Education

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...

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...

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,...

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...

‘It’s not fair!’

Mike Piercy, education consultant and former Head of The New Beacon, explains the importance of winning and losing with good grace The beefy second row lay prone, groaning, as the pack lumbered away. “Get up, Darling!” I cried. Opposition spectators...

Performance Power

Eastbourne College and Bede’s School discuss opportunities which give their students time to shine Director of Music at Eastbourne College, Dan Jordan, sings the praises of music at the school. It is 6.30pm, the night before a well-needed half-term holiday....

True Grit

The Granville School talk us through their positive approach to developing resilience As a predominantly girls’ school (we only have boys in our Pre-school), resilience is high on our list of skills to develop in our pupils. Although we’d like...

Meet the Head: Sophie Bradshaw, Head of Dulwich Cranbrook

We get to know Sophie Bradshaw, Head of Dulwich Cranbrook Tell us about the changes at DulwichThis is an extremely exciting time at Dulwich with the opening of our senior school. Our Year 9s are already thriving in their new...

Artistic Achievement

Art is in itself such an abstract topic, so open to interpretation, that teaching it to a high standard can be an art form in itself. So we asked one high-performing local school how it’s done. Taught in their newly...

A Day in the Life

… of a boarder at Millfield Prep – named Independent Schools of the Year Awards’ Prep School of the Year, for proactively teaching about pupils’ mental health Pastoral care and wellbeing is at the heart of Millfield Prep School. Boarding...

Get with The Times

The world is changing apace, so how do our schools equip children for the future? Somerhill tell us about their innovative engineering tuition. Recent experience during the Covid pandemic made it clear how vital scientists and engineers are to our...

Green Shoots

Radnor House Sevenoaks is raising the next generation of eco-heroes Radnor House Sevenoaks, a day school for ages 2-18, is leading the way in environmental education by empowering students to make impactful changes. Already students have planted over 100 trees,...

Sensible Seniors

Joff Powis, Headmaster, tells us how Vinehall’s Year 7s and 8s learn leadership skills In today’s rapidly changing world, leadership has become a pivotal trait. Prep schools are instrumental in shaping young minds, fostering an environment that nurtures and develops...

Planning Ahead

We hear about how Parkside School empowers the next generation of leaders If one was to ask a Parkside pupil about Leadership, they could give you an abundance of situational evidence and skills that are used on a daily basis...

Young Voices

At Hilden Oaks, giving pupils an opportunity to speak and be heard is considered key to growing leadership skills It has long been a tradition at Hilden Oaks Prep to give pupils a ‘voice’ and for them to be heard....

Something to say: Sevenoaks Prep School

We hear all about the advantages of learning languages from Sevenoaks Prep School Sevenoaks Preparatory School incorporates three foreign languages into its curriculum, broadening students’ horizons and aiming to instil a lifelong love for languages. French – the language of...

Something to say: Claremont Senior School

Catherine Mower, Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Claremont Senior School, tells us about their international outlook and opportunities At Claremont Senior School, we believe in providing students with enriching experiences that extend beyond the classroom, broadening their horizons, and...

Something to say: TASIS The American School in London

Chantal Gordon, Head of Modern Foreign Languages at TASIS The American School in London, gives us a glimpse into their approach to language education As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of education, language acquisition stands as a cornerstone in preparing...

Reaching out

Kat Portman-Smith, Tonbridge School’s Director of Community Engagement, takes a look at some of the initiatives and partnerships that form part of their students’ all-round education At Tonbridge we ensure our students are connected to the wider world: an important...

How to Revise

Reed’s School is a leading independent school in Cobham, which continues to evolve its approach to teaching, particularly the essential skills needed to learn, retain, and apply information independently. We asked them how it’s done Build a realistic timetable Include...

Don’t Look Backin Anger

Mike Piercy, education consultant and former Head of The New Beacon, explains the importance of healthy self-reflection and learning from our past in order to move forward positively ‘You’ve never been to Rome? Really?’New year’s resolution: book long weekend in...

Communication is Key

Mike Piercy, educational consultant and former Head of The New Beacon, shares advice on how parents can support their children at school Trust is such a fragile thing. It can take an age to build; but a moment to break....

Meet the Head: Parkside School, Nicole Janssen

We enjoyed finding out about Nicole Janssen, Head at Parkside School What or who inspired you to go into teaching?I had the most incredible piano teacher growing up who was so outside the box that she challenged my thinking from...

Meet the Head: Cranbrook School, David Clark

We’ve been finding out what makes the new Head of Cranbrook School, David Clark, tick With his passion for travel, languages and an internationalist outlook, David Clark enjoys the dynamism of Cranbrook School’s thriving and diverse community Tell us about...

If Good isn’t ‘it’ then who is?

Mike Piercy, educational consultant and previous Head of The New Beacon, shares his thoughts on spelling, punctuation and grammar Seen on an advertising board on a Southeastern train this summer:‘Yes, ships do take longer than planes. Good isn’t it.’Is the...

Meet the Head: Walthamstow Hall

We really enjoyed catching up with Louise Chamberlain, headteacher at Walthamstow Hall, Sevenoaks With a lifelong interest in medical microbiology and its impact on societies, coupled with a great passion for education, Louise Chamberlain is well-placed to navigate her school...

Meet the Head

We’ve been getting to know Ashford School’s Mr Tiley Nunn What did you study at university? Having known since as long as I can remember that I wanted to be a primary school teacher, I studied Primary Education at Canterbury Christ...

Trailblazing

We ask two high-achieving schools how they are staying ahead of the curve and designing a new path for the future of learning Parkside School, Cobham Parkside School is committed to innovative learning and so we’ve asked them to share...

A New Adventure

Starting school is the beginning of an amazing journey, but it is also a big transition. We find out how to make it as smooth as possible Stepping Stones The first day at school is an emotional milestone for both...

EXTRA EXTRA Curriculars

Dulwich Cranbrook tells us what adventures extra curriculars hold beyond the classroom At Dulwich Cranbrook, every child is furnished with the skills and confidence to develop and grow, empowering them to steer the course of their future. Our broad and...

Meet Lizzie…

Mayfield student, Lizzie, explains how extra-curricular interests and sport have enriched her life at Mayfield At Mayfield, we believe happiness is the key to thriving at school and so we place a strong emphasis on creating a nurturing environment for...

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