided with sufficient
reasons for this decision. Many
information to interpret the results
teachers I have spoken to fear
accurately. Doing this face-tothat sharing this information
face ensures that information
with parents, who do not fully
is given appropriately and that
understand the tests or how they
the results are provided with the
may relate to future GCSE success,
appropriate health warning that
is potentially very dangerous.
they are, as described by Kate
Helen Jeys is deputy head at Manchester High School for Girls W: www.manchesterhigh.co.uk
Fallon, a snapshot of a childs

ability to answer those particular
questions on that particular day.
Nevertheless, although this is
the case, the results provide
extremely useful starting points
for discussions about a particular
child and it is this point which, for
me, makes this decision a positive
one. For instance, I had a very
interesting conversation with one
parent who was concerned about
a relatively disappointing result
which related to her daughters
understanding of vocabulary. Her
daughter read regularly and had
always been regarded as extremely
able in English. I suggested that
she should not change her opinion
about her daughter; there are
many reasons she may not have
scored as well as expected on
this aspect of the test. However,
several weeks later, the parent
came back and said that she had
started asking her daughter about
what she was reading; what was
the story about? What did this
particular word mean? What did
she enjoy about the book? As a
result, she discovered that her
daughter was skimming the story
and interestingly the more
challenging words it contained.
This information resulted in her
taking a much keener interest in
her daughters approach to reading.
This was certainly an example
for me of the effectiveness of
sharing such data with parents. If
the results are provided within a
suitable context, not only can our
conversations with parents be far
more transparent, but we engage
our parents with the educational
process. This, in turn, can have
a hugely positive impact on their
ability to interact with us as
teachers and with their children.
Sometimes what seem to be the
most risky educational decisions
are the ones worth making. iE
COMMENT | HEADMASTERS
The value of a good

headmaster
A good headmaster can elevate a schools
performance and wellbeing, says Ian Hunt
TO P L EF T: Ia n
H u n t is M a n a g in
Di r e c t o r o f
Ga b b i t a s
Ed u c a t i o n
TO P RIGH T:
We l l i n g t o n
C o lle g e , h o m e o
th e a n n u a l S u n d
Ti m e s F e s t i v a l o
Ed u c a t i o n
ir Anthony Seldon, former Master of

boost in confidence. A new head will need to steady the
Wellington College, addressed his final Speech
ship, and be very visible to staff, students and parents.
Day audience on leaving and there is no doubt
Just like in the world of football, a poor appointment
that he is happy - at least if his recent foray onto
can have disastrous consequences. Such appointments
YouTube is anything to go by.
that do not fit are more common than one might think
It is very likely that the governors of the college, his
and the outcome can be terminal if the cash flow of
employers, are also very happy. In his tenure as Master,
the school is precarious. Most heads that apply for
Seldon took the College to new levels of performance
the top position will be capable of fulfilling the role.
(both financially and academically) and has generated
However, it is not the case that they will all succeed
universal awareness. In just six
in the role to which they are appointed.
A new head will
years, Wellington has jumped 193
A school's culture is driven by its head, and the
places in the school league tables.
parents, alumni and often the local community
need to steady the
Wellington is now synonymous
buy into this - or not. A mismatch of head
ship and be very
with the concept of mindfulness
and school can see pupil withdrawals and very
and wellbeing in schools. It has
quickly a relatively financially secure school can
visible to staff,
happiness classes on the curriculum,
be on the verge of closure. Governing bodies,
students and parents" often with great and honourable intentions but
and Seldon is constantly referred
to in all things related to these
little experience of running schools, will make
subjects. He has also introduced Confucius classrooms
a decision on a new head based on attracting someone
for the teaching of Mandarin, opened two schools in
with the qualities that the previous incumbent lacked,
China and an academy in England. And, of course,
often forgetting those excellent traits that they did
Wellington is the home of the annual Sunday Times
possess. Thus a 'yo-yo' mentality springs up as schools
Festival of Education, which grows ever-larger year
are led by alternate philosophies The last one was a
on year. In financial terms, his time in office can also
sportsman, we now need an academic and vice versa.
be deemed to have been a great success. Wellington
What rarely happens is the long term strategic
has, in this period (2006-14) significantly more than
planning that should accompany all appointments.
doubled its income from all activities to over 48m.
This will ensure that the new incumbent is more
The decision all governing bodies have when
likely to be the right person to deliver the results
appointing the new CEO of the school is a huge
that the governors, parents and most importantly,
one. Seldon was already a successful academic and
the pupils deserve and expect for their school.
educational leader in his own right before he came to
As Sir Anthony happily dances off to the
Wellington, having turned around Brighton College.
University of Buckingham, Julian Thomas will
Research has shown that a new head of an
have some big shoes to fill, but he will certainly be
independent school can have as much as a 3m 'bounce'
navigating his own pathway as he takes Wellington
effect on the school in the first two years. This is a huge
into its new era. Same same, but different? iE
benefit - if they get it right. The parents buy into a new
Ian Hunt is Managing Director
direction and confidence grows as new, fresh ideas
of Gabbitas Education
and impetus is created. The situation can be slightly
W: www.gabbitas.co.uk
different when a school is looking for stability and a
f
a y
f
STEINER SCHOOLS | COMMENT
Telling fact from fiction
Its time to put the myths about Steiner education to bed and understand the realities, says Ben Arnold
AB O VE: S t u d e n t s
le a r n a v a r ie ty o f
skills at Elmfield
Ru d o l f S t e i n e r
S c h o o l
B EL O W:
B e n Ar n o l d
teiner or Waldorf education is the fastest

growing education movement in the world.
Ive been a Steiner parent for six years and
have helped run Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School for
three. Elmfield accepts children aged three to GCSE. It
has been shortlisted for five national education awards
in the last three years and was a winner at both the 2013
Independent Schools Awards and the 2015 Education
Business Awards.
COMMON MYTHS
Teachers design
their own lessons
and pupils make
their own books
for each topic,
often using
paintings and
drawings
Steiner schools settle for low academic standards.

Our GCSE results have been the best across all schools
in the area for the last three years. We tracked the
destination of all our year-11 leavers over a five-year
period: 11 percent gained places at Oxbridge.
Pupils can do what they like. Our pupils certainly
cannot do what they like. We have robust policies
covering behaviour, attendance and dress code.
Steiner parents are new-age hippies. You are
more likely to find a Green voter among our parents,
but they come from a wide variety of backgrounds:
lawyers, GPs, plumbers, company directors, nurses,
neuroscientists, musicians etc.
Steiner was a racist, therefore all Steiner schools are
too. Like many early 20th-century intellectuals, Steiner
had some ill-judged views about race. These have no
place in any school. Unfortunately, critics still quote
Steiners writing, assuming that a century later, there
might be a Steiner teacher somewhere who adheres to
Steiners views on race. This is daft. Perhaps the best
counter-argument is that the only mixed-race school in
South Africa during apartheid was a Steiner school.
THE REALITIES
We start formal classroom-based teaching, including

the three Rs, at around age six or seven. Before this,
our pupils play outside in all weathers, splashing in
puddles, making mud pies and climbing trees. They
also bake, sing, prepare lunch together and listen
to stories. They develop a curiosity for the world,
respect for adults, social skills and emotional skills a
foundation that allows them to flourish once formal
learning begins.
Our class teachers stay with their class for eight

years. They get to know children and their families
intimately. They design lessons to meet the needs of
that particular group of children. Subjects like science,
languages and crafts are taught by specialists.
Art, movement, the outdoors, crafts and music are
woven into each days learning. This year, for example,
our year-five pupils learned about animals by rearing
chicks and caring for the fully grown chickens and our
year-11 students used outdoor surveying techniques to
apply trigonometry.
We think making the first lesson two hours long and
studying topics for intensive three-week blocks helps
deep learning take place. It allows pupils to immerse
themselves in a topic and gives teachers time to bring
a topic alive through music, drama, crafts, art and the
outdoors.
We dont use textbooks until the GCSE years.
Teachers design their own lessons and pupils make their
own books for each topic, often using paintings and
drawings.
Our curriculum meets the needs of the developing
child. For example, when children are going through
adolescence, they learn about renaissance, revolution
and exploration in history, somersaults in gym,
overcoming fear on an expedition and independent
expression in English.
We run our schools in a different way. Most schools
are run by a teacher democracy. All teachers meet once
a week, discuss the pupils progress and make decisions.
School fees are low (typically 1,000-2,500 per term).
There is less focus on tests and exams. Fewer GCSEs
are taken. We are less concerned with sending children
out into the world with a list of qualifications. Our
main concern is the development of confident, creative,
purposeful, socially responsible and well-balanced
young people. During the GCSE years less than half
the timetable is devoted to GCSEs. Local colleges
comment on our students curiosity, creativity and
ability to think for themselves. iE
Ben Arnold is business manager at Elmfield Rudolf

Steiner School, Stourbridge W: www.elmfield.com.
COVER FEATURE | SCHOOL UNIFORM
WEAR
ITS AT
The new school year will see a new uniform
at some of the countrys independent
schools, while some interesting traditions
remain in place, writes Simon Fry.
Main image Loongar | Dreamstime.com
any pupils returning to independent

schools this term will do so in a variety of
new garments and outfits, incorporating
modern and traditional materials in the
classroom and on the sports field. Branding remains
of major importance, while two schools continue
to operate alternative arrangements to the norm.
A kilt interweaving the school colours has
recently been adopted at St Marys School for Girls,
Colchester. It was time for a change from the navy
straight skirt that had been part of the school uniform
for the past eight years, said St Marys principal,
Hilary Vipond. The girls have taken to the kilt very
quicklyits comfortable and practical to wear all
year round. Parents like it because it is much more
difficult for the girls to modify the length! Also its
machine washable and doesnt need ironing.
As a privilege, from September students in year
11may wear a smart navy blue suit, sourced by shop
manager Johanna Lowery from a corporate outfitter
rather than a school uniform supplier. We found
the corporate outfitter offered a range of styles in all
sizes, marking a distinction from the uniform worn
by pupils lower down the school and making the
oldest students feel very professional, she said. Girls
have the choice of a skirt or trousers with a matching
jacket and a white or pale blue coordinating shirt.
Similarly, the schools PE kit has been upgraded to
take advantage sports fabric technologys innovations.
ST MARY'S
TO P : Gi r l s f r o m S t M a r y ' s s h o w o f f t h e i r
n e w s p o r ts k it a n d k ilt, w h ic h in te r w e a v e s
t h e s c h o o l's c o lo u r s
Replacing the white polo shirt

and royal blue shortsare a sky
blue and navy girl-fit top,
coordinating with a skirt
andshorts in the same colours, a
navy fleece, navy training top
and bottoms and sky and navy
hooped socks. The new kit is
much more comfortable while
being active and this encourages
the girls to put more energy and
enthusiasm into their PE lessons
and training,said St Marys
head of PE, Emma Hawkins.
Its also a flattering cut and
pupils feel proud to be
representing their school at
sports fixtures and competitions
when wearing it.
EWELL CASTLE
WE ARE RAISING OUR STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS THROUGHOUT ALL AREAS"
TO P : Ew e l l C a
S c h o o l s tu d e n
s h o w c a s e th e
u n ifo r m
AB O VE: Th e
s e w in g r o o m a
K i n g Ed w a r d ' s
S c h o o l Wi t l e y
s tle
ts
n e w
The introduction of girls into Ewell Castle

Schools senior school this year has precipitated a new
uniform. Pupils are able to wear the current or new
uniform in the 2015/16 academic year (although a
mix-and-match policy is not allowed) with the new
uniform the sole option from September 2016.
This new uniform includes the introduction of
a new, bespoke wool tartan designed by the school
and produced by Marton Mills, registered with the
Scottish Register of Tartan (registration number
11,288.) The tartan is dark blue, red, blue and white
and will be seen on the senior girls and prep school
girls skirts, the pre-prep tunics and the preparatory
school ties. The old unisex royal blue polyester blazer
is being replaced by a navy blue poly-wool mix blazer
in a boys and a more fitted girls styles and the prep
school pale blue shirt is changing to white. The
senior boys tie is changing and features the same
shade of blue and red with white appearing on the
girls tartan skirts and the current grey jumpers are
being replaced by navy ones with the school logo.
Most parents and pupils who have seen the sample new
uniform much prefer it to the existing uniform, saying
it is more contemporary looking, smarter and is better
quality. They also like the fact the new blazer is machine
washable. We are raising our standards and expectations
throughout all areas of the school and we want to ensure
our uniform reflects this, said Peter Harris, principal.
A novel uniform system operates at King Edwards
School Witley (formerly Bridewell Royal Hospital,) the
creation of which was sanctioned by the same charter
as that of Christs Hospital and St Thomas Hospital
in 1553 by King Edward XI. Pupils are allocated

uniform by the sewing room upon arrival and as they
outgrow their uniform they simply go back to the
sewing room, who undertake repairs if needed and
replace the uniform with bigger sizes. Pupils return
the uniform upon leaving and it is recycled if usable.
The sewing room also provides a personal
alterations service for pupils uniform, sixth form
dress and home clothes, which the boarders wear
on evenings and weekends. The school also has an
onsite professional laundry so all returning pupils
are greeted on the first day of term with pristine
dry-cleaned blazers in their boarding house.
Generally, uniform has a five-year lifecycle although
exceptions include the ceremonial gowns worn by the
head boy and head girl, which are passed down from
generation to generation. These have just been replaced
but last for over 20 years.
St Marys School for Girls Colchester
www.stmaryscolchester.org.uk
Ewell Castle School
www.ewellcastle.co.uk
King Edwards School Witley
www.kesw.org
Lathallan School
www.lathallan.org.uk
Bedales School
www.bedales.org.uk
PROMOTION | STEVENSONS
CHANGING GEAR
Dont let switching uniform or
sportswear supplier be a headache,
says James Benning
here are many reasons for wanting
T or needing to change your
uniform or sportswear supplier.
You may want to improve service, to offer
parents greater choice in ways to buy, to
improve product quality or ensure there is
stock available year-round. Whatever your
reasons, the changeover can be less painful
if you think and plan ahead, looking for a
partner that can deliver all the services you
need. Here are a few tips for smoothing the
transition.
as standard, rather than expect you to

sign off design styles on paper. They
need strong relationships with their
factories to turn samples around quickly.
Schools should always sign off on actual
garment samples, as you just cant gauge
quality and fit from a drawing.
GOOD PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL

Give your existing supplier as much
notice as possible to minimise any stock
write-offs. Notice periods will depend on
your contract, but October or November
of the preceding year should be fair.
AGREE A SWITCHOVER DATE WHICH

