I employ all of these strategies on a daily basis, I fit in a short run, get a good seven hours’ sleep, have porridge for breakfast and tackle the most complex tasks first thing in the morning, when I know I am at my most efficient.

Jo MacKenzie, headmistress, Bedford Girls’ School

It is hard to look too far from the technology that surrounds me. My phone and laptop are with me everywhere and in a role that requires being on the move often, the mobile office is crucial.

Within that I have found doing more than scratching the surface with software makes a big difference. Examples would be use of the categories in Outlook to be able to filter mails into useful and searchable blocks. Similarly, Wunderlist’s ‘assign to’ function allows me to open collaborative lists on a range of topics, and more prosaically send tasks for my PA, members of the senior team or my truculent teenage daughter. Google Docs’ ‘live comment’ and ‘suggest functions’ are life-changers.

Finally, and as an antidote to the above, never underestimate the value of a handwritten note on a high-quality personalised card, written with a proper pen – sometimes the old hacks are the best hacks!

Chris Seal, principal, Shrewsbury International School Bangkok

Parents love to discuss all school-related issues (good and bad) on WhatsApp and its use is increasingly becoming the scourge of many schools. We believe if you can’t beat them, join them! WhatsApp, like it or loathe it, is how parents communicate and is often their first point of call when they have a question about what is happening at school.

Rather than them asking other parents and spreading misinformation, we have set up our own school-controlled WhatsApp groups for each year group. They are not forums for parents to air their concerns, gossip or find out about the next birthday party, but they are a means to communicate important messages and reminders about school events and the type of uniform that should be worn that day.

If parents have a query about something, it will be answered quickly and promptly by our administrator of the groups, who knows the accurate answers – or they will post the relevant sections in the weekly information letter, which will have already been sent to all parents.

It provides parents with an excellent platform of communication (one they are familiar with and use regularly with ease) and it ensures that the correct message is sent. This reduces the chances of parents being misinformed and also the spreading of rumours.

Ben Evans, headmaster, Edge Grove School

The post Talking heads: what’s your best headteacher hack? appeared first on Independent Education Today.

For example, its boarding houses have become so much more as during the holidays they are used as residential lets for the community – meaning facilities are never left empty. And the school has had to adapt enormously, going from just seven pupils in its founding year to the 720 they have today.

Learning curve

One way Monkton truly thinks differently though is with its food. Recently the school decided to move away from its contracted caterers to take full control of the catering process themselves.

Catering manager Steve Brown says: “Last April we came in-house with the catering to do our own thing. It’s been a steep learning curve, and a challenge, but a great opportunity to buy the food we want to buy and do our own training.

“For me it’s all about good quality, well-prepared, healthy, sustainable food. It’s the right thing to do.”

In 2018 Monkton became the first independent school in the south-west to secure the Soil Association’s Food for Life Served Here silver award for using fresh, sustainable and locally sourced ingredients.

Now it’s working towards the gold award where points are awarded for ethical and environmentally friendly food, making healthy eating easy and championing local producers.

To achieve silver, at least 5% of ingredients must be organic but to achieve gold a minimum of 15% of ingredients must be organic, and at least 5% must be free-range pork or poultry meat. Brown says currently, sourcing large organic volumes is a challenge – as the school serves 9,500 meals a week – but it’s something they’re looking into.

For the gold award organisations are also rewarded for buying food produced in their region and for above-average UK sourcing levels.

“As much as we can, we’ll buy UK produce,” says Brown.

Five numbers

Founding year: 1868
Number of pupils: 720
Number of heads/principals to date: 12
Number of catering staff: 45
Number of meals served across the schools per week: 9,500

The school uses a host of local suppliers, including milk from Ivy House Farm, yoghurt from Brown Cow Organics (which gets delivered weekly to Ivy House Farm to use fewer vehicles), bread and organic products from Hobbs House Bakery, meat and groceries from Philip Dennis (which Brown says have been “instrumental in getting the school Red Tractor meat”), as well as fruit and vegetables from Lovejoys. The suppliers all come from surrounding areas such as Wiltshire and Beckington.

Pupil involvement with the food is strong, with cooking activities linked to the curriculum, such as bread-making, a regular occurrence.

There is a food council, even in the pre-prep, and food committees, and the catering team listens to pupil and parent feedback. Pupils are now growing vegetables in their own allotments too.

