Good habits | Teaching a growth mindset at Latymer Upper School
At Latymer Upper School, our approach to learning is based around the needs of the individual learner.In one sense our approach is traditional; we believe the bedrock of education lies in the acquisition and understanding of knowledge, concepts and skills related to specific academic disciplines or co-curricular activities. However, we believe that learning involves pupils’…
Falcons School on building critical thinking skills
Falcons School, Putney Head Sara Williams-Ryan on why inspiring curiosity and critical thinking are the best ways to develop truly ambitious learnersAs the Head of Falcons School, Putney, I am determined that our students should be academically ambitious and take responsibility for their learning from the moment they join us. We know that this is the greatest accelerator of pupil progress,…
Kew Green Prep on celebrating ambition
The Headteacher of Kew Green Prep, Sasha Davies, argues that it's vital to nurture and celebrate ambition in our schoolsAs the Headteacher of Kew Green Prep School, I believe that it is essential for ambition to be embedded in all areas and aspects of school life, learning and culture. When asked to state my educational philosophy, I often speak about collaboration, innovation, creativity…
Millfield School on making arts connections
Elly Sturges, Director of Music at Millfield Prep, discusses the life-enhancing and lifelong benefits of developing children's skills and opportunities to play and performThe arts have long been an integral part of British education. From choral singing and drama to music and dance, the arts have the power to engage and inspire students of all ages and they play a vital role in the cultural…
Parkside School Privacy Policy
PRIVACY NOTICE (SCHOOL)This policy is applicable to the whole school,including the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)References: Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2019) (KCSIE) Data Protection Act (May 2018) (DPA)General Data Protection Regulation (May 2018) (GDPR)ICO Code of Practice on CCTV (last updated June 2017)Statutory Framework for…
Sydenham High School on navigating change
Antonia Geldeard, Head of Sydenham High School GDST, talks about supporting key moments of change in our children's livesAs a parent and a teacher who has been part of a number of key rites of passage in a child’s life, I recognise the significance of 'liminal states' – those moments where a parent and child stand on a threshold of a new start or transition. These include beginning school…
Left behind | Are left-handed pupils being let down?
Do left-handed children get the support they need to thrive in a right-handed world or are they being forgotten? Absolutely Education investigatesWords: Libby NormanGenius or challenged – being left-handed still singles you out for labels. Parents of any child who favours left may be concerned that their offspring will have a bumpier journey, with more obstacles to overcome, because –…
STEM on track at St Catherine’s, Bramley
St Catherine's, Bramley describes its recent car build project and its impact in driving girls' aspirations for potential STEM-focused careersSt Catherine's School, Bramley has a strong tradition in science and many notable STEM alumnae – including Stanford professor of engineering Beverley McKeon, University of London neuroscientist Cathy Price and Amazon robotics specialist Abike…
Write off? Absolutely Education investigates the future of handwriting
Rising numbers of students are doing their exams on computers rather than having to complete handwritten papers. Universities such as Edinburgh, Oxford and Cambridge are all testing the move and more than 60% of universities have brought in ‘e-exams’ in at least one or two modules according to a recent academic survey. As touch-typing takes over, we ask a number of heads and educationalists, is…
Foreign languages – the state of play
Foreign languages are in decline as a subject choice, but not all schools are following that curve. Absolutely Education spoke to three independents that go out of their way to inspire and develop young linguistsThe teaching of foreign languages in the UK is in a parlous state. Half of Year 10 students were not studying a second language in 2021. While Brexit sometimes gets blamed, this is…