BUILDS IN A CHANGEOVER PERIOD
Commonly, 24 months should be adequate
for a supplier to run off their stock. It
also gives parents extended value from
their existing uniform or sports kit.
SET UP A FOCUS GROUP

Steer the changeover of your uniform
or sports kit using an appointed coordinator, but keep the working group
small to enable speedy decision-making.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR

SUPPLIERS KNOWLEDGE
The choice of fabrics, an understanding
of manufacturing processes and the
ability to deliver the necessary supply
chain options are all essential to guide
your decisions. A good supplier will
support you every step of the way while
you work through the selection process.
ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME

Consultations and sampling for uniforms
can take typically two to four months,
although just changing your sportswear
could be significantly quicker.
SELECT A REPUTABLE, HELPFUL
AND CAPABLE SUPPLIER
They should provide product samples
AB O VE L - R: M o u n t K e l l y S c h o o l a n d No t t i n g h a m
th e ir s c h o o lw e a r d e s ig n s
ENSURE YOUR PROSPECTIVE

SUPPLIER IS FINANCIALLY SOUND
They need to have the resources to hold
sufficient stock of your uniform all year,
otherwise it will cause disruption to
Gi r l s H i g h S c h o o l r e c e n t l y u p d a t e d
both schools and parents. If in doubt,

ask to see the suppliers accounts.
CHECK POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS
ALREADY SERVE SCHOOLS
OF YOUR CALIBRE
Youre better off working with a supplier
who already understands and services
schools of a similar reputation. They
are far more likely to understand the
product quality, range of items and
the level of service you expect.
ASK PROSPECTIVE SUPPLIERS TO
DEMONSTRATE THEIR SERVICE
LEVEL AGREEMENT PERFORMANCE
Outstanding service is key to successful
school/supplier partnerships, so make
sure they can substantiate the service
they deliver to other customers.
COMPARE LIKE-WITH-LIKE
WHEN EVALUATING PRICES
Weigh up the whole package (fabric,
country of manufacture and quality all
affect cost) when making decisions, rather
than simply the garment prices in isolation.
Focusing purely on product prices can often
end up driving down the quality of the
overall package of product and services. iE
James Benning is Senior Account Manager at Stevensons T: 01727 815715 W: www.stevensons.co.uk

BEDALES
LATHALLAN
Anguss Lathallan School offers an impressive range

of uniform extras, which started with a sun hat and
scarves, introduced when Melanie Cassidy of the
schools parents association was a class rep. Melanie said:
The range was created primarily for the junior school,
as items can be personalised with the childrens names,
making them easy to return to their owner. Parents
also appreciated such items being offered as it was
difficult obtaining them in plain navy without a cartoon
character on. Top sellers include a kit bag produced by
Montrose Rope & Sail, whose all-weather bags are the
industry standard for the North Seas offshore workforce.
Indeed, the school sources production of extras on an
item-by-item basis, ensuring it obtains the best outcome,
with products chosen to create brand awareness as much
as to generate funds (a hardwearing bag will be replaced
only infrequently but used and seen for years.) The
recent introduction of an Old Lathallians tie has helped
the school connect with pupils leaving decades ago,
while consideration has to be given to present trends and
future opportunities, according to Andrea Watt, head
of development and alumni relations. Our teddy bears
are used for raffle prizes and we recently gave them to
five pupils here from Australia. It is difficult to know
what girls want; Robert Gordons College in Aberdeen
sells a compact mirror with an engraved logo, but there
was not a huge uptake when we proposed something
similar. We are already looking forward to our centenary
in 2030; it will take a long time to prepare for this we
may produce a coffee table book and special logo.
A uniform is conspicuous by its absence at Bedales

School, where headmaster Keith Budge said: Pupils,
staff and visitors often comment on how refreshing
it is pupils have their own identity when it comes to
clothing. The strength of Bedales close-knit and
long-standing community is proof uniform is not
required to promote a sense of belonging. There
are other ways to create a sense of community and
identity and Bedales does this through mutual respect
and long-held school traditions strengthening the
bonds between staff and pupils and the community at
large, such as the handshaking ceremony at the end
of assembly. We do not have any guidelines when it
comes to attire, other than it should not be offensive.
Clearly, the clothes worn in the countrys
independent schools do more than keep their
pupils warm, with the colours, cuts and patterns
establishing belonging, whether to a centuries-old
institution or brand new one. Updated attire can
appeal to todays image-conscious children, while
uniform can prepare them for life after school. iE
TO P L EF T:
B e d a le s S c h
d o e s n o t re q
p u p ils to w e
u n ifo r m
AB O VE: S o m
th e a c c e s s o
o ffe r a t L a th
S c h o o l
iE
These are just a few examples of the trends

and traditions in independent school uniforms.
For more news and views on school life, visit
the IE website: www.ie-today.co.uk.
If youve got something to say about school uniform, email the editor: stephanie.broad@wildfirecomms.co.uk
o o l
u ir e
a r a
e o f
r ie s o n
a lla n
SUPPLIER NEWS
NO
W
N D E P E N D E N T
OU
SCHOOL SPORT
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from
1-3 Action shots
2013
the Sainsbury's
School Games
specialism
38 | COMMENT
: BARONESS
CAMPBELL
NEW LOOK!
SUMMER TERM 2015
w: ie-today.co.uk t: @ie_today
14 | FE ATURE:
NEW TRENDS
IN SPORT
.uk | T: @ie_today
N D E P E N D E N T
SCHOOL SPORTI
4 Baroness Campbell
2013
addresses the
Youth Sport Trust
2013 conference
for headteachers,
PE teachers
of
and directors
FE ATURE: NEW
TRENDS IN
SPORT
n days gone by,

preparing for
school sport after
the summer break
might have meant
packing away
your
grass-stained
whites, chiselling
cricket
last seasons dried
mud from your
boots and desperatel
hoping your PE
y
kit still ts. Now,
however,
students are more
likely to be completing
their bespoke
summer tness
programme,
checking their
latest personalise
d video
analysis or emailing
their
Sport about conditionin Director of
g training.
While 2014 may
have been a
year of mixed
fortunes
professional footballersfor Britains
in
, cricketers
and rugby players,
the success of
this
years Commonw
ealth Games and
the
continued legacy
of participatio
n from
the London Olympics
means that for
both staff and
students, school
sport
has
Paralympic ski racer Anna Turney, page
11never
been higher on
the agenda.
Milleld Schools
Director of Sport,
former Olympic
gold medallist
and England
Hockey performan
ce director David
Faulkner, believes
that the London
Games
have given sport
a signicant new
prole
across the British
Isles and that
condence, health
this has
translated directly
and team-build
into more interest
ing.
It feeds into the
from students.
girls lives, improving
All this activity
their social and
is ltered
back in at school
personal skills
level, David explains.
as well
as providing a
The role of the
great way to bring
London Games
the
wider school
in
inspiring the next
community together
generation of
for
competitive matches
UK elite
athletes is unlikely
and sporting events.
to become clear
Rhys Gwilliam,
the Tokyo Olympics
until
Director of Sport
in 2020 but
Park College,
at Prior
at
grassroots level
Bath and a former
participation
Director of
Sport at Dean
numbers
have increased,
Close School
which can only
in Cheltenham
believes that
be
,
positive for school
the philosophy
of school
sport. Sport is
sport
has
so
also evolved.
important, and
Kids are no longer
its up to schools
Name: Jamie Atkinson
just a commodity
to put the
processes in place
: schools really
to ensure that
try
after them. If
pupils
get the best possible
Age: 17
students are injured to look
experience of
it not
only affects their
it.
One area of continuing
sporting performan
School: Colstons
weve also noticed
growth for
ce
School, Bristol
independent
that it affects
schools has been
them
academically,
in girls
sport, where
Sport: Field Hockey
and as a result
the independe
we have
physio support
nt sector
is bucking the
more widely available.made
national trend
Sporting Hero:
There has also
of falling
"[England Hockey
participation
been
numbers
mideld/defender
in training techniques a noticeable change
] Tim Whiteman,
women. An example among young
over the past
because
of his defensive
of this can be
years, with many
few
style. The opposition
found
at The Royal High
department heads
nd it
hard to beat him
School Bath, which
and Directors
and as soon as
this term is launching
of Sport seeing
he gets the
ball he always
a shift in
a new initiative
coaching towards
nds a team-mate
to promote sport
the individual.
to pass to,
even under pressure"
for girls, in terms
Oneto-one coaching
of
both participatio
sessions with
n and excellence.
trainers
are now more
Achievements:
Its not just a
common in
Jamie reached
question of physical
rugby, for
example, prop
England
Hockeys under-17
tness: sport
forwards
plays an important
tier one last year,
require such different and goal kickers
and
role in
is now back at
developing con
the JRPC [Junior
dence,
sense, if the resources skills that it makes
Regional
Performance Centre],
leadership, outlines resilience and
are available,
going through
school Head Rebecca
coach
to
the
some
system
Dougall. It helps
of the positions
again
girls and young
separately.
In many schools
woman
to become less
around Britain,
conscious of how
Hopes for the
sports
coaching has
future: "I hope
they
seen and more
also evolved from
to represent
focused on achieving are
my country as
the
traditional model.
a defender and,
either individually
a goal,
Although the
if I dont, to
coach others to
or as part of a
majority
of schools still
that level"
team.
Sara Whittaker,
have a head of
Director of PE
department
who is a quali
and
Games at Farlington
ed PE teacher,
1. Physio support
schools are
School in West
is
increasingly recruiting
2. Olympic bronze
now integral
Sussex, agrees.
to the
3. Hockey at Prior
medallist Chloe
sports offer at
their Directors
We believe that
Prior
Sport from an
Park, where strength
Rogers visits
of
Park College,
sport has
a positive impact
Warwick School's under 13s celebrate becoming National Champions at Twickenham
Bath
elite sporting
and conditioning
Farlington School
are
on the girls academic
background.
Examples include
seen as key
4. Millfield has
and personal
Paul
5. Farlington:
recruited a dedicated
lives in terms
"Sport
moved from coaching Hull, who in 2011
of selfimpacts positively
sports performance
the girls' academic on
Bristol Rugby
analysis leader
in
the English Champions
and personal
lives"
hip to work
at Dean Close
as Director of
Rugby,
Games, we should
Sainsburys School
the huge importance
be mindful of
sporting start
of a really positive
years at school.
in the rst few
they should learn
As children develop, skills of movement,
the
physical literacy
on. It is
and co-ordinati
agility, balance
their school experience
essential that
these core
teaches and improves
apply
so that they can
transferable skills
of sports
across a range
andgaining
pupils making waves
and adapt themThe schools
through school,
progress
as they
it is and more
cricket,
I believegolf
grow.tennis,
they
condence as
appetite
a young persons
essential that
is developed
for an active lifestyle
this is by
best way to do
.
early and the
experience
Is
cricket
feeling
the
summer
squeeze?
PE
quality
providing a high
can
at school level
Competitive sport
a range
in developing
be a key factor
and
young people
of life skills amongst to achieve at the
a thirst
many develop
important
However, its
highest level.
a highbalance this with
ies
for schools to
and opportunit
curriculum
PE
quality
in a range of different
to participate
will
activities that
health-promoting
all young people.
engage and inspire
the
report, Going
A recent Ofsted
at the levels of
nt
extra mile, looked
offered in independe
competitive sport
some
There may be
and state schools.
that
overall we know
differences, but
sport
value what school
where schools
body of
growing
a
is
to
can offer, there
a clear correlation
evidence to show
nt, greater personal
academic achieveme of self worth.
sense
condence and
wants to
can be or even
Not everyone
all young
but
champion,
be a sporting
y and
have the opportunit
people should
physical
enjoy sport or
be inspired to
form they choose.
activity in whatever we have witnessed
that
The young talent
wouldnt be
summer simply
in
throughout the
a strong foundation
there today without
and the
literacy skills
those core physical
best.
their personal
support to achieve
als
and sport profession role
Teachers, PE
essential
all have an
and volunteers
now is to ensure
to play. The challenge
a highpeople are given
that all young
while
sport experience
quality PE and
and
which inspires
ISS
they are at school,
life.
get moving for
equips them to
W: ie-today.co
STICKY WICKET?
RUNNING START
Manchester,
competing in
among those
hockey
rising stars from
ealth Games over
including some
home
With the Commonw the next highhoping to bring
years,
and fencing, all
n.
of Loughborough
for another four
months of preparatio
Baroness Campbell importance of topevent gets underway
a medal after
ns on their
prole sporting
in
high expectatio
argues for the crucial
r from 4-7 September
Athletes with
physical education
in Mancheste
18-year-old fencer
quality early-years love for sport
of the most talented
shoulders include
for over 1,600
from Redhill and
The
building a lifetimes
across the UK.
Harrison Nichols,
the title
young athletes
is a
who has clinched
School Games
Reigate Club,
s another actionfour times
Sainsbury's 2014
by
Champion
delivered
Youth
event
of British
packed summer
Philip Slater from
major multi-sport
to
Trust with National
already, and 17-year-oldNo.1 in the Irish,
of sport draws
the Youth Sport
who is ranked
from Sport England.
Lisburn,
a close, with many
funding
the
Lottery
and Cadet standings.
ealth Games,
Senior, Junior
stars
highs and some
Just like the Commonw
fencers are hockey
Games has a fully
Along with the
lows, I am drawn
Sainsbury's School
such as Lucy Inglis
programme. Many
to re ect upon
inclusive para-sport
from Earlston
talent in
have
the
nts of the young
British athletes
High School on
as
the achieveme
event
and
has been my privilege
used the annual
Scottish Borders
our country. It
Youth
d to
from
Sport and of the
as a springboar
Hannah Cozens
a
the Chair of UK
in
success,
see what a difference
international
Milleld School
to
Sport Trust to
have
in sport makes
including Georgie
Somerset. Both
positive experience
from
lives at all levels,
and Lily along
already achieved
young peoples
through
ns
17: Lucy
talented performers
with Paralympia
tender age of
exceptionally
2014
so much at the
eager to be active
Ellie Simmonds,
for the under-18
Cockroft to
to all young children
has been selected
and school sport.
was one
Peacock and Hannah
Jonnie
Hannah
education
former
while
in physical
In fact, over 150
Scotland squad,
came of age
Wales
name but a few.
part of
players on the
Many young athletes hockey players
competitors were
of the youngest
the rst-ever
including
School Games
claiming 84
to compete in
this summer,
who
with 59 athletes
nder- team
and Lily Owsley,
and
Glasgow 2014
Championships.
Georgie Twigg
Scotland, Wales
2014 Glasgow
age group European the recent
medals at the
medals for England,
on
claimed silver
doubt
This was a marvellous
While re ecting
Games. Ive no
Northern Ireland.
and on the future
augurs well
Commonwealth
the
and one which
success in Scotland
performances,
achievement,
await those attending
that their incredible
ces in the future.
successes that
others, will have
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along with many
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A number of independe
captivated and
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young people
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"We should be
ance
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start at school"
38-39.Baroness
RISING STAR #1
of the
of UK Sport and
lives
h CBE is Chair
young people's
d to changing
ell of Loughboroug
Baroness Campb an independent charity devote
,
Youth Sport Trust,
orttrust.org
W: www.youthsp
through sport.
Pages
d.v1.indd All
_Campbell.v1.m
THEY ARE THE