It gives them an appreciation of what’s actually involved in the production of food

Staff member Will Etherington says: “It’s all about building up the students’ engagement and interest in where their food comes from and knowing that meat and vegetables don’t come from a packet.

“It gives them an appreciation of what’s actually involved in the production of food.”

Sustainable school

Etherington is passionate about making the school an environmentally-friendly place and works with the catering team to make sure things are going in the right direction.

He says: “It’s something we want to build on but working with the catering team, they’ve been so accommodating with everyone.”

The school actively engages in environmentally-friendly initiatives such as zero wasting, reducing plastic and taking food waste to a biogas plant. Its recent tree-planting initiative will see hundreds more trees planted around the school – at least one for every student.

“It’s a legacy project that will last hundreds of years,” says Etherington.

Inclusive environment

During my tour of the school’s facilities, I realised what Monkton does really well is provide an inclusive environment where everyone is encouraged to join in.

Head boy Johnnie says: “One of the best things about music here is the head of music, Mr Bevan. He is awesome and all about trying to get everyone involved, not just the best getting better.”

Bevan has pulled this off with a brilliant project called The Choir Who Can’t Sing, which is a big hit with students because, as Johnnie says, there are no expectations. “His motto is enabling every pupil to find their voice,” says head girl Nancy.

On top of this, there are informal concerts every week where students can perform to small groups, piano recitals, band nights, a soundproof recording studio for pupils to get creative and much more to keep the music going.

Five facts

1. Monkton Combe School merged with Clarendon School in 1992
2. Monkton celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2018
3. Monkton has a silver Food for Life Served Here award from the Soil Association, and is working towards gold…
4. …it was also a runner-up in the Independent School Champion category at the Food for Life Served Here awards last year
5. Monkton is nestled in the Midford Valley overlooking rolling hills and woodland

Another key part of the school is its extensive sporting programme. The sports hall has a digital screen outside showing school games, and large banners of the school’s sports captains are proudly hung inside on the walls.

“I’ve been trying for years to get the place open more often and it’s finally happened,” says Johnnie.

Fantastic facilities such as a gym, astro pitches, rugby fields, cricket pitches, a swimming pool and more provide space for pupils to engage in just about any sport going.

Monkton is a Christian school and pupils spend a part of every day in the chapel – whether it’s for a chapel service, house meetings, singing practice or the principal’s assembly.

It has, as Nancy explains, been designed for everyone to take part in. “The Christian aspect is a big part of the school, but they make it for everyone as much as they can by having lots of different activities in here,” she says.

Of course, you can’t mention Monkton without talking about principal Chris Wheeler, who has led the school since 2016.

Passionate about innovative education, his prize-giving ceremony speeches have become quite the talking point.

In 2018 he ripped up his notes and ran out of the room leaving pupils and guests to watch a video of him driving round the school in a golf buggy, finding out what the school had been up to that year.

He even threw in hilarious moments like pushing the director of sport into the river (if you haven’t done so yet, watch the video on YouTube).

Monkton has exciting plans to expand and improve the school across all stages of education but already it has a lot to offer, whilst still managng to be a small, inclusive and nurturing place for young people to receive their education.

The post School spotlight: Monkton Combe School appeared first on Independent Education Today.

Highfield and Brookham Schools, Liphook, have experienced sustained growth in the number of students boarding in the last decade, from 38.1% of students in 2011/12 to 50.5% in 2019/20. The school’s overall intake has also increased in the same time period by 17 percentage points.

The school’s figures contrast with the national trend. According to the 2019 Independent Schools Council (ISC) annual census, the number of boarders in the UK has gradually declined since 2015. In contrast, Highfield has seen the number of boarders increase by 15 percentage points in the same time period.

The latest year’s intake is the school’s highest since it dropped its compulsory boarding policy in 1999.

For the first time, Highfield’s senior boarding house is full and currently accommodates 129 boarders from years six, seven and eight. The junior boarding house, for years four and five, is currently home to 13 students with space to accommodate a further five more come summer.

According to the school’s senior leadership team, numbers of boarding pupils usually rise in the summer term as parents think about preparing their children for senior school.

The school has hurriedly begun upgrading its facilities in anticipation of increased demand, with spare rooms pressed into service as new dorms.

Those rooms deemed suitable will be converted into bedrooms over the Easter break for part-time boarders. The school has invested in its boarding facilities in recent years, including two new dorms, for 10 children, in 2016.

