Today has been a hectic day in many ways. It kicked off with the news, via a conference call that the Charity Commission has been branded “wrong and obscure” in its interpretation of the Charities Act of 2006. In other words the inspection by them of our school, and the implication that because we failed we might have our charitable status removed, has now been declared incorrect by the high courts. In future it will be upto individual schools and their trustees or governors to assess and define their contributions to the public benefit, although it is hoped the good work that so many schools do in this area will continue.

This was added to by some sterling hockey this afternoon by our girls at the IAPS Regional Hockey Finals. Our U12’s played well but narrowly missed out on a place at the finals. They came third (with the top two sides going through). Our U13 girls in a larger competition battled hard and all the supporters had to endure not only a penalty flick soot out, but then (after the scores were level) the sudden death soot out! By getting through to the finals they qualified for the National Finals and the top 10 or so U13 sides in the country! Well done.

The drive back from Repton amid glorious sunshine and beautiful rolling hills was one to savour after such a good day. Once back at school I helped Richard Mace deliver a “What goes on upstairs” presentation to parents about the boarding at S. Anselm’s. Richard did a marvellous job outlining what happens, which allowed me to talk briefly about the overall merits of boarding, and what it can add to an individual. It is no surprise that the best schools in the world are boarding schools!

Simon

Absolutely right Mr Gove!
That is precisely why we have specialist French teaching that starts in our nursery (aged 3), and continues through our Pre Prep. Once the pupils enter the Prep School the pace quickens. Furthermore we also introduce Spanish to our pupils in their final term, and have catered for optional German lessons as well.

Let us not forget the ancient languages too - Latin is taught to the majority of pupils here with an introduction in Year 4 and the full syllabus kicking off in Year 5. On top of this there is also Ancient Greek for those who want to distinguish themselves from the pack with their prowess.

Finally we have recently added the teachin of Mandarin to pupils on an optional basis.

In a rapidly changing world where communication is king -we wholeheartedly support the strong position languages holds at S. Anselm's.

Her sporting achievements make me feel very sedate!
* 1st in the 24 – 29 year age group Ironman 70.3 Triathlon Majorca 2011
* 1st female age grouper Alp D Huez Long Distance Triathlon, 10th female overall
* International Triathlete, Member of GBR squad 2009 and 2010
* European Long Distance Triathlon Champion 2009 and 2010
* World number 4 in the 24-29 age group Long Distance Triathlon 2010

And her qualifications are pretty impressive too……
* BA Honours Sports Studies and Sports Psychology
* Graduate Diploma in the Long Life Learning Sector
* Personal Trainer / Gym Instruction
* British Swimming Coach
* British Triathlon Coach
* Sports / Remedial Massage Therapist

However what impressed me the most was the work rate of our children last night. These are serious swimming sessions, focusing on technique and swim stroke development, and can only help our pupils’ overall conditioning and fitness. There is no issue of childhood obesity here (as is sadly ravaging the youth of Britain in so many geographical areas). Most groups are nearing capacity with 18 or so in each session, but if you are interested in signing up for these sessions and you are in the prep school, please do contact Donna Brailich in the Sports Department.

S. Anselm’s really is a “gem” of a school set in stunning surroundings here in the Peak National Park. I am hugely proud of not only the pupils and their success but also the fantastic teamwork and dedication that my staff have put in over the last 4 years.
Mr Northcott.

In short A levels get a lot of press yearly. They are tried and tested but there are a number of critical viewpoints concerning them. Grade inflation is one problem with more and more students getting top grades – does it really differentiate between really able students and well taught students. The narrowing of subjects is also something that many criticize it for. In most other countries student do a wide range of subjects at this stage – do we focus too early? Also the modular system (doing one exam each term or so, and picking them off, often having the chance to re do them) is seen as both a strength or limitation.