CHAMPIONS
15/04/2015
Name: James
Whitley
Age: 16
I believe that with hard

work, determination and selfbelief, you can turn obstacles
into opportunities
TIME TO SHINE
14:52
13-16.New trends
in sport.v1.kd.v1.i
ndd 14-15
PLUS SUMMER CAMPS: A HOW-TO GUIDE | YOUNG SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR | WYCOMBE ABBEY DOMINATE
.uk | T: @ie_today
RISING STAR #2
Celebrating sporting achievement and innovation within independent schools
School:
Milleld School,
Somerset
Sport: Alpine
Skiing
"STRENGTH AND CONDITIO

NING ARE
MASSIVE NOW"
RHYS GWILLIAM, PRIOR
PARK
Sporting
hero: "Rally driver
Sebastian Loeb
he is
incredibly brave
and incredibly
fast"
Achievements:
James competed
in the
Sochi Paralympic
Games 2014 for
Team GB,
in both the Slalom
and Giant Slalom
events.
The previous year
he competed in
the 2013
International Paralympic
Committee (IPC)
Skiing World Championsh
ips
Hopes for the
future: "I would
like to
carry on skiing
and go on to future
Olympic
Games. I am aiming
for the podium
at the
next Paralympics
in South Korea"
RISING STAR #3
Name: Grace Crawford
Age: 7
School: Loretto
School, Edinburgh
Sport: "Golf, but

I also enjoy many
other
sports including
ski racing, lacrosse
and
athletics"
Sporting hero:
Adam Scott the
No. 1
golfer in the world
Achievements:
Grace competed
in the
under-9 girls section
of the Wee Wonders
Grand Finals 2013,
as well as the 2014
Wee Wonders
Grand Finals at
St Andrews.
She won this years
St Leonards National
Girls under-9 Championsh
ips, and quali
for the US Kids
ed
World Championsh
ips in
Pinehurst, North
Carolina
Hopes for the
future: "To be part
of
Loretto Golf Academy,
continue to have
fun
playing golf and
to play as well
as I can"
15/04/2015
14:53
Another great magazine from Wildfire

THE EDUCATION SPECIALISTS
For more information, please contact Melanie Cherrington E: melanie.cherrington@wildrecomms.co.uk T: 0117 300 5526
TOUGHER, LIGHTER SCHOOL BAGS

ISS - Out Now (H.H).indd 1
Marathon are entering the

new school year with the
official launch of their new
revolutionary school bag fabric.
The TUFFlite material
has been developed exclusively
for Marathon, and looks set
to become a firm favourite in
the schoolwear industry.
Described as a revolutionary
new Nylon, TUFFlite has been

developed from Marathons popular
Performance fabric. The highdensity weave and lightweight
PU backing produces a school bag
which is not only stronger but also
an impressive 20 percent lighter!
Director Janet Fay comments:
We have already trialled
TUFFlite with a selection
of our independent school
customers, and the feedback has
been very positive. This new
fabric has allowed us to achieve
even higher quality standards
and a lighter, stronger product
whilst maintaining the same
smart Performance appearance."
TUFFlite is a key
enhancement to Marathons
Performance Bag Range. The
wide selection of premium
quality backpacks and sports
bags is available in a variety of
customisable designs to create a
unique, professional image for
independent schools to be proud of.
HARRISONS H VAN OFFERS INNOVATIVE

FOOD ON THE MOVE
15/05/2015 14:24
Harrison Catering Services

has launched a mobile pop-up
service to take street food to
the next level. The van has a
fully fitted kitchen, enabling it
to travel to client sites to deliver
a range of eclectic food.
Mark Stower, Director of Food
and Service, said: With its iconic
look, the Harrison H van will
provide a real point of difference
at our schools and business and
industry sites, offering clients and
customers something special with
a food offer that is completely
different from their day-to-day
menu, while showcasing our
innovation and the added value

we bring to our foodservice.
Catering Manager Paul
Rosser and his team at Reigate
Grammar School played a key
role in developing and launching
the van, using it to provide
treats during break time, serve
refreshments at weekend netball
matches and to support the
schools rugby 7s tournament.
Further concepts for the H van
are being developed, including an
authentic Lebanese offer, noodle
pots, shawarma and wraps.
www.harrisoncatering.co.uk
www.marathonss.com
SCHOOLBLAZER | PROMOTION
Why great service in uniform

takes a lot of maths
Keeping just the right number of
blazers, jumpers and other items
of school uniform in stock means
using some clever algorithms,
say suppliers Schoolblazer
he number one reason given by
schools for first contacting
Schoolblazer is stock
availability. If parents cannot find the
correct sizes of everything to fit their child,
no matter how late they order or how
extreme their childs size, then they have
every right to complain.
Our own internal data, backed up
by other market analysis, shows that,
despite this, most retailers are out of
stock of up to 20 percent of all items by
the start of the autumn term and most
would consider an availability of more
than 90 percent (i.e. 10 percent stockouts) to be an excellent performance.
However, we know that our parents
disagree. At Schoolblazer, we guarantee
to have over 97 percent of all items in
stock at back to school and consistently
achieve over 99 percent. This relentless
approach to stock availability has
driven our exceptionally high levels of
customer satisfaction, but its not easy.
On average we only sell seven of any
item in each year (its worth noting that
our blazers last for an average of over three
years and usually come in 10 different
sizes), hence a typical school with 200
senior girls will sell just 70 girls blazers
per year, with seven of each size. Almost
all products are bespoke so cannot be
ordered during the summer so we have to
accurately estimate every size of every item.
As every maths teacher knows, to achieve
over 98 percent coverage on a normal
distribution requires 2.5 standard deviations
from the mean, so in order to achieve our
availability targets of over 99 percent we
would need to hold an average of 17 units
or almost three years stock on every line.
Whilst it is true that we do invest
substantially more in stock than most
of our competitors, we have worked
hard to develop clever algorithms
to reduce this number by:
Constantly refining the

standard deviation based on
volume and previous years sales
P IC TU RED: U n i f o r m
fro m
S c h o o lb la z e r, w h o c o n s is te n tly h a v e 9 9 p e r c e n t in s to c k
Continually driving parental satisfaction is critical
Using the detailed sales data from

our online sales to identify changes
in size ranges by school and refine our
models accordingly we do find that some
parts of the country do indeed appear
to breed taller children than others!
Working with our suppliers, including

our overseas partners, to ensure that
we are ready to reorder critical items
during the summer should they run out.
We leave nothing to chance, using
every scrap of information on pupil
numbers, school type and intake to
refine and develop our models. This
attention to detail is just part of the

unique Schoolblazer service. Weve
built a highly visible reputation for
garment design, quality and innovation,
but we know that continually driving
parental satisfaction is critical.
So next time your uniform supplier
or school shop manager comes in to
discuss product availability, ask them
what they are doing to deliver 99 percent
in stock. If they have no answers, then
we are always here to provide them. iE
Schoolblazer
T: 0333 7000 703
W: www.schoolblazer.com
SCHOOLBLAZER | PROMOTION
Paul Hardman offers a director of

sports perspective on choosing the
right sportswear supplier
n my time as director of sport, most
recently for Royal Hospital School,
Ive seen hundreds of teamwear
presentations, received lots of free samples
and tried many of the brands.
Some have great designers, but hopeless
logistics these are the worst. Everybody
is excited about the new kit, but then
deadlines come and go, and on more than
one occasion Ive found myself scrabbling
around for kit before a critical match when
the teams attention should be on the game.
Kit does make a big difference,
but distractions and a lack of
focus make a bigger one!
Some claim to have great logisitics, but
solve that problem by producing boring,
generic designs. Some appear never to have
fitted out a schoolchild, and the product
all has to go back because it doesnt fit.
Here are my simple tips for selecting

a sportswear supplier:
Get the logistics right. Do these
people have a track record of delivering
on time? If theyve let you or your contacts
down before, then the chances are theyll
do it again. Ive also got better things to do
than spend hours on the phone chasing kit.
Get the product and fit right. Does

the supplier have a genuine focus on
and expertise in producing kit for all ages?
I want to be sure that the products I use
have fabrics and fit which are right for my
teams. Too many brands have come out
of providing kit to adult teams and dont
understand this as Ive learned to my cost.
Is the price right? My parents are value
conscious and like to remind me that,
even for the first team, Im spending money
on their behalf. I need to ensure I spend it
wisely. It turns out they are less swayed by
bug brand names than by the overall look
and Ive learned that I need to appreciate this.
Is the design right? Finally, once
all of those questions are answered,
Ill choose the design. Ive learned the
hard way that designs can be changed and
developed as the process moves forwards,
but the logistics, fit and price stay the same.
So who have we chosen? For our latest

kit weve chosen Squadkit, who ticked all
of the boxes:
they are the fastest-growing
teamwear brand in independent
schools, with a total commitment to
delivering on time, every time
they are focused on supplying kit
for the next generation, meaning that
their sizing has been honed through
their experience kitting out 250,000
kids per year with their intelligent sizing

system which makes sizing selection
straightforward and ensures that things fit
the value is excellent, I know Im paying
for the kit, not the name
theyve got some great young designers
and have produced some stand-out
kit for Royal Hospital which shows a
genuine understanding of our ethos.
Weve been delighted, and the best
news of all is that since adopting the
new kit our first XV are unbeaten. An
unbeatable supplier and an unbeaten
team. The perfect combination.
Says Alistair Bennett, product
development manager for Squadkit: Weve
enjoyed working with Royal Hospital. They
are a school with a passion for sport and a
commitment to high performance. Squadkit
is a British performance sportswear brand
which is 100 percent focused on providing
kit for the next generation of sports men
and women. Squadkit is worn in over
100 of the countrys leading independent
schools. We recognised that directors of
sport wanted great service and great kit. Im
proud to say that Squadkit delivers. iE
Squadkit T: 0333 7000 703

W: www.squadkit.com
Paul Hardman is director of sport
at Royal Hospital School
SELECTING TEAMWEAR
BACK TO SCHOOL | OPINION
READY, STEADY
Read more from Hilary Moriarty here
Main image Sergioua | Dreamstime.com
IE
Hilary Moriarty looks forward to the

start of a new school year
ont you love the smell of a new

pencil case in September? Even as
I write, I am thinking two things:
How old-school is such a thought?
and Ah, probably not. The feel of a new
laptop possibly, then, or glee at the prospect
of whole new technologies reclining
seductively in the classroom: Look at me!
I will make it easy to differentiate for all
pupils, to engage, entertain, enthuse all
learners with a kaleidoscope of images and
sounds to rival the Odeon on a Friday night,
put the universe and Stephen Hawking in
your classroom! Flick my switch, smooth my
surface, open sesame the world beyond the
classroom is right here on the wall click!
What do you mean, you still have a piece
of chalk in your pocket? And remind me
again blackboard? Quest que cest?
In my own school days, a new pencil case
was a September treat. One in particular I
recall. Previous models had been cloth or
leather and zipped; this one was a miracle
of modernity, in blue and cream plastic.
Two-tier, coloured pencils in the lower tray,
with pockets for rubber and pencil sharpener
and a cream plastic lid which rolled over the
top tier, or disappeared obediently down
under when opened. It was bright and
shiny, it was aggressively plastic and NEW,
and I loved it. I do not recall it having a
smell, but you know what I mean about
that physical sensation of joy in possession
of at the time a wondrous thing. It was
like a new years resolution made tangible:
with this, I could do great things. Next
year would be better than last, friendships
would stay firm and exams would be passed
and all manner of things would be well.
In my day perhaps still? starting term
with the right kit was terribly important.
Reputations rose and fell on a pencil case
or, more visibly, the school bag. In the case
of my rural grammar school, it just had
to be a leather satchel. Battered with wear
was OK, even a mark of honour, unlike
the shiny pencil case, but it had to be
leather, long shoulder strap, banging away
at your hip and often very heavy with a
text book from each subject for the nights
homework, and exercise books in which
the fountain pen might well be used to
Hilary Moriarty is an education
consultant, following six years
of headship and eight years
as National Director of the
Boarding Schools' Association
W: www.hilarymoriarty.com
copy lumps of textbook wholesale without

a teacher ever spotting the plagiarism. Biros
were forbidden, considered indicative of a
dangerous decline in immutable standards.
In the sixth form, my class was joined
by a new pupil called Eirlys. She was a
large girl, exotic for several reasons. She
was new in a fairly closed world and still
wearing her last school uniform. More
impressively, she virtually rejoiced in her
size had they existed then, she would
have applied to be a plus-size model. She
was defiance on legs Miss, why do we
have to copy your notes from the board
into our books why dont you hand them
out? She declared she did not possess a
fountain pen because her parents could
not afford one. Such open declaration of
less-than-affluence was astonishingly novel
for us. And she brought the few books
she carried to school in a plastic bag.
independent school is working on having

A-level students complete their external
exams on computers biro, be gone.
We have come a long way from my
geography teacher spending all lunchtime
filling two boards with tiny writing of
copious notes, then perching on a desk
during the lesson to watch us transcribe
it all into our exercise books. She said she
couldnt write on the board during class
because she couldnt turn her back on us
in a docile grammar school! She spoke
very little. Young as I was, it did not strike
me as a good model of teaching. She was
the intermediary between the information
available to her, a geography graduate, and
necessary to us, facing a fairly demanding
exam. Virtually, she said, Write this down
and learn it OK? and went home.
The teacher to pupil transfer process
has morphed in my time. Does anyone
IN THE END THERE IS STILL NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A REALLY GREAT