The school has also overseen the appointment of a new head of boarding, Bertie Campbell Baldwin, to manage the expansion.

Phillip Evitt, headmaster at Highfield School, said: “Our boarding provision is at the heart of our school and we are thrilled that it continues to thrive each year. My team is very proud of what we have achieved and believe it will help support our boarding community for years to come.”

The schools of Highfield and Brookham are in Liphook, on the borders of Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex. The schools sit amid the South Downs National Park in 175-acre grounds.

Read more: Coronavirus could spark xenophobia, boarding schools warned

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Year 10 children from across Brighton are participating in the Roedean Academy programme, with Wednesday evenings spent studying subjects ranging from genetic engineering to philosophy, language code-breaking to the psychology of crime.

“We just saw no reason why boys from the city couldn’t start enjoying the classes too,” said headteacher, Oliver Blond.

“They are tackling subjects that stretch and challenge them and go beyond what’s on the curriculum and what they need to know to pass GCSEs.

“It’s learning just for the love of it – something Roedean has espoused throughout its history – and we have seen children absolutely loving it.”

You may also like: Hertfordshire school goes back to its coeducational roots

Fourteen boys and 39 girls from local secondary schools are currently enrolled in the sessions.

Stanley Bradley-Scott, from Dorothy Stringer School, is among them. “There is a massive range of modules, so you can be super science-y or you can be the complete opposite,” he said.

“My friends are curious to see what it’s actually like – we drive past here a lot and see this incredible building, but we never knew much about what was going on.”

“I think that Old Roedeanians would be really proud that we are able to have this experience of working with boys sometimes,” said current pupil, Lola Clarke.

“It’s great to participate in discussions with people who are bringing in new ideas and new perspectives.”

The post First boys welcomed into Roedean School appeared first on Independent Education Today.

“The success of community partnerships relies on them being meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships. We take seriously our responsibility as a member of the local Dorset community. That means having effective links with other educational establishments and organisations that support young people, so we are proud to be part of the Blandford Schools’ Network of state schools. With 620 staff, however, we are keenly aware that we are not only a large employer, but also a community with the spending power to make a real difference to local shops. Our new loyalty card scheme is a good example of an effective way of benefiting pupils, staff and parents, while supporting local independent shops and businesses.” 

Mark Mortimer, headmaster, Bryanston School

“We have specific in-depth partnerships with two maintained sector schools, many overseas groups and charities, and we are a founder member of the Cheltenham Education Partnership made up of 10 local schools. Activities are an eclectic mix and range from our pupils sharing lessons and coming together for our unique MBA programme, to rowing together on the River Severn and dissecting owl pellets, amongst other scientific things! Staff meet regularly too, sharing best practice. As a group, we have become good friends. Tens of thousands of hours have been given by us all to various projects. Every minute has been worthwhile as everyone has grown or benefited in some way.”   

Nicola Huggett, head, Cheltenham College

“During 2019, boys at Bedford School clocked up a staggering 1,600 hours working in partnership with our local community. It’s hugely important to us that our boys engage fully with the world around them, and especially with our local town. We work in partnership with many different groups across the community. Our boys volunteer in local primary schools (helping with extra reading, leading football clubs and teaching mandarin, for example), in old people’s homes and riding with the disabled, and in doing so they learn to take responsibility for themselves and others, learn the joy of helping those who need it and enhance their skills of empathy; they also grow as people.”   

James Hodgson, headmaster, Bedford School

“The school is a member of a consortium of 21 local primary schools (Warwick Prep is the only independent school in the group). The focus is to work collaboratively for the benefit of all pupils and staff within the schools. The heads meet every half-term; recent priorities have included professional development at all levels of school leadership and developing wellbeing policies for staff and pupils. The latter has seen inspirational speakers address staff and the provision of Mental Health First Aid training across all the schools. Warwick Prep hosts a number of the meetings and provides curriculum experiences for the pupils, most recently in science and music.” 

Hellen Dodsworth, headmistress, Warwick Preparatory School

“Last year, Canford pupils and staff devoted almost 10,000 hours in support of local schools and community projects in the local area and beyond. Canford’s mission is to build a community of open-minded people who are committed to making a difference to their own lives and to the lives of others.  It is very important to me that Canfordians leave with a sense of social responsibility, empathy towards others and an ingrained desire to make that difference. Through our sponsorship of The Bourne Academy, our links with over 30 other local schools and a range of community partnerships, fulfilment of that mission lies at the heart of all we do.” 