The IB counters many of these arguments by doing a linear course (over two years with exams at the end). It also covers more subjects – a minimum of 6 with a language and maths being included – they argue these are skills for life. Furthermore there has been no grade inflation over the last 20 or so years – it really does differentiate between good and really good students as a student gets a score out of 45 made up of marks for each subject area.

Finally the Pre U is popular with many schools that take their education very seriously. Again a linear course it is seen as being pretty demanding, hence no real grade inflation so far.

This choice of education post 16 should be a factor in deciding which school you might like to send your child to. Some schools offer a choice at 16+. If you would like more information about any of these courses do get in touch with me.
Simon

While exam success is crucial (and we are delighted to announce our 20th Scholarship or Award of the year today) there is much more to a good Prep School Life. This term we have been challenging our pupils to think about this a bit more. Our Year 7’s have gone off for a bushcraft weekend, of orienteering, swimming in lakes, shelter building, cooking and all the other skills. Perhaps the most important aspect of all this has been the time they have had together as a group. Sitting around campfires telling stories, singing songs, burning marshmallows, and growing as a year group. There is often not enough time given over to just sitting around and being, with each other and just talking. The weekend was a huge success.

Our Year 6’s have also just had a “Dangerous Weekend” up at Sedbergh School. Along similar lines it was another great weekend with lots of mud and tribal paints being used. Despite being tired, no-one fell asleep on the way back – they were all buzzing too much. Again – great time together – reflecting on each other and themselves.
Finally, some of our Yr 8’s have just completed the 3 Peaks Challenge (the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales). Mr Watt was really impressed with their determination and drive to do this so well. Their stamina to see it through was equally important. All these qualities are qualities for life – not for a one off trip, and I am sure that they will remember their quest fondly and it will make them better people as a result.

So the pupils will be tired, but they have all done really well, and they are constantly enhancing themselves as individuals and preparing themselves for the outside world. Education with a capital “E”.

The aim of this blog is to update parents and visitors to the website on a weekly basis. The content of the blog will vary depending on the sorts of issues I’m dealing with that week. Many will hopefully be of use to all parents as they will be about educational issues as well as issues pertaining to S. Anselm’s. I hope you will find it useful.

This week has seen the normal crescendo as we approach the end of term, and it goes to show what an all-round school we really are.

I have been down in Bristol to see our U11 Boys perform at the IAPS National Finals. Over 400 schools went for the initial rounds, and so our boys did really well to come in the top 8% nationally and attend the finals. They battled really hard, never giving up, but were at a huge disadvantage to others who have regular access to an Astro. However it was a super experience for them and a really worthwhile trip. The senior boys are also off on Sunday to the IAPS Rugby 7’s tournament at Oundle School. They have performed really well at a recent tournament, reaching the final there, and so they go in good spirits, despite their small size!

We have also had the junior play rehearsing frantically before their performances next week. With almost 100 involved it has been a logistical nightmare, especially as they are all so excited! I’m sure in Denis Norden’s words “it will be alright on the night”.

Our boarders activities have not slowed down either, with our Talent show on Sunday producing winning performances from most acts, but the trio of Sophia, Immo, and Amelia came out on top, and have won the dubious pleasure of supper with me! We have outings this coming Sunday to Thornbridge Hall for an outward bound afternoon, and one to Splash Landings, as well as smaller activities on site.

We have also been giving back the final mock exams of the Yr8’s as they enter the final strait, and we have had more exam success, with two of our candidates getting Thring Scholarships to Uppingham. So academically there has been no slowdown at all.

Earlier this week I attended a meeting hosted by the ISEB (who do all the CE exams) and an assessment company. This company were working with the ISEB to produce a package of Verbal Reasoning, Non Verbal Reasoning, Maths and English tests that might be available for Prep Schools to enter children for in either year 6 or year 7. These test would be done on line and results would be almost instantaneous. The idea is that this would provide a uniform test of ability that could then be given to senior schools. Schools could use this independent and unbiased information to then assist them in sorting out their admissions. The tests (to be done in the familiar surroundings of S. Anselm’s) would then free the child up to have a good look at a senior school without the dread of the exams that currently many senior schools ask pupils to sit when they come around. It might even free up senior schools to look at other factors that might help them make an informed choice on each child (possibly sporting assessment or drama etc).