TEACHER ABLE TO ENGAGE AND INTEREST YOUNG LEARNERS EVEN
IN A MUD HUT
At the time, I would have died sooner
than take this tiny step in the direction
of common sense: as Eirlys said, plastic
bags were lighter and, at the time, free.
Undeniable. We learned a lot from Eirlys,
about independence and honesty and
courage and iconoclasm. In less than
a term, we were all using biros. And
that sounds ironic but honestly, you
have no idea how daring it felt at the
time. Lord, how far we have come.
Actually, most of us kept the satchel.
And in fact I was sorry, over the years, to
find myself in schools where satchels were
virtually a mark of a somewhat reviled
swot and most of the pupils used plastic
bags. Its not actually a good look, is it? In
a smart uniform, with a supermarket bag
bumping at your knees as if you have just
run to the shops for a quick supper. For
me, books deserved better than that: there
was something about a satchel that defined
the contents twice over: here be books and
books are important. A satchel was a serious
thing. Now its a fashion item, often in pink
or yellow. How far we have come again.
Logically, in the digital world, there must
come a time when book carriers of all kind
simply become redundant and all a student
needs is an electronic device which can hold
every text a teacher could ever refer to and
open the doors of museums and libraries
and TED talks and encyclopaedias and all
manner of knowledge the world has at its
disposal. Satchel be gone. At least one
remember Banda machines, which enabled

a teacher to handwrite notes and duplicate
them cheaply but with risk to sweaters
against which bright blue ink could rub
off as you clutched them to bosom before
class? And stencils? The upside was typing
the notes, all nicely legible; downside,
apart from hours typing, was tangling with
the new army of grumpy reprographics
officers in schools: No, you cant have
them today you cant bring them in here
in the morning, expecting them to be
ready this afternoon! Theres a queue!
Emerging from this effort to ensure that
students had exactly what teachers thought
they should have were the dreaded work
sheets, now often pasted into exercise books
after completion, a bulky filled book giving
the impression that even quite senior pupils
spent their school lives licking and sticking,
like toddlers in a nursery. Evidence of
learning actually, in such a book, virtually
nil. Manual dexterity, yes. Does this student
know this? Ah well, that probably depends ...
Whatever the twiddly bits in and
around classrooms, the pencil cases and
satchels, the electronic white boards
and computers, in the end there is still
honestly, still! no substitute for a really
great teacher, facing the class, master of
their subject, able to engage and interest
young learners even in a mud hut.
Independent schools are full of
such teachers. May you enjoy the
best of all possible new years. iE
DISCRIMINATION | LEGAL ADVICE
IE
Read more from VWV here:
Navigating religious discrimination

Schools can find themselves liable under the Equality Act 2010 if they
have policies or practices which are discriminatory, says Alice Reeve
DRESS CODES
Schools often have dress codes for staff

to ensure that the highest standards of
professionalism are maintained and staff set
appropriate examples for students. Some
requirements are linked to concerns over
health and safety and welfare. Whilst schools
do need to ensure that dress codes are
compatible with individuals rights under
the Equality Act, in recent cases the courts
have generally been supportive of employers
if there are genuine and proportionate
reasons behind dress requirements.

In a recent case Begum v Pedagogy
Auras UK Ltd (t/a Barley Lane Montessori
Day Nursery) the Employment Appeal
Tribunal (EAT) upheld that a nurserys
decision to place a limit on the length of
a jilbab (a garment worn by some Muslim
women), so as not to cause a tripping
hazard, was not discriminatory.
Ms Begum applied for a job as a nursery
assistant. Following a successful trial, Ms
Begum was invited to interview. She was
Main image Kevin Renes | Dreamstime.com
hilst most schools

would not intentionally
discriminate against
staff because of their
religion, they need to be aware of policies
or practices that are inadvertently
discriminatory. Schools can also find
themselves in difficult situations when
trying to balance rights of individuals that
are, on the face of it, incompatible. Here
are some recent examples of case law in this
area and developments in best practice.
offered the job during the

interview and the dress code
was discussed. During the
half-day trial it had been
observed that the full-length
jilbab she was wearing
covered her shoes and could
present a tripping hazard.
Ms Begum was asked if she
would consider wearing a
slightly shorter jilbab so as not
to cause a potential tripping
hazard. During the interview
there was no indication
that this request had caused
any offence to Ms Begums
religious belief and she was
expected to start work at the
nursery the following week.
In fact, Ms Begum did not
start work and brought an
employment tribunal (ET)
claim for discrimination
on the grounds of religious
belief, claiming that she had
been subject to a detriment
for being asked about
the length of her jilbab
and that the dress code
discriminated against her.
It was found that the
nursery was a workplace
in which Muslim women
were able to wear jilbabs, as
long as they did not present
a tripping hazard. As such,
there was not found to be
a discriminatory practice.
Furthermore, it was noted
that even if there was a
practice which may have a
discriminatory effect, it would have been
justified on health and safety grounds.
In another case, the courts found that it is
a legitimate stance for schools not to permit
full-face coverings both for the purpose of
identifying staff for safeguarding reasons and
to enable optimum interaction with pupils.
FREEDOM TO EXPRESS
HOMOPHOBIC VIEWS?
Another recent case considered the rights

of individuals to express their views
even though these could be perceived
to be homophobic. Mbuyi v Newpark
Childcare (Shepherds Bush) Limited is
the latest in a line of cases that considers
the balance between the rights of different
protected groups in the workplace.
In Mbuyi the ET found that a
Christian nursery assistant was subject
to religious discrimination, when
she was dismissed for expressing her
belief that God does not approve of

homosexuality to a lesbian colleague.
Ms Mbuyi, an evangelical Christian,
had stated that: God is not okay with
what you do during a conversation
instigated by a lesbian colleague (the
colleague had asked Ms Mbuyi about her
views). The colleague was upset by this
comment and Ms Mbuyi was sent home
and asked to attend a disciplinary hearing.
During the disciplinary hearing, Ms
Mbuyi was questioned on her comment
to her colleague, to which she replied:
more common. It is essential that all

requirements are considered carefully
and impact-assessed to identify whether
they may have an adverse impact on any
protected groups. Schools need to be alert
to the risk of a potential challenge to dress
code requirements on religious grounds and
ensure that all requirements are justified,
proportionate and that alternatives have
been explored. It is helpful for dress codes
to state that staff who have concerns can
discuss the dress code and any requests for
flexibility should be given due consideration.
Views around religion and belief are often strongly held

and can be divisive. We would recommend that schools
provide training on equality and diversity for staff on how
to appropriately discuss such matters"
I can only tell the Biblical truth. I am
not a homophobic person but I believe
homosexuality is a sin and God doesnt
like that. Ms Mbuyi was dismissed.
She then brought successful claims
against Newpark for harassment, direct
discrimination and indirect discrimination
on the grounds of her Christian belief.
In its decision, the ET was particularly
critical of the fact that Newpark had
relied on stereotypical assumptions of Ms
Mbuyis beliefs. It also commented that
the decision to dismiss Ms Mbuyi was
disproportionate in the circumstances and
that its finding might have been different,
for example if the nursery had issued a
previous warning to Ms Mbuyi or there was
a clear procedure in place concerning the
airing of religious views in the workplace.
BEST PRACTICE
These cases follow the landmark European

Court of Human Rights decision in Eweida
and Chaplin v. the United Kingdom
and Ladele and McFarlane v. the United
Kingdom which concerned the right for
employees to wear a cross at work.
Although these latest cases are
fairly fact-specific, they do provide
some helpful further guidance.
Not all schools have dress codes
for staff, but they are becoming
THE AUTHOR:
Alice Reeve is an employment
partner at leading education law
firm Veale Wasbrough Vizards.
T: 0117 314 5383
E: areeve@vwv.co.uk
W: www.vwv.co.uk
Managing the expression of views is more

difficult in an educational setting. Guidance
from the Equality and Human Rights
commission advises that employers should
not prevent individuals discussing their
personal beliefs in the workplace. However,
this does not give staff complete freedom
to make statements or have conversations
that may constitute harassment of others.
Harassment, in this context, is unwanted
conduct that is reasonably viewed as
violating dignity, intimidating, hostile,
degrading, humiliating or offensive to
other people. It can be difficult to balance
managing the expression of views that
may be offensive to some within the
school community, whilst encouraging
the freedom of expression and academic
debate. Views around religion and belief
are often strongly held and can be divisive.
We would recommend that schools provide
training on equality and diversity for staff
and provide guidance to staff on how to
appropriately discuss such matters.
Schools may be justified in limiting
the freedom of employees to
promote their beliefs,
particularly where this
may influence pupils.
It may be helpful for
schools to provide
guidance to staff on
how to respond to
direct questions
from pupils
on potentially
sensitive issues. IE
SUPPLIER NEWS
WILSON VALE EXPANDS

EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO
Wilson Vale has gained a catering

contract worth 65,000 with
Nethergate School, a school
for 90 pupils with complex
learning difficulties. The contract
started in June, when the team
took over the service from
Nottingham City Council.
Andrew Wilson, co-founder
and managing director of Wilson
Vale, said: Our team presented
to the School Council and then
to the Board of Governors under
a competitive tender process,
each time cooking live with
other contractors. It is great that
our focus on fresh, wholesome

food appealed to Nethergate
School where pastoral care
is central to everything.
Tracey Ydlibi, headteacher, said:
Our school provides pupils with a
calm, safe and supportive learning
environment in which they can
thrive. We wanted a like-minded
catering partner who would
support our ethos and ensure that
the school lunch-time experience
is as healthy, enticing and positive
as possible for our pupils.
www.wilsonvale.co.uk
PENCIL BIN GETS

TOP OF THE
CLASS FOR
RECYCLING
Leafield Environmental is
launching a new, pencil shaped
novelty bin for the school
environment. The brightly
coloured pencil range has
been introduced in response to
customer demand, specifically
for children aged three to eight
years to encourage recycling.
Ideal for both indoors and
outside, and manufactured
in durable polyethylene for

a long and useful life, each
pencil bin has a 70-litre
plastic liner inside to assist
easy and clean emptying and
disposal. Optional extras
include: WR AP compliant
recycling label, a lock, steel
liner and ground f ixing kit.
The range is priced from 140.
comms@leafield-environmental.com
www.leafieldrecycle.com
01225 816541
Practical Strategies
15 September 2015 at
Institute of Directors, Pall Mall, London
9.30am - 3.30pm
Veale Wasbrough Vizards
Independent Schools Conference
Practical Strategies is a must for heads, bursars and governors of
independent schools.
Speakers from leading schools and sector specialists will give practical
advice on developing strategies to manage and strengthen your school in
relation to:
international
reputation
risk management
investment
alternative funding
technology
Details of the speakers, choices of workshops and how to book are
available at vwv.co.uk. Alternatively, please contact our events team on
0117 314 5351 or email events@vwv.co.uk.
Track the conference via Twitter @VWVIndSchools #PSConf15
www.vwv.co.uk
Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP
Best practice in education
MONEY | ONLINE PROCUREMENT
BUYING INTO DIGITAL

Online procurement platforms offer numerous benefits to school caterers still struggling with pen and paper methods,
says Andy Badger
Main images Freeimages.com
Harnessing the
power of fully
integrated online
procurement
tools is now
a reality
he majority of us have a connection to the

T internet in the palm of our hands and, as the
average smartphone user picks up their mobile
phone more than 1,500 times a week to check emails,
update social media, check the weather, read the news
and shop, its clear that large parts of our lives are now
lived online. So why is it that, when it comes to our
professional lives, there is still some hesitation about
making the crossover into the digital world, particularly
when it comes to processes which are steeped in
tradition, such as procurement?
It would be hard to disagree with the argument
that the online world offers a better way of
operating compared to traditional methods. Its
more efficient, its accessible from anywhere and its
available 24/7, making it ideal for a busy school.
With an increasing focus on schools offering healthy
meals, it is key that independent schools work with the
right procurement partner to ensure they are able to
deliver nutritious food at a price which meets or betters
their budget. Its true that a few years ago sophisticated
web-based systems were only for large-scale universities
and colleges, but now such systems are completely
inclusive and available to all size and types of educational
institutions, including those in the private sector.
Cost neednt be a factor for school caterers.
While such systems have a high perceived value,
many, including Acquires recently launched
Green10 software, are cost-effective, especially
when considering the savings they can make.
There are numerous benefits to be reaped from
an online environment. Using e-platforms not only
helps school kitchens buy more effectively, it also
centralises transactions so they can be easily tracked
and monitored, streamlining the buying process.
They can also help re-shape supply chains, improve
green credentials and save time and money.
Buying better doesnt just mean getting the
best price, its about school caterers working
with a buying partner who truly understands
their buying dilemmas and works on their behalf
to connect them with the suppliers providing

an appropriate breadth of product choice.
In the past, most traditional collective buying
schemes tended to offer a standard model for
purchasing, lumping a single commodity into one
contract, something that greatly reduced the choice
of supplier to a caterer. This is where working with
an online buying platform is ahead of traditional
methods. Acquire Services, for example, offer
a variety of suppliers, from niche independent
producers to global suppliers, meaning that school
caterers have greater choice and buying power.
Procurement is also about considering the minefield
of allergies school caterers need to navigate. Nutrient
content, allergen content, fat content, salt levels,
sugar and the origin of the product information can
all be accessed within integrated systems which
makes abiding by the governments new allergen
laws easy. All food accreditations including Red
Tractor, RSPCA and Fairtrade can also be linked to
products, making the selection process much simpler.
In-depth software can also aid school caterers and help
them understand responsible sourcing and develop a
CSR strategy that also aligns to school targets. Green10,
for example, can provide an online dashboard and
real-time metrics for 10 specific pillars, each relating
to responsible sourcing, purchasing and sustainability:
food mileage, local sourcing, environmental profile,
seasonality, renewable, culture, animal welfare,
wellbeing, packaging and food waste. Gone are the days
when caterers have to sift through paperwork or pick up
the phone to their supplier to ask all of these questions.
Harnessing the power of fully integrated online
procurement tools which bring all of the information
together in one place along with the input of
hundreds of suppliers, accreditation bodies and
distributors is now a reality. This level of integration
just couldnt be achieved without digital access. iE
Andy Badger is managing director of Acquire

Services Limited W: www.acquireservices.com
SCHOOL EXTRAS | MONEY
You cant put a price on that
Geoff Jones explains how schools can help parents to cover

the cost of day trips, holidays and other extras
IE
Read more on finance issues

for independent schools here:
or part-payments allows them to

spread the cost over a certain time
period which in turn will ease
the financial burden. Providing
this option gives parents both
flexibility and comfort, knowing
their child wont be missing out.
GIVING PARENTS AN OPTION
hildren are expensive.