Ben Vessey, headmaster, Canford School

You might also like: Talking heads: is there a link between physical activity and positive classroom outcomes?

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“I guess that view is born of my personal experience,” he continues. “I was state educated in a large comprehensive in south Wales, where I was just a number. I didn’t feel anyone was particularly interested in me.”

Dr John Price is new to this school and has brought with him a sweeping agenda of change. We’re in Bassetlaw, a north Nottinghamshire region marked by its industrial history, but how do school and town fit into the 21st century?

As I sit down with Dr Price in the headmaster’s study, the artwork on the walls catches my eye. These pieces, products of the art department, are quite a testament to the school’s alumni, but there’s one picture – the one right behind Dr Price himself – that commemorates much more. An old man, wearing an orange boiler suit and a blue hard hat, stares down at me.

He is a former miner – a grandfather of this town, and its community. Worksop lies at the heart of one of England’s largest former coalfields; it is a region which is now often noted more for its past than its future. The taxi ride from the station to this glorious Victorian school is laden with contrasts.

“We open up to the community but I’m very keen to do more. I do not want to be seen as the elite school on the hill outside town,” Dr Price explains. He has come to Worksop College from a school in Grimsby, two areas not materially different in many respects.

“We want to enhance this community and give opportunities for young people in the area. I would love to get a situation where we had – and we’ve already started work on this – some very good state-independent school partnerships. We’re trying to link up with state academies, not just to share good practice and give opportunities to state school pupils, but because our pupils can learn a great deal from them, and that interaction.

“I think it breaks down barriers and helps young people to understand different viewpoints. It creates community when people understand why somebody feels the way they do. I think we produce very well-rounded young people.”

The school has recently invited pupils from a local primary school to a concert series and music workshops. The school’s sporting facilities, including its athletics track, football and hockey pitches, and swimming pool, provide accommodation for vitally needed local community clubs. During last year’s flooding, which brought carnage to the east Midlands, the school’s students pitched in with community projects to help those affected. 

I think there is a stereotype of what an independent school pupil is like. I think that’s unfair

“For some people – and, you know, I’m from a similar background too – there’s an impression that a school like this comes with an incredible amount of pretence. I think part of my role has to be inviting local residents up to the school to take part. I also have to get across to the local community that independent education can be affordable, but parents of students here are making sacrifices; but they believe, as I do, that the biggest gift you can give a child is their education.

“We have to challenge that perception because we offer a lot of bursaries and scholarships, which means that it can be affordable to people in the local community who might not expect it.”

From his time in Grimsby and a school in Somerset, Dr Price says there is a public perception of independent schools based on a certain stereotype. “I’m not even sure it’s a north-south divide, it might even be a south-east divide. Having been head of a school in the south-west, there were socio-economic challenges there too.

“I think there is a stereotype of what an independent school pupil is like. I think that’s unfair.”

Five numbers

Founding year: 1895

Number of pupils: 509 approximately

Age of pupils: 3–18 (including Ranby House)

Full boarding fees per term: £7,339 (years 7 and 8), £9,889 (years 9 to 13)

Day fees per term: £4,595 (years 7 and 8), £5,995 (years 9 to 13)

There is much about the school that feels as it probably has done for more than a century. The school is about to celebrate its 125th anniversary and many of its alumni, I’m told, still hold an “emotional attachment” to the school’s splendid chapel. The red-brick buildings are imbued with the aspiration of their Victorian founders – great arching ceilings and towering stone windows make an imposing impression as you cross the school’s quad.

The terracotta floor tiles of the corridor to the headmaster’s study have been worn uneven by thousands of school shoes and the magnificent dining hall – which is the real centrepiece of the community – seems as imposing as it did in the black and white photos of yesteryear. The school’s great grounds stretch for acres towards the National Trust’s stunning Clumber Park. To take a few steps away from the school is to step into countryside.

The school’s unrivalled grounds have produced some notable sporting stars, including cricket’s Joe Root, Samit Patel and Philip Sharpe, and Great Britain’s men’s hockey captain, Adam Dixon. 

Moving indoors, the school’s new head has ambitious plans for a revised curriculum and timetable. The school opens now from 8.30am to 5.40pm, but from September, lessons that currently run on a Saturday morning will move into the five-day week. Lessons will be shortened to 45 minutes and an hour-long activity programme will conclude every school day, with additional, optional activities on Saturday mornings for boarders and those who wish to join them.