The slightly scaring thing about these tests is that with years of research behind them, they feel they can predict on the basis of these test, roughly what grade each child might get, not at CE, but GCSE and even A level. In fact they claim that they can give an indication that if the child were to stay on track and work hard that they could predict (to about a 75% accuracy rate) what grades they might achieve at A level!

As you can imagine, while this is interesting data, it does throw up some serious educational questions. Should the information be passed on to a child that they are on course to get an A grade at A level, they might switch off and underachieve. It might in a similar way crush other children’s hopes of their future success. It is also riddled with the issue of pre testing, which educationally I have many issues with. One of my main issues is that boys tend to mature later than girls. So testing boys at 11 really does do them no favours. In fact we see such progress in many of our boys in the final year alone that we are often really surprised (for the right reasons!). The way it all comes together in the final year is quite remarkable, and any test two year previously would miss all this. It also raises the question of the value of CE, if schools essentially give offers at the age of 11. It may even jeapodise the value of schools such as ours, where we are geared to the 13+, as some might move their children at 11 after these tests.

So interesting as it is, it is another case where possibly too much information might not be the best thing!

PS it is worth noting that all our pupils currently undergo PIPS testing each year, which assesses our children for Verbal Reasoning, Non Verbal Reasoning, Maths and English, and we constantly use this information in staff discussions about all pupils.

When picking up my car from a service I was chatting to a member of staff who kindly gave me a lift about the differences between being a Headmaster and a Housemaster/ Teacher. One of the main differences is that as a teacher you tend to be focused in the world of your subject. As a historian I would be immersed in history, albeit jumping from epoch to epoch and country to country in terms of what I was teaching. As a headmaster my mind jumps around so many more areas – I have lots of balls in the air.

Yesterday might suffice as an example: it involved calling prospective parents and arranging visits, it involved talking and seeing existing parents about issues at school, and plotting a way forward. I took a whole school assembly outlining my expectations on certain things and praising students in a number of areas. There were also a number of staffing issues I had to start planning for. I was also in touch with the IAPS about a libelous report on a rival’s web site. Furthermore I saw the Pre Prep children who came to see me with their good work (this is always a highlight of my week), and I saw about 30 other children with their good work or house points. I had a finance meeting with my Bursar, and a sports meeting about possibly resurfacing bottom court. I wrote a letter to the Old Anselmian Association and worked on the drinks party that is being set up in London for them next term. I also spent a lot of time fine tuning all the hard work that has gone on in preparation for the IAPS regional netball tournament.

A huge amount of hard work has gone into organizing this tournament. We have approximately 600-800 people coming on the two days. We have had to sort out parking, food and refreshments, loos, umpires from senior schools, as well as all the mechanics of the draw, programme and score cards. As Michelle was still writing these out at 11pm last night I can testify to the amount of hours that all my team have put in. Special thanks should go to Mark Callun, Richard Newton, Martin Harrison, the Goundsmen, and the catering team for all their hard work in ensuring it will be a success.

Once all the above was out of the way I was off to teach my history lesson to year 7. This provides a moment of calm and safety in a busy day. I am in my comfort zone, doing something I love doing, and there are normally no surprises during the period!

All of the above was achieved (and lots more) by lunchtime yesterday, and perhaps gives you some sort of idea about all the balls that are in the air at any one time.

It’s never dull here!

I have been lucky enough to be present at some fantastic musical events in recent weeks. Just prior to half term we had our Spring Concert which genuinely impressed. While all the performers did really well it was the Orchestra in particular that grabbed my attention. To have such a large number of pupils in the Orchestra is a fantastic thing in itself. I know Jon Weller (my Director of Music) has spent a lot of time and effort ensuring that music here is not a solitary activity done in a small pokey practice room. Rather he has made it a fun event and a team event at that. We now have ensembles for every kind of instrument, and the Orchestra is of course the culmination of this ethos.

