Out of the blue

Tricia Trend’s Goudhurst home is the perfect base from which to explore the beautiful countryside and forests that surround it – and what better place to stay than in a traditional Kentish oast! How many times have you stayed in...

In the clouds

In a central, yet completely private, location in Tenterden, a creative couple have lavished their Grade II listed maisonette with colour and personality We mortals are but dust and shadows,’ said the poet Horace, reminding us from long ago of...

Pot-roast chicken pot au feu

Set the oven to 180°C and remove the chicken from the fridge to bring to room temperature. Heat a deep-sided 2.5-3L casserole, with a lid, on the stove and add a little olive oil and butter. Season the chicken inside...

Cured trout, crème fraîche & pickled kohlrabi, cucumber & dill

The day before you want to eat, mix the salt and sugar for the trout together and sprinkle over both sides of the fish. Lay on a plate and put into the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours (no...

Gooseberry & elderflower fool

Make the custard by heating the milk and cream to just below boiling point. Dip the flower heads of the elderflower into the custard (leaving the green stems outside the mixture). Put the lid on the pan and leave to...

Heat Wave!

Sarah Maxwell explains how to exercise when you’re dealing with hot flushes Exercising during menopause can be challenging in many ways. If hot flushes are a familiar part of your journey, you’re not alone. Many women know all too well...

Nourish to Flourish

Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach Charlotte Lau explores the benefits of incorporating another healthy ingredient into our diets. This month it’s cherries One of my personal favourites… English cherry season. This small, but delicious, stone fruit doesn’t last long, so make...

In the Night Garden

Jo Arnell explains how to make the most of your outdoor space once darkness falls Some enchanted evening you may see me outside – mainly searching for slugs in the garden, because the cool hours of night are when they...

Contain your excitement

Jen Stuart-Smith discusses how to get creative with your pots and planters My love affair with plants started with houseplants when I was a child. As my bedroom windowsill overflowed – resulting, occasionally, in waking up with compost under my...

Great Expectations

Mike Piercy, education consultant and former Head of The New Beacon, gives his opinion on tutoring There’s nothing wrong with ambition; indeed it is to be praised. Encouragement of ambition is inherent in parenthood and teaching.I have something of a...

Creative Thinking

Online educators, Technology Triumphs, talk us through their approach "There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all,” – Edward De Bono, the originator of the term lateral thinking.Despite this, creative pursuits have been seemingly...

The ultimate family getaway

Down a quiet country lane, enveloped by stunning countryside, Crabtree Farm has provided Andrew Jenkinson and his family with the space they needed to breathe, after many years spent in London. Following extensive renovation work, the farm is now ready...

Reaching new heights

Stripping an Edwardian property back to its bare bones has paid dividends for seasoned house developers Angela and Paul, who, after tracking down the perfect builders for the project, ensured that this huge renovation was completed in a staggeringly speedy...

5 Top Tips to get exam ready

Help your child navigate exam season with help from the experts It is no secret that, for some students, the exam season represents a stressful time. Antony Nesling and Beverley Bloem, Diploma Coordinator and High School Counsellor at ACS International...

Back of the Net

As we all cheer on the rise of girls football, we’re going behind the scenes at Queen Ethelburga’s to find out how our schools can meet the new demand and achieve some fantastic goals Supported by both excellent results by the...

Girls & Boys

Two schools tell us about the benefits of a single sex education The Granville School Gloria Steinem said, ‘Don’t think about making women fit the world – think about making the world fit women,’ and that is what we aim...

The Great Outdoors

Joff Powis, Head of Vinehall Schoo,l explains the benefits of Outdoor Learning In the realm of education, the allure of the great outdoors is often overshadowed by the structured confines of traditional classroom settings. However, the paradigm is shifting, and...

Future Leaders

The Duke of York’s Royal Military School explain how they foster resilience and growth In today’s fast-paced and competitive world, where adaptability and fortitude reign supreme, the quest for exceptional leadership and resilience has never been more crucial. Parents, recognising...

Live at the Coliseum

Benenden School perform historic first at the London Coliseum Benenden School recently made history twice – not only being the first school to ever perform at the London Coliseum, but also putting on the first ever production of Joseph and...

Absolutely Wizard

Manor House School report on their recent heart-warming drama production Last term, pupils in the Senior School came together to perform over three nights for their Senior Production, The Wizard of Oz, and what a show it was.The school hall...

Home from Home

Creating the right environment for young children to thrive is a fine art – Head of Pre Prep and Early Years at Hilden Grange, Sheena Sowerby – shares how it’s done Young children need a safe, nurturing environment where they...

Meet the Head

We’ve been getting to know Lindie Louw, Head of Hazelwood School Hazelwood School is a coeducational Nursery and Prep School set amongst 25 acres of woodlands on the Surrey Kent border. We enjoyed hearing about their forward-thinking approach. What led...

Past & Future

Three schools celebrate their rich heritage and look forward to bright tomorrows 150 Years in the Making at Marlborough House School In 1874, the year Disraeli succeeded Gladstone as Prime Minister, Thomas Hardy published ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ and...

We are the Champions

Sir William Perkins’s School explain the importance of championing the individual as they lead the way in personalised education At Sir William Perkins’s School, the ethos of championing the individual is not just a motto but a way of life....

Sew, what next?

An online education provider tells all about their exciting creative options Technology Triumphs is a Kent based, award-winning distance learning provider set up specifically for young people.Established by qualified teacher Pip Rothwell in 2019, with the aim to provide additional...