There is no getting
around that as a parent.
The average parent spends around
2,774 on a child each year
(according to 2013 research by
Quidco), and while no parent
wants to deprive their children of
the essentials, when it comes to
paying for expensive extras like
school trips or holidays, this can
put some parents in a difficult
position. It can potentially leave
them unable to allow their child to
participate in activities which are
an important part of school life and
social development.
Its not only trips which can
be a problem. Subjects like art,
food technology and PE can
all incur expensive additional
costs, with parents having to
supply extra kit and materials
throughout the school year.
When it comes to helping
parents cover these costs, there
are a few lessons schools can
It is our duty
to foster a
relationship which
enables students in
financial difficulty
to have the same
opportunities as
other children
Geoff Jones, ParentMail W: www.parentmail.co.uk

certainly be taught themselves.
Despite an increasingly digital age,

there are still some people without
credit or debit cards or bank
accounts. This is often forgotten,
so its important for school
payment systems to be as inclusive
as possible. Giving parents an
alternative way to pay for online
services by, for example, using
cash can solve this issue, meaning
you arent alienating anyone.
Whatever system schools decide
to use, they must take an inclusive
attitude towards parents and their
various financial situations in the
same way that schools are inclusive
towards students individual needs.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
PROVIDING REMINDERS
Its important for schools to

be sensitive and work hard to
communicate with parents who
may be struggling to manage
additional costs. Providing
an open door for parents will
help establish ways around any
financial obstacles and ensure
children are not excluded from
important aspects of school life.
Paying for school trips that were

initially discussed months ago
can sometimes be forgotten,
so setting up automatic alerts
for both one-off and regular
payments can be sent to parents in
advance, reminding them when
a fee is due. These reminders
will give parents time to sort
out payments or address any
financial issues they may have.
Ultimately, while children are still
under the care and protection of
parents and schools, it is our duty as
parents, school staff and bursars to
foster a relationship which enables
students in financial difficulty to
have the same opportunities as
other children. It is important for
children not to feel like they are
deprived of the same chances as
other students, as this could be
detrimental to their development,
both academically and socially. iE
PAYING IN INSTALMENTS
Parents can be put in a difficult

situation when their child returns
from school, asking whether
they can go on a trip abroad
or an expensive away day that
is compulsory. It immediately
puts parents in an impossible
position: either pay the exorbitant
figure or face telling their child
they cant do something.
Implementing systems which
enable parents to pay in instalments
SCHOOL LIFE | SUMMER HOLIDAYS
While the kids are away

August may mean holidays for children and teachers, but the summer is a busy time for those responsible for
maintaining and renovating school grounds and facilities, says Loughborough estates manager Tom Allardice
hey might be called school holidays, but in fact

T the long break for the pupils doesnt
automatically mean a break for us. Over 100
members of staff on the estates team will be making the
most of the empty corridors and quieter sports fields to
make sure our facilities at Loughborough Endowed
Schools are in top condition for the new academic year.
Facilities management is key to ensuring that
teaching between September and July goes smoothly.
All year round, the day-to-day upkeep of our two sites,
spanning across 82 acres, means that no matter the time
of year if something is broken, it needs to be fixed.
Summer also means the chance to tackle larger
projects. For example, were in the middle of a 8m
scheme to rebuild Fairfield Preparatory School,
creating new classrooms and a kindergarten, a larger
gymnasium, a specialist art and craft room and office
spaces, which are due to open in January 2016.
Unfortunately, the development of an entire new block
cannot be completed in just eight weeks, but we can coordinate the most disruptive construction periods to take
place when the children arent around. Neither staff nor
students would appreciate exam practice taking place with
heavy-duty machinery at work outside their windows.
As well as the main build, summer is the opportunity
to push on with between 70 and 80 maintenance
projects across both sites. These include painting,
alterations, replacement of flooring, deep cleaning,
grounds maintenance, tree work, hard and soft
landscaping and renovating sports surfaces.
Much of what we do depends upon the academic
calendar. This year, our grounds team, supported
by contractors, are re-landscaping the Grammar

School quad to create a memorial area to the 57
pupils who fought and died in the First World War.
The wood from several old trees, which have been
replaced, will be used to make commemoratives
plaques that representatives from the school will place
on each of their graves over the next two years.
As well as maintenance, the estates management
team is also responsible for
We make the most
health and safety, which is
of the summer
made significantly easier
holidays to be
when the pupils are not
perfectly placed to
in school. To improve
welcome staff and
security, were installing
pupils back for the
bollards at the entrance of
new academic year
the grounds a task that
just isnt possible during
term time with the arrival of hundreds of cars
and buses at the start and end of every day.
The biggest challenges are the technical aspects
of the projects, meeting the expectations of staff,
managing budgets and delivering improvements on
time, every time. Its a case of careful prioritisation,
taking into account manpower, finance and
time in order to achieve as much as possible.
What makes the job a lot easier is encouraging
robust two-way communication. With a solid
management team, a positive outlook and the
time available to get stuck into the biggest
improvements, we make the most of the summer
holidays to be perfectly placed to welcome staff
and pupils back for the new academic year. iE
TO P L EF T:
L o u g h b o ro u g h
En d o w e d S c h o o l s
s ta ff ta k e c a re o f
tre e w o rk o v e r th e
s u m m e r
TO P RIGH T: S t a f f
a t L o u g h b o ro u g h
En d o w e d
S c h o o ls w o r k
o n la n d s c a p in g
d u r in g th e s u m m e r
h o lid a y s .
F AR L EF T: S p o r t s
p itc h e s a r e s e e d e d
re a d y fo r th e n e w
te rm
L EF T: Em p t y
c la s s r o o m s a llo w s
p a in tin g w o r k
to b e c o m p le te d
AB O VE: To m
Al l a r d i c e
Tom Allardice is estates manager for Loughborough Endowed Schools W: www.endowedschools.org

From mobile tech to mindfulness, editor Stephanie Broad takes a look at the latest classroom trends
re you keeping up with the Joneses

of the education sector? With fees
rising and career competition fierce,
schools need to prepare pupils for
the future with real-world skills and
personal development as well as traditional
academic studies.
In Cardiff, Kings Monkton School has
been using Google Apps and e-books to
boost ICT skills and allow easier feedback.
Principal Paul Norton says: In computer
science, pupils produce all their work
within Google Apps and save their work
online. This means their ICT skills are
developed from the outset in order to
access their work which is stored in an
orderly and pristine condition.
Teachers are able to mark work online
and give detailed feedback linked to
national assessment standards. Pupils can
log into each others work and give peer
feedback, which can be used to identify
strengths and areas of development for
each cohort.
Its not just those in the classroom who
benefit from this cloud-based approach.
Norton continues: Parents are enjoying
the opportunity to log into their childrens
work to view what they have done or show
relatives, especially if they live abroad. From
a leadership viewpoint, departmental costs
are down as the need for homework diaries
and exercise books diminishes; we move
closer to becoming an eco-friendly school;
and book scrutiny can be carried out at

any time.
The positive use of cloud storage and
mobile devices can also help to create a
global classroom. Dr Kevin Burden, an
international authority on educational
technology and mobile learning from
the University of Hull, believes mobile
technology presents an opportunity for
students to experience working with
different cultures and to engage using
different languages. He says: Mobile
technology can be used to collect data
internationally, so that schools engaged in
a science or ecology project can access realtime data collected by students in different
countries. Its a road I believe will take us
away from traditional teaching methods,
with students collaborating with experts
anywhere in the world through their
mobile devices.
School textbooks are looking set to be
replaced by interactive, online teaching aids.
Kevin is currently developing a partnership
with the Stephen Perse Foundation School
in Cambridge, which is developing its own
textbooks using iBook Author. He is also
working with Hymers College in Hull,
where teachers are exploring the iPad as a
teaching aid in the lower school. Schools
are beginning to do things like developing
international, global links that would be
very difficult, if not impossible, without
mobile, touch-screen technology, he says.
Collaboration isnt all about technology

a good classroom set-up can make
all the difference. Newland College is
using a roundtable approach to facilitate
discussion and better engagement with
learning materials. Ben Toettcher, director
of SKOLA group and founder of Newland
College, says: A few years ago, I came
across the Harkness method of teaching.
This is a roundtable set-up that was
pioneered in the 1930s by the Philips Exeter
Academy in New England.
A roundtable discussion, according to
Ben, allows students to teach and learn
from one another while advocating habits
such as listening actively, interjecting in a
constructive way and learning to prepare
for discussions.The Newland classroom has
up to five surfaces: a wall-to-wall magnetic
whiteboard, enough mini-whiteboards and
laptops for each student, a smart TV and a
central-console screen visible to all students
and the teacher. Ben recommends that
more schools try it: It works because every
student gets a front-row seat and teachers
who have used the central-console have
reported that student engagement is higher.
It adds a level of complexity at the planning
stage, but also there are more resources for
each teacher for capturing and analysing
new moments of interest in a lesson.
Another way to support and engage
students is to use a tutor for specialist
subjects. Edd Stockwell, co-founder
P r e p le a r n fr o m
F u lh a m
BUCKING
THE TREND
K u a to S tu d io s
TEACHING AND LEARNING | SCHOOL LIFE
L EF T: C l a s s o f Y o u r O w n
p r o m o te a p r o je c t-b a s e d
a p p r o a c h to le a r n in g
IE
F u lh a m
P r e p le a r n fr o m
K u a to S tu d io s
Read more about Newland Colleges

classroom setup here:
oftutoring social enterprise Tutorfair,
comments: We are seeing muchmore
appetite from schools to engage directly
with tutors to support their teachers and
students, and we expect this trend to
continue. For example, we have been
working with a number of independent
colleges and schools to provide tutors
who specialise in niche subjects, such
as computer science and Russian. More
schools are realising that engaging with
tutors allows them to be more nimble and
offer students more choice.
Fulham Prep School recently welcomed
Kuato Studios, specialists in educational
games for children, for a day of coding
now widely recognized as a key skill
for future careers. As part of the 100
Hours of Code initiative, Kuato taught
year-six students some basic JavaScript
using Hakitzu, a game that takes children
through some of the basics. Piers Young, a
teacher at Fulham Prep, says: We're trying
hard to teach the children computational
thinking in the round, rather than just a
language, and Kuato certainly helps this.
Children start breaking problems down
into smaller sub-problems, they discuss
solutions with each other and they spot
patterns.
The challenge now for Fulham is using
the training in the classroom to develop
these essential vocational skills: Like many
schools, we have an IT lab with desktops.
We also have a programme of study where
children look at computational thinking
in a range of environments, each year
edging towards more text-based coding.
The transition from more visual coding
to text-based is a challenge and I'm keen
to use Kuato to help with that. Given the
children's understanding of HTML, we
may well try to combine with that.
In response to a growing skills gap in
the UK, vocational learning has never
been more important. Class of Your Own
suggest several approaches which can help
eliminate this gap, such as collaborating
with industry leaders and implementing a
more project-based approach to learning.
Education director Liz Forrester says: Our
curriculum Design, Engineer, Construct

(DEC) is a learning programme which
applies pure academic subjects to the latest
construction industry practices. Weve seen
the benefits of schools partnering with
industry organisations to deliver vocational
learning fi rst hand. We anticipate the same
experience in independent schools as they
roll out the programme from September
onwards.
Schools could also invite professional
industry representatives from the local
area to support and advise students,
as well as arranging work experience
opportunities to gain further insight
into professional and technical careers.
Liz concludes: Via carefully developed
project-based learning programmes,
supported by direct engagement with
industry, it is possible to broaden students
horizons, making them aware of the
wealth of careers available to them, and to
give them the transferable, practical skills
Kings Monkton School
www.kingsmonkton.org.uk
University of Hull
www2.hull.ac.uk
Newland College
www.newlandcollege.co.uk
Tutorfair
www.tutorfair.com
which industry so desperately needs.

The key to keeping up with all these
developments could be a mindful
attitude. Mindfulness is a buzzword now,
as many people discover its wide-ranging
benefits.
Aysgarth School is introducing its
reception pupils to the practice, which
teaches them to live in the moment by
becoming more aware of their senses
and through short daily meditation
practices.Gill Shaw, early years leader at
Aysgarth, says: Just a term aft er starting
this practice, there has been a noticeable
increase in the childrens emotional
literacy and awareness of not only of their
own feelings, but those of their friends.
It seems that mindfulness can help to
establish mental wellbeing in even our
youngest children, and its benefits are
being felt way beyondfive minutes of calm
in a busy reception classroom. iE
Kuato Studios
www.kuatostudios.com
Class Of Your Own
www.designengineerconstruct.com
Aysgarth Pre-Prep
www.aysgarthschool.com
AB O VE: S t u d e n t s a t Ne w l a n d C o l l e g e u s e a ' r o u n d t a b l e ' a p p r o a c h t o d i s c u s s i o n

GENERATION Z | INNOVATION
GET SMART TO GENERATION Z
The education sector cant afford to sit on its laurels - todays students demand a top-quality technological experience,
says Stacy Leidwinger
AB O
u s e
c a n
d if fe
s tu d
VE: S c h o o l s '
o f te c h n o lo g y
b e a
r e n tia to r fo r
e n ts
Its time to wake

up and smell the
virtual coffee
that one of your
students has
just programmed
and brewed
ducation used to be a relatively straightforward

business. But, just like every other sector, it has
been disrupted by technology. Its not just the
curriculum and teaching methods that have changed
most importantly its students expectations. At a time
when changes to catchment areas mean that higher
education is more competitive than ever, even younger
students are becoming more selective in where they go
to school. And its not just the Ofsted reports that turn
the heads of students, but how the educational
establishment has embraced technology.
Let me give you an example. The other day a friend
was telling me about his son. He wanted to study
medicine and had an interview with Cambridge. The
former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams,
asked him what attributes he thought he would bring
to the college, to which my friends son replied: Im
not sure that is entirely relevant what will you do for
me? Apparently, Mr Williams was speechless, but this
anecdote outlines just how the world of education has
changed and the tables have turned.
At a time when students are paying a premium for
their education, theyve become a lot fussier about where
they invest their money. Educational establishments
have had to get smart and a lot of them have realised
that technology can be a differentiator for them. And
when you think about it, its a no-brainer. This is a
generation that has grown up surrounded by technology
companies. From Apple to Twitter, they are without
question the most digital-savvy generation ever. Most
wont remember hours spent in Waterstones now,
books are online entities downloaded direct from
Amazon. Music is consumed via multiple devices
through varying platforms (YouTube, iTunes and
Spotify) and the suggestion that they should be seen

without the latest smartphone glued to their hands is,
well, unthinkable.
But its not just about being digitally astute. Recent
research from J. Walter Thompson Intelligences
innovation and futurism division has also found that this
is a generation of doers. From coding through to a new
website or their own label, this generation known as Z
want to create. The research also found that they want
to be part of debates and feel involved in world issues.
How do they fulfil these ambitions? Via technology.
This means that it isnt just the technology that
educational institutions have to compete on, but also
the experience. This is a self-servicing, automated
generation. Think about how you resolve an issue
with your Mac or iTunes account you head to the
community. They dont have time to register IT
problems which then fall into a black hole ticketing
system that they know nothing about they want to be
empowered to resolve the issue themselves, whether that
is just before class or at 3.30am.
Generation Z is ambitious and confident if you
cant help them achieve their goals, then theyll find
an organisation that can. To create brand advocates of
their students, educational organisations need to bring
the flexibility and agility of e-commerce, experiencecentric IT into their establishment.
The days when educational establishments held
all the cards are long gone; its time to wake up
and smell the virtual coffee that one of your
students has just programmed and brewed. iE
Stacy Leidwinger is VP product marketing

at RES Software W: www.ressoftware.com
INNOVATION | WEARABLES
THE TECHNOLOGY IN
WATCHES WILL SOON
BE IN OTHER ITEMS
OF JEWELLERY
Five ways wearables

will change education
A wearables
explosion is just
around the corner
and education
establishments
need to brace
themselves, says
Mark Gibson.
ith the International Data Corporation