This timetable, which adheres to a Monday to Friday working week, will balance the curriculum with non-curriculum activities and offers an opportunity for families to spend more of their weekends together.

A new sixth form timetable will incorporate valuable ‘life lessons’ into the school’s programme, like CV building, public speaking and LinkedIn training. The school invites TED speakers and offers coaching awards to develop students’ employability.

The emphasis of the new timetable, Dr Price says, is “flexibility” – for teachers to maximise the hours in the day to develop “an exciting, enticing extracurricular programme built around our core values of resilience, adaptability and emotional intelligence, which employers desperately want”.

Five facts

1. Ranby House caters to pupils aged 3–11; pupils go on to Worksop College from age 11–18

2. Worksop College has an annual digital detox

3. Worksop lies at the heart of one of England’s largest former coalfields

4. The school’s sporting facilities provide accommodation for local community clubs

5. The school is about to celebrate its 125th anniversary

Emotional intelligence is something Dr Price describes as his “absolute passion”. His education at a south Wales comprehensive left him feeling starved of extracurricular opportunities and rendered him anonymous to his teachers. Worksop College is not academically selective and focuses on “adding academically to every child,” the headmaster explains.

“That’s quantifiable, but what isn’t quantifiable is the development of the whole person; the self-esteem, the self-worth, the ‘well roundedness’. That, for me, is vital.” 

The school’s senior leadership team meet every week and challenge one another with the school’s ethos that every lesson should be bold and ambitious; supportive yet challenging; and inquisitive and thoughtful. Changing the measurements of success has become “a self-fulfilling prophecy”, Dr Price explains, as alternative approaches are valued and championed on their own terms.

The new curriculum at sixth form will include two valuable hours dedicated to life skills, including car maintenance, ironing a shirt, cooking on a budget, managing a bank account and applying for a mortgage. The school’s wider team – including the groundstaff and the domestic staff – pitch in with this education for life. 

The school wants students to understand how to use digital tools, but in balance with their mental health. It is challenging the encroaching influence of social media at the frontline. Worksop College has an annual digital detox; staff and students are expected to hand over their phones and no one – not even the headmaster – can check emails.

The result of being in such a stunningly scenic area (as I quickly found out) is no internet, other than the school’s broadband. The school switches off the wifi from 10pm each night, meaning boarders cannot access social media during the evenings. The chapel even hosts mindfulness sessions alongside its traditional Anglican services.

Worksop College is a school at ease with its history and its future; a school aware of its privilege and its responsibility.

This article was originally published in our March issue.

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We’re very pleased to introduce our Helping Hands school expeditions – school trips designed to teach your students about the world around them, helping them to become better global citizens.

What?

Our Helping Hands school expeditions are much like our other school trips, in that we’ll work closely with you to tailor make an itinerary that suits your group’s requirements and your learning objectives.

But, importantly, they all also offer some form of social responsibility activity that will allow you and your group to give back in some way to the local communities and environment you visit.

Examples of some of the opportunities that our Helping Hands school expeditions offer include volunteering at wildlife sanctuaries, teaching local children and helping to renovate local schools.

You’ll also be able to visit other local projects to find out more about what they’re doing – one example is a café in India that’s run by acid attack victims, helping their rehabilitation and promoting awareness of these awful crimes.

How?

Our Helping Hands school expeditions will ensure that local communities benefit from our school trips as much as our school groups do.

That’s why we work with suppliers who share the same values as us and are committed to giving back to the local community.

For example, one of our partners provides educational scholarships for disadvantaged youths to become professional tour guides. Another sources all their gifts from a rural women’s initiative.

Where?

We offer our Helping Hands school expeditions in many exciting destinations, including India, Thailand and Borneo. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information on our destinations.

Why?

Our Helping Hands school expeditions offer you the opportunity to offer your students an unforgettable experience of the real world around them and the unique experience of making more meaningful connections with local people, learning more about the cultural, social, economic and environmental issues that affect them.

The experiences we can offer will provide your students with a focus for the tour that will inspire and motivate them to look at their own lives and actions in a more meaningful way, eventually helping them to become better global citizens.

What do our groups say?

The Bemrose School recently enjoyed a school expedition to India. Here’s what they had to say:

Why did you choose a school expedition to India?