But it was not just the fact that music is fun and that it is a team game like other areas of life here at S. Anselm’s. It was the level that the Orchestra was playing at that impressed me. To be playing Holst’s “The Planets” and for it to sound really professional is testament to the progress Jon has made with Music here. I am not a musician. Anyone who has seen my fingers will know that. But I likened the performance of the Orchestra to 8 phases of rugby, where every single player on the team had his part to play, where no-one made mistakes, and where the level of concentration and understanding of the bigger picture was clear in every player’s mind. And then to cap it all the 9th phase of the rugby was some intricate and fantastic backs move that culminated in a try. It really was a team effort, where the individual was subordinate to the team, and it was magical.

We also had the superb Musical Tour to Ireland, where the same Orchestra and the Choir performed in Dublin Cathedral. Again the precision, concentration and ultimately the performances, were out of this world an full credit should be given to the performers. (Do see the report in Latest News)

Recently we had an informal concert the other night. A super initiative by Jon where those “on the way up” get to perform in a much more relaxed environment, where, if they make a mistake, they smile and start again. Once more the amount of music and performers really impressed me. To perform (be it speak, act, play music, or sing) in public is one of those life skills that we really do try and push here, and S. Anselm’s pupils leave well equipped for this aspect of their lives. To see so many first timers on the stage was fantastic. Equally to see 4 horn players (mostly French horn) was really most unusual, and again testament to the breadth and adventurousness of the music here. Well done.

Finally, why is music so important? Firstly I believe that it really does offer an alternative way for pupils to express themselves. It a world where standardization is increasingly common, to be able to express your feelings via music is a vital talent and opportunity. Secondly music is so good for bringing together children of different ages – it really is a great tool for improved social confidence. Thirdly there is a growing amount of research that would suggest that instrumental training has additional benefits in terms of brain development, regardless of musical ability. Lastly it is a good discipline to develop – or rather it is good to develop discipline in oneself, and that can be taught through music and practice. If you can work your way through the grades and push yourself, that discipline will stand you in good stead for life in general.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~ Berthold Auerbach

Music is what feelings sound like. ~ Author Unknown

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. ~ Victor Hugo

This week I saw a set of parents whose child would need a bit of Learning Support if they were to send their child here. It gave me a chance to reflect on the outstanding work that Christine Franklin and her team do in this area.

It is often the case that we trumpet the achievements of those that do especially well here. As such our scholarship record is the envy of many schools with 22 Scholarships and awards issued to the leaving cohort of just 34 last year. It is certainly right that we make a big noise about this – for these individuals have done exceptionally well in a very competitive market place. However we are a school that prides itself on its family atmosphere. We enjoy, and would not want to change, the fact that we have brothers and sisters of all abilities here. We are a mixed economy in this respect.

What is important is that we do the very best for each and every child. It may be that for some this is getting a scholarship, but for others it will be securing a good pass into a school of their choice. It is also the case that the learning support unit here does some outstanding work in bring along those children who do struggle with certain aspects of work. So much so that these children really feel that they are succeeding and doing well (and they are!). One example will perhaps go to show what Christine and her team can do. A while ago we accepted a child who came from his previous school needing learning support. Over the course of the years here, that child grew in confidence and ability, being stretched and made to achieve, they succeed and grew in self-esteem like all other children here. This was so much the case that this child not only passed CE but flew through it (averaging about 70%) and has ended up at a very strong senior school in mostly top sets. Their statement and any learning support lessons are well and truly consigned to history and they are forging ahead.