(IDC) predicting that 72 million wearable
devices will be shipped in 2015, the early
signs indicate that wearables are set to drive yet
another technology pace change. Whilst the corporate
world may have embraced wearables, the question
remains - what will their impact be in education?
Here are my five predictions:
However, an outright ban isnt going to solve the

problem. The technology in smart watches will soon
be in other items of jewellery, on clothes or even in
contact lenses. Perhaps what wearables provide is an
opportunity to revamp the examination system and
move towards an open-book exam model where the
technology can be integrated in to problem solving.
With wearables, the dynamics accelerate because the

device is omnipresent - on their wrist. Plus its not
just the potential to be sent inappropriate content via
picture (and in the not too distant future video) that
has parents worried. There is also the highly-personal
data generated by the device itself such as heart
rate readings that is being sent to the cloud to be
stored. With wearables there is an endless two-way
data exchange which will undoubtedly present both
opportunities and challenges.
As wearable adoption grows and their use integrates

into everyday life, education establishments have to
act now to engage students and ensure that they are
part of the policy making. Acceptable use policies are
critical to good data governance and ensuring that
schools are not in breach of their duty of care.
Many parents are concerned about the amount

of time their kids spend using their tablets,
smartphones and games consoles.
M a
S a
a t
w w
r k Gi b s o n i s
l e s Di r e c t o r
B lo x x
w .b lo x x .c o m
which has heightened concerns about the

possibility of students cheating.
Teachers will have the ability to understand the

needs of their students more rapidly.
Of the three and a half thousand apps already available

for the iWatch, one example by Lexia Learning will
deliver real-time student skills data to teachers so that
they can understand each child and their needs better,
thereby enabling them to not only better benchmark
progress, but tailor the learning environment to
benefit progressive learning.
A lot of schools have already banned smart

watches, mainly down to the two-way
communication aspect enabled by the Apple watch,
Wearables mean that education

organisations can no longer avoid having an
acceptable use policy.
Lastly, wearables have huge potential to

revolutionise lessons.
The Youth Sport Trust in the UK is advocating

their use in PE lessons, suggesting that tech is
integral to tapping into the competitive spirit of the
next generation and getting them moving.
In addition I was reading the other day about sensors
in wearables that could alert students or teachers
if there were dangerous levels of toxic gases in a
chemistry lesson.
Rather than fi ghting against wearables, schools
need to look at how they can embrace them and
transform the learning environment to the benefit
of students. Such change wont happen overnight.
Like the technology itself, it will be an evolutionary
process, but preparation is key to ensuring the
potential benefits are realised. IE
@ie_today | ie-today.co.uk | 31
Q&A | FACILITIES
The kids are alright

Mark Milling, Bursar at Lancing College, tells editor Stephanie Broad about the facilities that
make Lancing a great environment for pupils and the local community
You are part of a fairly new
leadership team whats your
career been like so far?
I qualified as a chartered accountant
in 1998, moved to Bristol in 1999
and worked in finance. I started
working in schools a few years ago.
Tell us about whats happening
at Lancing College.
Were investing 10 million in the school
over the next three years, to refurbish all
the day and boarding houses, increase
capacity slightly and improve our facilities.
We are also investing heavily in our two
prep schools, Lancing Prep at Hove and
Lancing Prep at Worthing. Its an exciting
time, and the capacity increase at Lancing
will take the percentage of girls up to
50 percent, so well be fully co-ed.
Our focus is on the whole person as
opposed to being an academic sausage
machine, but we do expect the best out
of everyone and our pupils are challenged
and pushed continuously. Our ethos here is
that happy children are successful rather
than successful children are happy.
Weve got an amazing campus, including
a farm, where people can breathe, have
fun and thrive. As part of the investment
were creating an equestrian centre, which
will be ready by September 2016.
The surrounding community uses our
facilities as much as possible. The Chapel is
always open to the public, and the children
do a lot of charity work local, national
and international. We do a lot of work
in Malawi we built a school there and
raise around 15-20,000 per year. Locally
speaking, special needs schools visit us
and sports clubs like Sussex Football and
Sussex Cricket use the pitches for free. We
try not to be the scary school on the hill!
Do you have any links
with state schools?
Yes, we work with state schools and as part
of Woodard, our parent charity, we are
involved in academies including Sir Robert
Woodard academy in Worthing. We use our
different strengths to support each other.
Whats a typical day like for you?
No day is the same. I could be dealing
H o u s e s a t L a n c in g
C o lle g e , w h ic h
is in v e s tin g 1 0
m illio n in its
fa c ilitie s o v e r th e
n e x t th re e y e a rs
IE
Read more about Lancing College:
WE TRY NOT TO BE
THE SCARY SCHOOL ON THE HILL!
with a senior banker one day, then trying
to sort out a lavatory the next! My chief
day-to-day role is problem solver and
in the holidays I get stuck into bigger
projects. I, together with my fantastic
team, look after everything nonacademic finance, grounds and estates,
maintenance, catering, matrons, cleaners,
HR and IT for the three schools.
Whats the best part of your job?
I think its working with all the people
its challenging, but you can have
an effect on the whole school, on the
community. We have children here from
every type of background and have got
quite a few pupils here on full bursaries.
Its a really cosmopolitan school, with
people from many countries including
China, Nigeria, Russia and all over
Europe. We think its positive that our
UK students can meet the movers and
shakers who are going to be driving the
world forward over the next 50 years.
Mark Milling is Bursar at Lancing College W: www.lancingcollege.co.uk

Whats special about Lancing?

Its the atmosphere the family feeling
of caring, everyone loves the place. All
of the staff seek to inspire and illuminate
our charges. We are a Christian school
you dont have to be Christian to be
here, but what we do expect are the
values of kindness and compassion.
Whats coming up next?
The refurbishment and extension
projects are keeping us busy over
the next few years, but were also
focusing on our academic results,
which I support through investment
in teachers, learning and IT.
Is there a greater need for
places in prep schools?
I think the prep school market is
consolidating were competing against
a really good state sector at the moment.
I think well see fewer but even better
prep schools over the next 10-15 years. iE
FACILITIES | KITCHENS
CATERING FOR
THE FUTURE
Designers faced a challenging brief when it came

to refurbishing the busy kitchen and catering facilities
at Millfield School
estaurant and kitchen design company
Catering Design Group (CDG) has completed
the 1m-plus refurbishment of the catering
facilities at Millfield. Commissioned by contract caterers
Chartwells, the brief to CDG was to design, install and
refurbish the catering facilities for students aged 13-18,
for staff and for parents using the facilities out of school
hours for social engagements and meetings. The space
needed to cope with large volumes at peak times 1,000
meals during the 45-minute breakfast service and 1,450
meals over the two-hour lunchtime service.
A key part of the brief was to make queuing systems
and customer flows as efficient as possible within the
servery and dining area. The layout and the route
through the space were reconfigured, creating separate
zones. A servery was introduced with new features, such
as a theatre station for international cuisine, a grab and
go area, bakery counter, together with counters to serve
hot foods, salads and deli options and a beverage station.
Millfield was our largest project to date,
presenting many technical, operational and design
challenges, says Philip Howard, managing director
of the Catering Design Group. However, we
hugely enjoyed every minute of our time on site.
We found creative and practical solutions to the
issues raised by the client to deliver a combination
of efficiency, practicality and the wow factor.
The general manager for Chartwells is Rohan
Slabbert. He says that CDG secured the contract because
they interpreted the brief in a way which addressed
both its aesthetic and practical requirements. CDG
cleverly re-designed the pass from the kitchen to front
of house, opening this up to create open passes, where
the kitchen can now see into the server, which, in
turn, has hugely improved communication between
the kitchen and front of house, he says. We also have
a really nice additional kitchen front of house, which
is used as a preparation area for finishing dishes and
The design
has given us
huge amounts
of flexibility
Rohan Slabbert,
Chartwells
carving roasts and all in full view of the pupils.

Impressed by CDGs customer service throughout the
project and by the amount of time they spent on site in
order to understand the schools ethos and atmosphere,
Rohan explains that effective communication between
designer and caterer also played a part in ensuring
the refurbishment was completed successfully.
Having been open since the start of the 2014-15
academic year, I am delighted to say that Millfield is
now a flagship site for Chartwells, he says. Why?
Because it was designed with the customer and the
future in mind. The design has given us huge amounts
of flexibility. Each counter can double up or triple up
as something else and we are not limited with what
we can do with the counters or the space. Innovation
is at the very heart of CDGs design, the space now
has the means to evolve, whilst being sustainably run.
Because it is such an open space, food innovations and
new concepts can be rolled out much more easily and
our food now takes centre stage, allowing us to really
showcase our offering. It just feels very real and authentic
our kitchen teams are where they should be, which
has allowed us to focus on one of our key values, which
is about interacting, engaging and catering for pupils.
Feedback from pupils and staff has been positive,
too. In fact, an important part of the brief was to
encourage more female pupils to use the facilities at
supper time. Previously, they hadnt been keen as they
felt the space lacked warmth and atmosphere. Since
the refurbishment, however, Rohan says that there has
been a 20 percent increase in female pupils coming in
for supper: The pupils love the idea that were more
interactive with them and they enjoy using the space
because it feels very new and fresh. We naturally took
some influences from the high street and its especially
rewarding that theyve picked up on this. iE
W: www.millfieldschool.com
C AT E R I N G N E W S
Five-a-day awareness for children increasing
tatistics on the health, care and

wellbeing of young people in
England have been published
in a report from the Health and
Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).
The report, Focus on the Health and
Care of Young People, shows that the
number of children in England getting
their five-a-day has increased since 2003.
Although the data suggests there has been
an increase in the numberof young people
who are getting their five-a-day there is still a
very long way to go, says Jo Nicholas, head of
research at the Childrens Food Trust. Fruits
and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy
diet because of the vitamins and minerals they

contain. When growing children dont get
the nutrients they need at the right time, it
can have lifelong effects, increasing the risk of
cardiovascular and other adult chronic diseases.
A childs dietary intake is important, not only
because of the potential health repercussions
later in life, but also for the immediate impact it
can have on their physical and mental health.
According to the report, the percentage
of five- to seven-year-olds eating the
recommended five portions of fruit and
vegetables per day increased from nine
percent to 17 percent between 2003-2013.
The percentage of eight- to 10-year-olds
C h ild r e n s ' d ie ta r y in ta k e c a n h a v e a n
im m e d ia te im p a c t o n th e ir p h y s ic a l a n d
m e n ta l h e a th
eating the recommended five portions of
fruit and vegetables per day doubled from 10
percent to 20 percent in the same period.
The report also shows that children from
deprived backgrounds are more likely to
be overweight and obese and suffer from
dental issues caused by poor diet, like tooth
decay. Jo Nicholas says: For children living
in poverty, the food they receive at school
is hugely important, because for some of
them, a school dinner will often be the only
hot, nutritious meal they get that day.
Loretto School pops up across city
upils from Loretto School are

working alongside The Real Junk
Food Project on a series of popup cafs in Edinburgh. Year-six
pupils recently helped to plan and deliver a
feast fit for royalty at the school including
parents, supporters, keen followers and
members of the public. Volunteers from
The Real Junk Food Project helped pupils
serve food for the feast while, beforehand,
pupils worked to build awareness, not
only of food waste, but all the aspects of
food central to the project: provenance,
preparation, nutrition and community.
The aim of the overall project is to raise
awareness of the issue of food waste, help
people to eat and cook well and instigate
change towards a more sustainable, efficient
and just food system. The school intercepts
food that will otherwise go to waste and
serves it in creative ways in the pop-up cafs.
Currently, they are working mainly with
L o re tto s tu d e n ts s e t
u p th e ir p o p -u p c a f
small local businesses to source food, but

will soon collaborate with larger retailers
and producers in order to better address
the scale of the problem, create more links
in the system and feed more people.
The cafs operate a pay as you feel (PAYF)
policy, enabling the food-poor and those with
means to pay for their food to eat together,
developing a sense
of community and
awareness of local
food insecurity. The
staff are volunteers
and will have training
opportunities, as well
as cooking workshops
with a focus on
avoiding waste and
eating responsibly.
The school is
developing strong
relationships and
a network of support from local businesses
and community projects. Their primary
supporter is the Union of Genius, whose
caf on Forrest Road provides a fortnightly
Sunday lunchtime pop-up venue. Loretto
will also start running weekday pop-ups in
different venues with the aim of attracting
and building different communities.
CATERING | BROOKWOOD
ne of my first experiences, when

we started catering services at a
preparatory school was the
delivery, by a father, of a Marks and Spencer
meal for his daughter. She would only eat
food from M&S. Whilst M&S has a
well-deserved reputation for quality, I am
sure even they would suggest this isnt the
best diet for a small child. Not least because
this was before the current food labelling
standards and, in any case, these dishes
would have recommended daily intake of
salt, fat and sugar for an adult, not a small
child. I often wonder how she is now that
she must be in her late twenties.
This was long before healthy school food
hit the headlines. Today it may not happen,
I would hope, as these parents would be
better informed. We know now that a good
diet has a positive impact on behavior,
and so learning, as well as performance in
education and sports. In fact, many parents
choosing a school for their young offspring
make the food offer a key ingredient.
There is no doubt, when it comes to
eating healthily, starting young has the
biggest effect. However, for what is a
daily need, food and nutrition can be
frustratingly complicated. The human
body is a bizarre and miraculously intricate
machine, which requires a delicate
balance of chemicals to run healthily.
For young children this can be quite a
daunting prospect and that is where habits
and familiarity become important.
IE
Read more from Brookwood here:
INSIGHT FROM THE EXPERTS