The main objectives of this trip were to allow students the opportunity to experience a completely different culture for themselves, and to open their eyes to the world around them, making them appreciate what they have.

We also wanted to build their self-esteem by working together as a group to raise the funds to go on the trip.

We chose India as it had such a lot to offer for the students to experience.

What were some of the highlights?

We visited a café run by acid attack victims and listened to their life stories.

It was unbelievable hearing how they’d been through such an awful ordeal but had managed to carry on. It was also incredible to hear how they all support each other.

We also met with former railway children and visited a centre set up for homeless children. The centre provides a place for the homeless children to go in the daytime. The children then have the chance to interact with each other and learn new skills.

We went to a bear sanctuary that rescues dancing bears and educates families in an effort to put a stop to bears being exploited.

And we spent a morning in a local primary school. It was very different to school in the UK as they had no desks and sat on the floor. They even sat on the floor to eat their dinner. We took clothing and stationary to donate to the children.

What were the benefits for students?

The students I took are all from deprived backgrounds. Two had suffered the loss of a parent recently and some had a diagnosis of autism. So, life for them hasn’t been easy.

However, going on a trip like this has opened their eyes and made them realise that, yes, it’s been hard for them, but there are so many people who are much worse off than themselves.

It was a chance for them to see that there is a big wide world out there and if they work hard they can travel and see it.

The students fundraised to go on the trip, so it also taught them new skills and helped to raise their self-esteem.

It also helped them to become more involved in their own community, as they put on various events in the local community to raise the money.

Interested in arranging your own Helping Hands school expedition?

Browse expeditions

I have a question

The post Halsbury launches ‘Helping Hands’ school expeditions appeared first on Independent Education Today.

Every child is so unique in the ways in which they engage and respond that no categorisation can completely and adequately inform your approach. You will find the best ways to connect with individuals simply through getting to know them.

Children with social, emotional and behavioural needs may be facing extremely challenging circumstances in their lives, and singing can be a chance for them to take some time out from their daily reality. It can be a good release and chance to channel some anger or emotion in a different way. It may give them an opportunity to express themselves, which could be difficult for them to do in other contexts.

Music can offer the chance to develop confidence and self-belief, as children may be able to engage with music even if they struggle in other areas of education and general life. They can also explore their own self-expression, identity and creativity, and feel a sense of control that they may not experience in other areas of their lives. Group music-making and singing can help to build social, interaction and communication skills. Children who have previously struggled to work with other people often begin to communicate and find ways to work together.

Group warm-ups can be a great way in. Often, doing these without any verbal instruction from the music leader but simply relying on copying and gesture can be really effective in creating a calm and focused atmosphere from the start. Rhythm games and pair work can be a good way to move these towards the next stages of music-making.

It may give them an opportunity to express themselves, which could be difficult for them to do in other contexts

Many vocal warm-ups focus on sound effects and exploring the voice, allowing children to have fun and explore without worrying about being ‘right’. It can be helpful to try using simple graphic scores, so that children can come up with symbols to represent different ways to use their voices and then create scores for the class to try out.

You could also incorporate instruments for those children who are not ready to use their voices. You can then move onto using words and speaking in rhythm, playing with the different ways you can use your voice, such as expressing different emotions or using different accents. This can also be approached in a playful way, allowing children to gradually get rid of inhibitions and find fun and humour in using their voices.

Turn-taking songs give opportunities for individual children to have small solos, often with responses from the rest of the group. Some children may want to take time to build up their confidence to get to this point.

Call and response songs play a similar role. They can be simple and fun, and the class will learn to sing responses to the call of a leader. There can also be a movement element, which could be set, or the leader could create the movement for everyone else to copy. Children can then take on the role of the leader as they become more confident and it is another chance to nurture a safe environment where everyone’s contributions are celebrated. A gentle way in for older children would be to use simple songs that have potential to build up into something more complex. For example, canons, rounds and songs with layers of harmony.

Learning songs in different languages can also provide an accessible starting point, as it can remove any barriers or associations that children may have with their use of English and language within an educational environment. It can create a chance to explore new sounds and ways to use the voice and can allow everyone to feel like they are all starting from the same point of learning, as it is likely that no-one has prior knowledge of the vocabulary.