My reflections this week also took me back to possibly my proudest moment at S. Anselm’s, when last year we managed to get 6 scholarships and awards from our “bottom” set of 11 students. These students left the school feeling great about themselves, with the school having found their own individual strength and fanned those flames to such an extent that they impressed their senior schools so much that they gave them a scholarship. A school such as S. Anselm’s is all about creating that self-confidence and preparation for the next step. It is about boosting a child’s self-esteem and making them feel good about themselves – without descending into arrogance.

I am constantly both surprised and delighted by the great work that the learning support department do here – they really are a tower of strength.

Simon

This week has seen me start this term’s cycle of staff appraisal. Every member of staff is formally appraised by one of my Senior Management Team every year, and by myself every other year. This formal appraisal involves lesson observations, long chats, and the identification of career paths and training needs to improve our teaching here. Most staff have grown up under the culture where this sort of open door policy is quite normal, but it is a valued process by all staff, as it allows time and the chance to debate key issues. One of the joys of a small school such as S. Anselms is that I really do know all my staff well. I see them regularly and chat to them, and we are all working hard for the good of the pupils. So as well as this formal appraisal system we of course have lots of informal appraisal and cause for celebration.

I am also savouring the amount of music that is on show. The Pre Prep had their first ever informal concert yesterday, with the talents of a really large number on show. I take my hat off to them. To be able to stand up in front of a packed auditorium and perform, takes a lot of courage and while it is one of the lifelong skills we try and promote a lot here it never fails to impress me how well they do. We have our Spring Concert coming up next week and of course our music tour to Dublin at the end of next week. So we are in for a musical feast.

Finally, on the back of the Parents’ Forum we have started to implement some of this forum’s recommendations. Going in at half term are some heaters in the boot room, which will assist the boots to dry overnight after a wet and soggy games session. We have also ordered our seats/storage boxes for top field to help with the storage of kit during matches. We have also created a set of rules surrounding the ICT rooms to enable boarders to email home first thing in the mornings, and not be excluded by those playing games or day pupils.

I look forward to welcoming lots of Year 7 parents to the dinner tonight. They are always good fun events.

Simon

I was interested to see an article in the Times yesterday that claimed: “All-girl schools lose allure as parents see benefit of learning in mixed environment.” It went on to say that parents were choosing all girl schools in record low amounts according to the Good Schools Guide that is just published. The article went on to claim that the mixed environment produces more rounded and well-adjusted individuals.

Certainly over the years many really good all boys schools have opened their doors to girls, and subsequently the co-educational choice has improved greatly. My own opinion is that we live in the real world, and our job is to prepare our pupils for that world. We therefore are doing them a dis-service if we artificially manufacture an educational system that is designed to protect them from normality. We allow our children to learn through play and get bumps and knocks – we do not wrap them in cotton wool, and not allow them to cross roads. So too if we are preparing them for life, we should not isolate them and wrap them in educational cotton wool. It is no co-incidence that co-education is the overwhelming choice of education in virtually every culture in the world. Aside from that as a teacher it is my experience that boys and girls bring different but equally valuable traits and talents to a lesson, and they get the best out of each other as a result. Good teaching is the key not whether a school is single sex or not, for good teachers will get the best out of boys and girls by using a variety of methods. Many of these highly successful coeducational schools that we serve are able (as a result of their reputations) to get first class teachers. So the findings of the Good Schools Guide do not surprise me.

Whilst you are reading this, can I flag up our forthcoming open day? It is to be held on Saturday 5th March, with a special Pre Prep Open morning on the Friday the 4th March. Should you know of anyone who might be interested in coming along please do ask them to call the office to reserve a place. There will be another Open Day next term.

Finally, we have had a lot of feedback about our new Exeat format (ending after a full day on the Thursday). Whilst there were issues with some the overwhelming feeling was that it worked well, and the parent teacher meeting was well attended by many who would not have been able to make it at its previous time.

Have a good week.
Simon

Thank you for the generous feedback for this new initiative. I am glad that it is proving useful to some of you.