Start young to encourage a healthy eating lifestyle, says Sue Parfett
Taste is one of the biggest challenges
in trying to eat healthily. We are
programmed to find foods high in sugar,
fat or carbohydrates tasty. This is because
these sorts of foods were sparse in the
time of our distant ancestors, who often
needed high energy food to function in
their fast-paced lives as hunter-gatherers.
Our lives have now become far more
sedentary, meaning we dont always need
the sort of energy boosts given by sugars.
However, our biological development has
not kept up and a recent report by The
Scientific Advisory Committee on
Nutrition is advising our daily sugar
intake needs to be halved. This
fundamental divide between the
foods which we are programmed
to crave and the foods which are
healthiest, can be a contradiction
that is difficult to manage in
adulthood, let alone for a child.
Educational assemblies about
nutrition have been beneficial in
providing some motivation for young
pupils. They allow us to deliver
messages about healthy eating in
a brief and comfortable setting for
children. This is one of the most
basic ways to put the message in the
front of their minds. As a result,
there is greater enthusiasm when
making more informed choices
about what theyre eating.
Reinforcement is needed for the
message to stick. Raw facts are only
TO P : C o o k e r y l e s s o n s a n d ' t a s t i n g t a b l e s '
c a n h e lp c h ild r e n to le a r n a n d in te r a c t
w ith fo o d .
one method of communication. Many

schools educate children interactively,
through cookery lessons and tasting
tables. Cookery lessons allow small
groups of pupils to interact with food in
an unthreatening way. They are more
willing to try food when the excitement
or the group dynamic take over. This can
be a new insight and which is thoroughly
enjoyed by younger pupils! We have seen
this develop into cooking competitions
and all manner of other creative events.
Tasting tables offer small portions of exotic
and unusual foods that many pupils have
not tasted before. Taking this approach
can especially help young children try a
wider variety of food available, useful when
trying to encourage a healthier diet.
As well as offering these immersive
experiences, we can resort to incentivising
healthy eating habits. For younger children
this can be as simple as rewarding with
stickers for eating healthy items. Younger
pupils are very participative and want
to please, at least at school. However,
as children become older this becomes
more challenging, so it is important to
start young. Healthy eating is so vital,
especially for the young, and the more we
can do at an early age, the better it is. iE
Sue Parfett, Brookwood Partnership,

www.brookwoodpartnership.com
CAREFULLY
SELECTED
INGREDIENTS
HEALTHIER
AND TASTIER
LOCALLY
SOURCED
MEASURABLE
VALUE
For more information contact independents@harrisoncatering.co.uk

www.harrisoncatering.co.uk
@foodwiththought
KEEP IT GREEN | WATER EFFICIENCY
Liquid assets
Picture credit: FreeImages.com/Michal Mojek
Amar Hussain looks at how schools can do more to help reduce

consumption and wastage, to become more water efficient
B EL O W:
Am a r H u s s a i n
Schools need to
be savvy about how
to save and reuse
water in order to
keep energy costs
to a minimum
he growing population
and climate change are
putting increasing
pressure on water supply in the UK.
A substantial increase in consumers
and a shortage in rainfall mean that
urgent action needs to be taken to
help sustain water reserves. Its
important that schools start to
monitor their usage and find ways
to become more water efficient,
which can also help save significant
amounts of money in the long term.
The vast size of schools and the
number of people on site have a
dramatic impact on water usage.
Consider the number of people
who will flush a toilet on a daily
basis or shower after a sports session,
or the number of flowerbeds that
need watering or windows that
need cleaning. Combined with
boilers that need heating and
evaporative losses from pools,
water wastage can be excessive

and lead to expensive bills.
Schools need to be savvy about
how to save and reuse water in
order to keep energy costs to a
minimum. Simple solutions are
frequently low cost and offer
payback in less than a year, whereas
higher cost (large capital) solutions
will have extended return on
investment. However, its more
about reducing the amount of
water that you use, rather than
restricting it, as water is a vital part
of living. Checking all areas of
water use and identifying where
improvements can be made can
lead to moderated consumption
and great savings on water bills.
If your school has a fl at or
pitched roof, have you ever
considered installing a rainwater
harvesting system? This simple yet
effective technology can help with
irrigation, but can also be used for
flushing toilets. Alternatively, you
could install a water butt on site to
collect rainwater, which could save
around 2,400 litres per annum.
Other cost-effective installations
such as push taps, where you can
adjust the time flow, can help limit
any water wastage. You can also fit
a flushsaver in all toilets, which can
save 1.2 litres per flush on average.
And dont forget to check if your
showerheads are water efficient.
Did you realise that by replacing
a 13l/min showerhead with an
efficient 7.7l/min could save around
160 per annum? It all adds up.
New technologies, such as
smart meters, allow you to keep
track of how much water you
use, giving you precise readings,
as well as helping to detect any

leakages. Checking internal
plumbing and outdoor water tools,
such as sprinklers and hoses, for
leakages can also make a huge
difference a dripping tap wastes
around 5,500 litres per annum
on average. You can also prevent
overflows by regularly inspecting
washers and ball valves in cisterns.
If you have a swimming pool on
site, did you know that you can lose
water through evaporation? When
not in use, just make sure that you
cover it, which should moderate
any evaporation losses and reduce
the need to refi ll. And try adding
a layer of leaves, bark or compost
to flowerbeds: this will help to
retain moisture and means they
dont have to be watered so often.
There are a number of dedicated
energy management companies,
such as Orchard Energy, that
can carry out water audits on
your behalf. By analysing water
usage on site and validating bills,
they can identify how to reduce
consumption and make costeffective recommendations, as well
as ways to save money on bills and
recognise potential entitlements to
rebates from historical overpaying.
Its also worth noting that
the water market deregulated
in Scotland in 2008, allowing
businesses, no matter how small,
to switch and make savings on
their bills by changing water
suppliers. This will come into
effect in England in April 2017.
There is the option to switch water
suppliers now; however, this would
only benefit companies which
consume large amounts of water. iE
Amar Hussain is commercial director at Orchard Energy W: www.orchardenergy.co.uk

GOING PAPERLESS | GREEN
Unexpected benefits
The journey to becoming a greener school has helped to strengthen a sense of community amongst
the students and staff at the British International School of Riyadh, says Lee Drury
ur student leadership had an
intention to go green at the top of
their agenda. However, as an
international school in Saudi Arabia,
making the cultural shift to greater
environmental awareness would prove to
be an interesting challenge.
We were able to support the excellent
initiative by embracing electronic
communications. The impact on our
school has been astonishing and, 18
months on, we are not only a nearly
paperless school, we are a stronger,
better-connected community.
ITS A SMALL WORLD
CHANGE SHOULD ONLY BE MADE IF ITS FOR

THE BETTER, BUT WE HAVE YET TO FIND A TASK
THAT WE CANT COMPLETE MORE EFFICIENTLY
USING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
With children of 55 nationalities attending

our school, BIS Riyadh nurtures an
appreciation of diversity in each of its
students. Our schools global perspective
is one of its strengths, but with families
who travel far and wide during the school
holidays, sending important school
documents by post is not an efficient way of
communicating with parents and pupils.
Previously, we produced a paper version
of the annual student report summarising
the childs academic and personal
achievements. Students delivered these
to their parents every June. However, we
felt that families wanted more frequent
information to help them support
their childs learning, and our use of
technology helped to make this happen.
These days we all expect to be able to
look up information with a tap of a screen.
So by providing an online parent portal
from SIMS Independent, students families
can now log on to see their childs scores
in each subject, their behaviour points and
any other achievements in sport or music.
Now families have instant access to
their childs performance at school, rather
than having to dig out the report from the
bottom of a school bag. So if any issues
arise, parents can contact us more quickly
and we can work together to sort them out.
many house points had been earned.

We are now introducing online
homework tasks too, which we hope
will help parents to feel more involved
in school life as they can see which
projects their children are working
on and support them at home.
Another important benefit is electronic
exam results, particularly for students who
are overseas when the GCSE and A Level
results arrive. All students now receive their
results electronically, wherever they are.
THE DIGITAL GENERATION
THE POWER OF TEAMWORK
Our students have been eager to support

the schools drive to go paperless. Even
our youngest students were fully on board
and in no time they were encouraging
their parents to log on at home to see how
In order to succeed in our quest for a

greener school, we needed the support
of the staff. So we involved them in the
process from day one, and all teaching
and non-teaching staff have been engaged
S e n
a t th
In t e
S c h
io r s tu d e n ts
e B r itis h
r n a tio n a l
o o l o f Ri y a d h
in creating a system that really works.

Change should only be made if its for
the better, but we have yet to find a task
that we cant complete more efficiently
using electronic communication.
At this point, we are still nearly
paperless, but we are well on the way
to eliminating paper communication
altogether, having avoided printing a
single piece for the last 18 months. The
savings we have made on printing and
copying have been impressive, too.
We have come a long way in our journey
to becoming a greener school in a region
where being eco-friendly is not regarded
as a high priority. But the result is parents
who are better informed, students more
engaged with their progress, and the whole
school community is seeing the benefits. iE
Lee Drury is data manager at the British International School of Riyadh W: www.bisr.com.sa
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AT
UB
ET
B4E
IE
ISS
I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S
I N T E R N AT I O N
English-medium international
school population tops four million
Taking Eton to China

Eton Online Ventures, a trading
subsidiary of Eton College, has formed a
joint venture with education technology
provider Eighteen70 to create EtonX.
The new company will partner schools
in China to deliver courses built on
Etons style of education. Simon
Walsh, founder of Eighteen70, has
been appointed as CEO, while James
Stanforth, head of digital education at
Eton, is course director. Eton College
will invest profits derived from this joint
venture into its bursary programme.
In September 2015, EtonX will
launch in China with a modern
leadership programme. This aims to
enhance the educational approach
in Chinese high schools to prepare
Chinese students for higher education
and the modern workplace.
The programme consists of three
components: an interactive online
learning platform with multimedia
content developed by Eton; one-to-one
live online tuition delivered by Etontrained tutors based in the UK and inclass small-group activities facilitated by
teachers from the students own school.
Teachers from Eton will travel to
China to train and collaborate with
participating local teachers. Eton
has a long history educating students
to the highest standard, says James
Stanforth. Through EtonX we will
share our best teaching practices with
Chinese teachers and give Chinese
students the opportunity to practise their
collaboration and communication skills.
ust 15 years
ago, there were
fewer than one
million students
at international
schools. Five years
ago, this number rose
to 2.75 million. As
the figures suggest,
demand for places at
international schools
in many countries is
growing apace and
a number of UK
independent schools
have a strong and
successful presence. The International
School Consultancy(ISC), which
provides data and intelligence on the
English-medium international schools
market, says the four million figure was
reached for the first time in May 2015.
There are two main reasons for the
growth. Firstly, expatriate families demand
places at international schools to ensure
continuity of language, curriculum,
examinations or orientation. Secondly, an
increasing number of wealthy local families
seek out places at international schools to
give their children an English-medium
education that provide the best opportunities
for a place in a Western university.

The country with the highest number
of students attending international schools
is the United Arab Emirates, which has
479,700 students attending 514 Englishmedium international schools. However,
China has now surpassed the UAE as the
country with the largest number of schools.
China has 530 English-medium international
schools with some 326,400 students.
ISCs 2015 Global Report is now
available from www.iscresearch.com
Bristol school aids Moroccan boarders
EF A s t u d e n t s f r o m r u r a l c o m m u n i t i e s
b o a r d to c o n tin u e e d u c a tio n fr o m 1 1
tudents, parents and staff from Bristol

Grammar School have raised 50,000
to support boarding schools for girls
from rural communities in Morocco.
A relationship with the charity Education For
All Morocco began in 2007 when students
visited the North African country to help lay
the foundations for the projects first boarding
De m a n d f o r p l a c e s a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l
s c h o o ls in m a n y c o u n tr ie s is g r o w in g
house. By this autumn, there will be five

boarding houses in use, with more than 140
girls resident. The most recent development to
have been funded by BGS was the installation
of solar water heaters for two of the houses.
The EFA students are from rural
communities and board so they can continue
their education after the age of 11 an
opportunity that would not be available to
them otherwise because they live too far away
from secondary schools and their families
cannot afford basic transport and lodgings.
BGS assistant head, Dr Andrew Dimberline,
says: Seeing the project develop to the
current position is very rewarding. Some
of the first girls to benefit back in 2007
are now at university in Marrakech and
without the project their education would
have finished when they were 11.
The 50,000 was raised through a variety
of activities, ranging from a 10k run to
whole-school events such as Moroccan Day.
INTERNATIONAL | TEACHING ENGLISH
IE
Read more from

Bishopstrow College here:
ts not just the traditional public
schools such as Harrow and Eton
whose reputations and successes
are being promoted internationally. The
market for a British education is expanding
and has been for some time, with students
applying to UK schools from an array of
countries, backgrounds and cultures. Of
course, just like domestic applicants, not all
of these international students are
successful, but in many instances this isnt
because they lack the knowledge, talent or
drive required to be a top student. It is
because British schools are looking for skill
sets that international students do not always
show on paper or in interview. International
Study Centres such as Bishopstrow College
recognise this and deliver courses that
enable these students to adapt to British
schools.
The most noticeable and imperative
issue is English. Competency in the
language becomes much more of an issue
as students enter year nine and 10, when
LEARNING THE LINGO

Theres more to teaching international students English
than ensuring theyre competent in the everyday basics,
says Chris Lewis
contexts: common greetings, ordering
in a restaurant, narrative structures
etc. The rest of our English language
timetable focuses on the language and
skills needed for survival in school.
An important area is academic English,
the study of reading and writing academic
texts, listening to lengthy discussions on
topical or specialist subjects, delivering
presentations or taking part in debates.
Through this, a student not only learns the
language, but also learns the techniques
required to plan and structure
an argument, identify facts
and opinions in reading texts
and follow a speakers line
of argument. Students cover
the skills necessary to learn
independently, such as how to
record vocabulary effectively,
guess unknown words in a
challenging text and proof-read their own
work to correct errors and learn from them.
It is often the case, however, that the
study of English is seen as distinct from
the study of other subjects. Students may
be able to develop a strong argument on
paper in their English lessons but, when
it comes to their history assessments, do
not apply these techniques and produce
incoherent or poorly presented answers.
The curriculum can solve this problem by
dedicating a section of its English teaching
remit to subject support, a form of content
and language integrated learning. In these
IT IS OFTEN THE CASE THAT THE STUDY