Top tips

1. Find out as much as possible about the children you are working with, including any specific behaviour triggers, and adapt the way you work.
2. Find out what interests them and use this to choose appropriate songs and activities.
3. Consider the set-up of the room. Some children may struggle to be in a group and may need to know that they can easily leave the room or go to a safer space if they are feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
4. Keep sessions active with lots of movement, as children may find it hard to sit still.
5. Take as many opportunities as possible to incorporate children’s ideas and to celebrate their contributions, e.g. ideas for songs, how to sing or improve things.

Fun, free and accessible for all, singing is the secret to transforming and improving every aspect of school life. Based on the research we have done over the past 10 years, we have written a practical guide on how to begin your journey of becoming a Singing School. Read more about Singing Schools here and get your copy of The Singing School Handbook here.

Through our award-winning digital solution, Sing Up provides you with the complete singing experience. Membership includes access to almost 1,000 songs, specially arranged to promote good vocal health in young voices. Our wide range of resources, training and songs are designed to help you create a complete foundation for singing across the school, for musical learning, choirs and more, for early years to age 18 and beyond.

Make this commitment to music for your students throughout the year by becoming Sing Up members today and harness the power of singing every day – click here to find out more.

For more help and advice, see singup.org or The Singing School Handbook, available from Amazon.

Tweet @SingUpTweets and @michellejjames1 to continue the conversation.

The post Inclusive singing for children with SEND appeared first on Independent Education Today.

The finding follows a decision by Reigate Grammar School to look at the link between learning a musical instrument and academic success, in order to highlight the importance of music education.

State schools in England have seen a 21% decrease in music provision over the last five years, while access to music in independent schools has risen by 7%, according to the BPI.

Reigate also found that students who learned a musical instrument achieved better results than their non-musician peers.

Thirty-six percent of students who learnt a musical instrument achieved A*s in their A-levels, while the figure was 28 percent for non-musicians. Similarly, 43% of musical instrument-learning students achieved A grades, but only 36 percent of non-musicians.

(Click on image to enlarge)

“It is data like this that reaffirms my commitment to provide a wealth of musical opportunities in the curriculum, through learning an instrument, through choirs and ensembles, through house events and more,” said Shaun Fenton, head of Reigate Grammar School.

He continued: “There are over 500 performances and more than 35 concerts each year. Schools like ours know that driving up standards might require a more sophisticated and a richer approach than merely a focus on the 3Rs.

“But the importance of music is still not getting through in some places. One of our peripatetic instrumental teachers told me that at some schools, parents and class teachers approach him to complain about children missing class for their instrumental lessons. He feels that many still don’t fully appreciate the educational benefits of music.

It is data like this that reaffirms my commitment to provide a wealth of musical opportunities in the curriculum

“We need to sing it from the rooftops – and let’s hope that Education Secretary Gavin Williamson can hear us!”

Fenton said there is “so much more” to a great education than what happens in the classroom.

“Too narrow a focus on ‘just’ studying might even actually reduce the chances of exam success. The dangers of the EBac, which doesn’t currently include art or music GCSE, are clear. At Reigate Grammar School, it’s all about STEAM rather than ‘just’ STEM.”

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Truro-based Polwhele House, founded in 1981 by Richard and Rosemary White, will take the first step towards opening a senior school when it accepts its first year nine class in September this year.

The expansion will be rolled out slowly year-on-year, with the school expected to accommodate the first year’s intake in its existing buildings. From next year, Polwhele will unveil “a redesign of the buildings and look to add any necessary new buildings,” its headmistress confirmed.

The school will eventually expect to accommodate children up to the age of 16.

Hilary Mann, who took up the school’s headship in September last year, said Powhele’s small-school ethos proved popular with parents.

Young people who benefit from a smaller school with smaller classes, where the whole person can be developed and educated, taking account of individual needs and desires – Hilary Mann

“We will offer something entirely different which is attractive to a different sort of child,” Mrs Mann said. “Young people who benefit from a smaller school with smaller classes, where the whole person can be developed and educated, taking account of individual needs and desires. This is the strength of Polwhele House and the reason why so many parents have requested this age range extension.”

The co-educational school, based in a 16^th-century manor, is located in a 32-acre site amid the countryside on the outskirts of Cornwall’s county town. Over 100 pupils are enrolled in Polwhele’s nursery, pre-preparatory and preparatory school.

The new senior school will offer students a choice of GCSE courses in core subjects – like English, maths, science, history, geography, art and modern foreign languages – and BTEC courses in equestrian studies, performance studies and art.

The school already boasts tennis courts and a riding school, which is home to eight ponies and one horse.

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