I am doing a lot of work in preparation for our Parent’s Forum on Thursday. This forum allows parents to pose questions or issues that concern them. They pass these concerns onto their year group reps who then meet Michelle and myself. This gives the school the chance to outline the reasons why we do things a certain way and to communicate these reasons. It also allows the school to hear the voices of the parents in an anonymous and calm way, and if necessary make changes. New initiatives have in this way been welcomed by parents and therefore kept. A lot of the suggestions made so far have been very useful and have been implemented. It is also lovely to hear so much good news being passed on. Many parents are keen to stress how happy they are and for that information to be publically noted. Finally the forum is an excellent way of sounding out the parent body on any changes prior to them taking place. In this way we sounded them out about the new times for the exeat starting on Thursday, and as a result of positive feedback we are trialing this new time. So in essence it is all about improving communication between the school and the parent body. As such it is to be welcomed by all.

I should point out that the minutes of these meetings are always posted on the parents section of the web site.

Personally I find this term a little frustrating for the boys in terms of sport. The fact that we play both soccer and hockey, as well as have a large dollop of cross country (our whole school interhouse steeplechase with hay bale jumps and water jumps is next week) means that we don’t really ever master any one of these sports. However I also feel that we are a prep school that feeds both hockey and soccer schools and so a grounding is important in both sports, hence the rather messy fixture list and switching of sports. We would certainly be doing our boys no service should we send them off to senior school unable to play hockey or soccer.

If we were to get an Astro Turf……. now that might change things! ?

Have a good Exeat break.

The aim of this blog is to update parents and visitors to the website on a weekly basis. The content of the blog will vary depending on the sorts of issues I’m dealing with that week. Many will hopefully be of use to all parents as they will be about educational issues as well as issues pertaining to S. Anselm’s. I hope you will find it useful.

Headmaster’s Blog – January 12th 2011
The Christmas period now seems ages away as we have now been at full throttle for over a week. It is always good to hear the noise of laughing children in the corridors, for it can be a little unsettling in the holidays when it is just staff here!

This week I’ve been conducting interviews for those students hoping to get scholarships at the end of the month. A number of staff conduct as many interviews as possible with candidates, working not only on content of answers but also body language and general presentational skills. It is often how you say things (and not what you say) that can make the difference, and so this preparation is vital for the pupils. With 23 awards and scholarships achieved by last year’s leavers (35 of them) we have set the bar very high but we are relishing the challenge.

I am also busy preparing all my material ready to go to our first Governors meeting of the year. As I crunch numbers it is interesting to observe that we do offer good value for money here. As you can see from the fee table below we are competitively priced with many of our like for like competitors nationwide.

Source Tatler Good Schools Guide 2011: (so probably figures are accurate for July 2010 – these are full boarding fees – without extras)

School Fees
Dragon 7790
Port Regis 7450
Cothill 7300
Summerfields 7256
Maidwell Hall 7055
Ludgrove 6950
Sandroyd 6600
Windlesham 6500
Old Buckenham Hall 6495
Winchester House 6370
Beeston Hall 6250
Aysgarth 6250
Mowden Hall 6190
Foremarke Hall 6083
Bilton Grange 6075
Abberley Hall 6065
Mount House 6057
Sunningdale 5880
S. Anselm's 5850
Malsis 5825
Packwood Haugh 5802

Finally for this week, I have been starting to see some parents with regard to selecting a senior school for their children. There is a bemusing choice out there especially for any parents who have not got experience of the system themselves. It is worth trying to think about some of the “unemotional” questions prior to any discussion. The main ones to consider are 

1) Do you want single sex education or coeducation? 

2) Do you have a limit to how far you are prepared to travel? 

3) Do you have any preferences for style of senior education (A levels or International Baccalaureate)? 

All of these issues are debatable issues in themselves but some consideration of them prior to the more difficult “emotional” questions is always useful. As always I’m here to help you through this process, so do arrange an appointment to see me, and we can chat away!

I wish you all the best for a prosperous New Year.