OF ENGLISH IS SEEN AS DISTINCT FROM
THE STUDY OF OTHER SUBJECTS
they begin to study GCSE-level courses and
prepare for exams. The demands are even
greater for those wishing to enter further
education, with sixth forms requiring a
much higher level of proficiency in the
language. At most entry points, these
skills will need to be tested and sometimes
backed up by a certificate from one of the
many Cambridge English exams. This
is why, at Bishopstrow, approximately
50 percent of a students timetable is
dedicated to the study of English.
However, only a few hours are
given to general English in everyday
TO P : S t u d e n t s a t B i s h o p s t r o w
C o lle g e
lessons, teachers can recycle the skills

covered in English lessons, but within the
context of other subjects, such as history,
geography, science and business studies.
A lesson on comparatives and superlatives
becomes a comparison of education now
and education in the Victorian era. A
language focus on staging words and
cohesive devices is coupled with the
description of a science experiment or
the recruitment process. These sessions
highlight links between what students are
learning about English and how they can
use this in subject lessons, encouraging
students to take these skills and apply them
to their learning across the curriculum.
At the end of their course, students are
prepared to begin studying in an Englishlanguage environment. Combine this
with six hours a week of coaching in
traditional English sports, a programme of
art-based activities and cultural excursions
and the experience of living the life of a
boarding school student and the result
is an independent learner with a wellbalanced range of interests, a set of key
skills and knowledge and experience
of the boarding routine and rules. iE
Chris Lewis is director of studies

at Bishopstrow College
W: www.bishopstrow.com
Photo credit: Gillian08 | Dreamstime.com
Photo credit: Dragonimages | Dreamstime.com
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
SOCIAL
MEDIA | INTERNATIONAL
Getting the world talking

Whats the modern equivalent of pen pals? Social media is an easy
way to internationalise, says Ted Underwood
here are a lot of things that seem a good idea at the time; things which
sadly tend to lose their sheen the morning after. Chocolate mini
rolls by the packet, opening a second bottle of red wine and going
on camping holidays all fall into this category for me.
For many schools, setting their sights on foreign markets can have the
same effect. When your board of governors are all nodding their heads and
smiling enthusiastically as a consultant like myself paints a picture of a bustling
multi-cultural campus and a globally recognised brand, it can be hard to see
why a school shouldnt jump in with both feet. However, massive commitments
of fi nancial and human resources mean its certainly not for everyone and I
have recently advised a lovely girls day school that internationalisation can,
in fact, wait.
TIPS FOR USING SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE CLASSROOM

Consent:
If social media tools are to be used in a
classroom setting, you need to obtain
permission from parents. The teacher
also needs to be very clear about how they
will be monitoring students throughout
the exercise. You also need to use ageappropriate social media platforms.
Opt-out option:
If a students parents have reasons for not
wanting their child to use off-site social
media sites or tools, you should be prepared
to offer those students an alternative.
Etiquette:
Before the social media tools are used,
the teacher needs to have a frank and
candid discussion with students and the
partner school about its proper use in the
classroom. Boundaries and expectations
need to be explicit.
The fine print:
Students need to be aware of the terms
of use for different social media sites.
Different social media sites have varying
policies around data ownership and privacy
and everyone using the sites in a classroom
setting must be made aware of these policies.
My advice is that setting up a blog site, which
can be used exclusively by the students and
their teachers, is the best option.
IE
Read more from Ted Underwood here:
This girls school in question has, in recent years,

bounced back from near extinction and worked
hard to develop a strong local following. They are
doing really exciting things with their premises and
curriculum and are now looking to the next five years
to see what they can do with their reinvigorated brand.
My advice was simple - do more of the same. Engage
with your community, run summer programmes
for the local kids, do whatever you can to make
your school the go-to place for the daughters of that
particular bustling Home Counties town. Make them
love you. That way, when you fi nally do open your
gates to international students they will arrive feeling
they are part of something really special rather than a
relief column of fi nancial heavy cavalry.
With all this in mind, and the start of the academic
year upon us, I thought I would focus on an easy way to
internationalise this month. Previously I have hectored
you all to read dense journals on strategy, or curate
your agent network more carefully than an exhibition
at The British Museum. Let me make a suggestion on
how internationalisation can be done very well in your
classrooms with very little effort but with maximum
impact; its good old fashioned twinning projects.
I am from a generation where pen pals were a
mandatory part of the Modern Languages curriculum
and letters would be handed out by my French teacher
every half term. As a result, I spent three years writing
to Sebastien in Lyon where we haltingly asked each
other the same tedious questions time after time,
wearily enquiring as to whether or not we had any
siblings and what our houses were like. Just so you
know, Sebastiens house had three bedrooms and an
attic where apparently his grandmother lived. I never
enquired further, mainly because at 12 I didnt know
Photo credit: Dragonimages | Dreamstime.com
the French for dark family secret.

Mercifully, things have moved on since then.
Twinning projects between classes around the world can
be facilitated quite easily, producing far more exciting
results than four lines of resentfully scribbled nonsense
twice a term. Your students are now highly adept at
using sophisticated methods of communication and can
transfer words and images at the click of a button to their
peers in real time around the world. Yes, Im talking
about social media. Now, before you run screaming in
horror to your nearest safeguarding officer, I completely
sympathise with your reservations at allowing Social
Media Platforms (SMPs) into the classroom. Social
media is a tricky beast and, whilst it has great potential
to benefit institutions and the young people we work
with, it also has the potential for considerable harm.
If we are to harness the benefits of social media then it
must have clear parameters for your students, with clear
benefits and contained within a structure.
About six years ago, I happened to end up teaching
an EFL Class Humanities as part of their preparation
for starting a GCSE course the following year. They
were a lovely group but not terribly bright, and perfectly
comfortable speaking that particular brand of pidgin
English which can end up being mistaken for fluency
by those who speak to them every day. The scheme of
work I had carefully written just a year before wasnt
suitable for them, so in desperation I trawled the British
Council website for ideas. It was there that I came across
Connecting Classrooms, a dating agency for schools
if you will. I quickly found a school in France looking
to compare school-wide recycling and away we went.
Several of my lessons were spent in the ICT suite with
students talking on Skype to students in our partner
school or pinging PowerPoint slides back and forth. The
result was that my students actually had to communicate

in proper English to make themselves understood but,
more vitally, they had a reason to develop their skills.
The lessons flew by and when the time came for the
joint presentation it was a real buzz to see just how
far my students had come in terms of their subject
knowledge, confidence and language competence.
If you are looking for a way to begin
internationalising your school, or enriching an already
well developed global strategy, then this is certainly
worth a shot. The canny amongst you will have already
caught on to the fact that you can even target particular
countries where you are keen to develop markets and
use this, providing it is done sensitively, as a brand
awareness-raising exercise. Teachers and students will
naturally want to know more about your school and,
so long as you execute the project in a professional and
successful manner, will then be duly impressed with
what they say. After all, what better marketing tool does
any school have than their own students? iE
Ted Underwood
is a freelance
consultant
T: @TSUnderwood
FIND OUT MORE
schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org
The original online schools partnering website run by The British Council easy to use, thorough and well supported.
globaldimension.org.uk/partnership
A not-for-profit organisation which links UK schools with those
in developing countries to engage in joint curriculum projects.
wordpress.com
An easy to use blog site which you can set up quickly and easily to host your
joint project. Its easy to keep it private but equally easy to share the fi nished
article once youre ready.
EDUC
AT IO N
TECHNOLOGY
Background image designed by freepik.com
W: www.edtechnology.co.uk
T: @Educ_Technology
THE TRUSTED
VOICE OF ICT IN
EDUCATION
THE LATEST NEWS, FEATURES AND EXPERT OPINION
FROM ACROSS THE EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SECTOR
EVENTS | LUNCH!
Make a date with lunch! 2015

lunch! the multi-award winning trade event for the UKs 6.9bn food-to-go market,
is back for 2015 with its biggest edition yet.
TO
e x
e x
AB
is
o p
to
s u
P : De l e g a t e s
p lo r e th e
h ib itio n
O VE: Th e e v e n t
th e p e r fe c t
p o r tu n ity
m e e t n e w
p p lie r s
eturning to the Business Design Centre, in

London on 24-25 September, this years lunch!
will feature an unprecedented 350 exhibiting
companies (thats a 25% increase for 2015) showcasing
the latest food, drink, packaging, technology, and
equipment innovations.
Country Choice, Foster Refrigerator, Tetley,
Twinings, WMF UK, New York Bakery
Co, Euro Food Brands, James White Drinks,
Goodness Brands, George Skoulikas, and TM
Electronics, are just some of the new exhibitors
preparing to make their debut this autumn.
Whilst returning exhibitors include Cawston Press,
Chi Drinks, Coca Cola, Coveris, Frobishers, Lick,
Metcalfes Food Co, Pipers Crisps, Raynor Foods,
Simple Simon Foods, Taylors of Harrogate, Tri-star
Packaging, UCC Coffee and Unilever (Tea Fusion).
Now in its eighth year, lunch! has fast become
established as the trade show of choice for senior
foodservice buyers and university catering managers.
WHATS NEW FOR 2015?
Given the breadth and number of exhibitors on offer

at lunch!, its perhaps no surprise that innovation is
frequently cited as the biggest draw to the show. Since its
launch in 2008, its been helping buyers to stay one step
ahead of their competition with all the latest new trends
and suppliers. And 2015 promises more of the same.
Some of the new innovations (including food, drink,
packaging, equipment and technology) being showcased
this September include: Devonvale Bakerys new brand,
featuring three new hand baked sweet snacks including
Choc Mint Crunch and Apple & Raspberry Crumble;
new eco-friendly street food packaging from Tri-Star
Packaging; a brand new Caramel Sauce range from Joe
& Sephs Gourmet Popcorn; Walkers new Gluten Free
Shortbread 30g Minipacks; Organic Sunflower Protein
from Pulsin Ltd; three exciting new launches from
Pidy Limited; and WMF United Kingdom Limiteds
new generation WMF 5000S coffee machine.
This years show also boasts a new area on the
Upper Feature Level, which will be home to the

Innovation Challenge Showcase (offering a preview
of all the latest new product launches), VIP Lounge,
new Artisan Ingredients Village, and new Menu
Innovation Theatre (sponsored by Magrini). It will host
the popular live finals of the annual British Smoothie
Championships (also sponsored by Magrini), the
Caf Life Awards heats, and an exciting new series of
coffee, sandwich, tea and juice master classes. Over 60
companies will also be exhibiting in this new area.
BIG NAME KEYNOTES IN THE WORKING LUNCH!
THEATRE
The Working lunch! Theatre also boasts a new home

for 2015. Although still on the Upper Feature Level,
its new position enables it to cater for a significantly
bigger audience.Running throughout the two-day
show, the free business seminars are renowned for
attracting a host of high-profile brands and industry
leaders and this year is certainly no exception. Helen
Higgins, food ambassador at EAT.; Mark Palmer,
group marketing director of Pret A Manger; Guy
Meakin, trading manager - food on the move, Marks
& Spencer plc; and Roger Whiteside, CEO of foodto-go giant Greggs, are among the big name Keynote
speakers already confirmed for lunch! 2015.
REGISTER FOR LUNCH! 2015
I recommend lunch! to anyone in university

catering. A fantastic chance to discover
innovation and trends. say Jon Broadhurst, head
of catering, Sheffield Hallam University.
It is great to be able to come to a show with foodto-go at its core. I would recommend anyone involved
in this sector to make a date with lunch! 2015, agrees
Red Kitching, category buying manager at Aramark. iE
To register for a free ticket, please visit:

www.lunchshow.co.uk and quote priority code LUNIE1
BEAUDESERT PARK SCHOOL | PHOTO FINISH
TREADING THE BOARDS
PHOTO
FINISH
Beaudesert Park School opens new performing arts

centre designed by MEB Design Ltd
eaudesert Park School is set within the
grounds of a Listed House (now a school)
within the Cotswolds, on the edge of
Minchinhampton Common. A new performing arts
building from MEB Design Ltd provides a flexible hall
for activities from assemblies to performances, with
the ability to divide the space to provide two
acoustically separated spaces.
Facilities include a scene dock, green room, a curved
viewing balcony, roof terrace breakout space and
modular practice pods. The contemporary building
takes cues from the local palette of materials existing
buildings and the natural landscape. Externally, the
building is mostly clad with Cotswold stone, built to
a dry stonewall aesthetic, a construction synonymous
with the area and sourced from a local quarry.
Images MEB Design Ltd, Beaudesert Park School and Chris Honeywell.
www.beaudesert.gloucs.sch.uk
AWAITING
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Call us on 0113 238 9520 today and find
out how we can work with your school.
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29/07/2015 21:28
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19/03/2015 17:50

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A FOOD STANDARD THAT CANT BE BETTERED.

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Issue 62 | September 2015 | 3.99 where sold

Celebrating the UK's private schools

IN WITH THE NEW

Paying for 'extras'

Bucking the trend

How schools can help

The rumours and realities

What's new in the

Celebrating the UK's private schools

20 The smell of fresh stationery

Hilary Moriarty reflects on her own school days and

35 Insight from the experts

Simon Fry investigates new uniforms and existing

When it comes to teaching healthy eating habits, the

28 Bucking the trend

32 The kids are alright

37 More than turning taps off

October The Furniture Issue

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MIS solutions - the latest developments

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DIARY | OPEN DAYS

Making a good impression

vital it might be that they meet and greet

management team will also make the

YOUR PUPILS ARE YOUR GREATEST ASSET

see what contact the visitor has made with

Rebecca Tear is headmistress

Physics students from St Albans School

New 2 million centre for prep school

ursery pupils at Eversfield

School staff go mobile

ablet devices are now used

New Hall School celebrates academy success

he first independent school

Nottingham High School turns co-ed

or the first time

Having started at Lincoln City as U11 goalkeeper, Oundle pupil

When it comes to your ICT...

Your future depends on your learners and your learners

You can depend on us to help you

PARENT COMMUNICATION | COMMENT

Do parents need to know

Parents may feel

Fallon, a snapshot of a childs

The value of a good

ir Anthony Seldon, former Master of

STEINER SCHOOLS | COMMENT

Telling fact from fiction

teiner or Waldorf education is the fastest

Steiner schools settle for low academic standards.