Doing things Differently

We hear from Frensham Heights where, from their foundation, they have taken a progressive approach to education Nestled on 125 acres in the beautiful Surrey Hills just 40 miles from London, Frensham Heights offers a coeducational day and boarding experience...

Roast beetroot & blue cheese on sourdough

Move over avocado and feta, this is a stunning sourdough topper, showcasing abundant British beetroot and stunning local creamy blue cheese from Kingcott Dairy. A delicious lunch, and the roast beetroot keeps in the fridge perfectly for three days to...

​Strawberry & vanilla possets

Kentish strawberries are outstanding in June. This showstopper of a pudding maximises their beauty and flavour. It’s elegant but very easy to make, a delicious reimagining of strawberries and cream! Put the cream and sugar into a saucepan. Heat gently...

More than just a pretty face

Jen Stuart-Smith explores the multiple uses of some easy-to-grow garden favourites When you grow flowers for their beauty, shape and colour it can be easy to forget all the other qualities they have to offer. Some are edible, others provide...

Roses all the Way

Jo Arnell turns her attention to the English garden’s most beloved blooms Roses are the beauty queens of the summer garden; delicate, fragrant and romantic – and despite stemming from another continent, they seem a quintessentially English plant. Prima donnas,...

Custodians of History

Inspired by her family home’s centuries of history, and her lifelong interest in property, Claire Whisker has drawn on the skills she has learned during the ups and downs of her seven-year-long house renovation to create a successful new business...

Two become one

When Emma Spencer moved into her sixteenth century home, its unusual layout was a dead giveaway that it had originally been two separate cottages. With a complete interior remodel, Emma has respectfully updated this characterful building, adjusting its layout to...

Pork belly with apple purée, Tenderstem broccoli & dauphinoise potatoes

Place the pork belly in a roasting tray and cover with the cider, season with salt and pepper and cover with tin foil.Roast in the oven for 2 hours at 150°C. For the dauphinoise potatoes, thinly slice the peeled potatoes,...

Pan fried king scallops with minted pea purée & crispy Parma ham

Lay the Parma ham on a baking tray and place another tray on top. Put in the oven to become crispy for about 10 minutes at 180°C. For the pea puree, place the frozen peas in a pan of boiling...

Lemon meringue gâteau

Pour the cream into a large bowl and add the yoghurt, icing sugar and lemon rid. Whisk until mixture forms soft peaks. Fold in the crushed meringue and the lemon curd and stir through the mixture just enough to marble...

Cream of the crop

Jen Stuart-Smith highlights the celebrated South East nurseries who’ll be appearing at this month’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024, from 21-25 May There can be few garden shows that cause as much excitement as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Founded...

Mix it up

Jo Arnell celebrates the joys of myriad colours in the garden I spend a lot of my time adding structure to gardens – trees, shrubs, evergreens and architectural foliage plants. We need these to give our borders cohesion and good...

Speaking Sense

Mike Piercy, education consultant and former Head of The New Beacon, turns language pupil A favourite word: smellfungus. A favourite book: The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (two weighty tomes). A favourite pursuit: looking up a word, getting distracted by other,...

Change it up

Neil and Sharon Maidment’s reconfigured family home is the result of a very successful partnership with OPEN architecture, who opened their eyes to a new layout they never imagined was possible Words: Fiona Patrick Photographs: David Merewether The green modular...

Go with the Flow

Sue Whigham shares some valuable new-to-gardening advice I’m sure that by now we should be used to the rain but I’m not entirely sure that we are. We had a dry, sunny day the other day and how everybody’s mood...

Take me to… a UK Staycation

We’re kicking off our new travel feature with a collection of ideas to get you trying something new with explorative and adventurous trips Cornish Escape The Park, Cornwall is an award-winning holiday village, just a short stroll from Mawgan Porth...

Rhubarb & pistachio loaf cake

Serves 10Prep time: 10 minutesCooking time: 55 minutes A great way to make the most of rhubarb season – this easy loaf cake pairs beautifully with crushed pistachios and a rosewater syrup. Serve it with a dollop of crème fraîche...

Spring onion, walnut & sundried tomato sourdough

Serves 8-10Prep time: 4 hours (45 minutes hands on time), plus overnight proofing.If using instant yeast: 2 hoursBaking time: 4 minutes Bread is a great excuse to bring people together, and this enriched sourdough loaf is a wonderful accompaniment to...

Rhubarb & pistachio scones

Makes 8-10Prep time: 15 minutesBaking time: 25 minutes Scones are the perfect excuse to get everyone together around the table with a cup of tea. This recipe comes together quickly, resulting in an easy-to-handle dough that you can mould into...

Kale & radish panzanella salad served with a honey & mustard vinaigrette

Serves 4Prep time: 15 minutesCooking time: 10 minutes There’s nothing quite like panzanella for a quick and easy meal. And when it’s made with seasonal curly kale, pickled radishes, feta and chunky toasted breadcrumbs – you know it’s going to...

Brain power!

Sarah Maxwell explores how exercise affects your grey matter Exercise has long been recognised for its positive impact on physical health. However, many recent studies have shown that exercise also has many transformative effects on the brain, so if you...

Perfect Pitch

Mike Piercy, education consultant and former Head of The New Beacon, sings the praises of music in education What exactly is it that drives parents to make huge sacrifices by sending their children to independent schools? Different families have different...

Farm Fables

Jane Howard gets to the bottom of why so many ponds have disappeared across the High Weald I have a new passion, almost an obsession, it’s about ponds. And there’s a distinct possibility I might become a bit of a...