Battle of Hastings Anniversary

Today we celebrate 950 years since the Battle of Hastings, the last time our shores were successfully invaded. In the latest issue of Independent School Parent magazine, we published an article about how we at Sunningdale bring this momentous event in British history to life for the boys.

Common Entrance Results

Our Common Entrance candidates have triumphed again. Following very good scholarship performances, with two Winchester scholars, we were left with 22 Common Entrance candidates.

I am delighted to say, first of all, that once again all our candidates passed, but they did a lot better than that. 

51% of all grades were A* or A, a fantastic achievement. In French and History, 70% of grades were A* or A! In Greek, 100% of all grades were A*-B and in five subjects, the average grade was an A. One boy was placed in the top 28 of boys who took Common Entrance and this earns him a starred pass.

Boys took CE to the following schools:

• Eton
• Harrow
• Stowe
• Tonbridge
• Radley
  
• Sherborne
• Uppingham
• Oundle
  
• Rugby
• Monkton Combe 

Manners - a thing of the past?

Is it just me or do manners and courtesy seem to be becoming things of the past?

Yesterday I was on a train back from a washed out T20 Blast game at Lords. There had been a derailment at Paddington and we were crammed in like sardines. People were still queueing to get on the train. One poor girl was crying because she felt so claustrophobic. 

Standing next to me were my son and my father-in-law. It was his first time to Lords and it was a bit of a damp squib. Also standing next to us was an elderly couple who must have been in their late seventies. They were on their way back to Swindon so had a long journey ahead of them. It certainly looked like they were going to have to stand all the way to Reading. 

There were a number of much younger people on the train, sitting very comfortably, looking on. Eventually I said, to no-one in particular, but certainly loud enough for people to hear, "Would someone offer this couple their seat?" The response was amazing

​. Nobody moved, books became more interesting, text messages more important, the scenery more fascinating. Eventually, after some prodding from another standing passenger, a girl stood up and offered her seat but it took some persuading. 

At Sunningdale, we believe that teaching good manners is an essential part of a good education. It costs nothing to be courteous and considerate but it leaves a lasting impression. I wish that all schools would place their importance right at the heart of the education of all children. It would make a real difference. 

Brexit: to leave or not to leave

I am so pleased that at the moment the senior boys in the school are really engaged on this topic. Of course they will not be able to vote on the 23rd of June but this decision will really affect their futures. 

On Tuesday the scholars held a fascinating debate with boys representing both sides. Their speeches were very well researched; they were informative, challenging and thought provoking. The boys who listened to the debate were so engaged and full of questions for the speakers. At the end there was a vote and it was remarkably close, much like the real thing will be, I suspect.

Last night journalist and former parent, Simon Heffer, came to present his views. He started with the history of the European Union, explaining how we have got to this point and he made a clear case for the Brexit campaign. The boys submitted questions before the talk started and they asked such intelligent questions that prompted excellent responses from Mr Heffer. A number of parents also attended the event. 

We are in the process of trying to find a speaker for the Remain campaign to ensure that we give the boys both sides of the debate.

It would be easy for prep school boys to ignore the whole subject but it is so important that they are aware of what is going on and take an active interest. 

Schools must aim higher than teaching to the test

I refer to today's article in the Telegraph by Bernice McCabe, Headmistress of North London Collegiate School (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2016/05/27/schools-must-aim-higher-than-teaching-to-the-test/).

Mrs McCabe is writing as the Headmistress of one of the most successful independent girls schools in the country so I think we can assume that she knows what she is talking about. 

It worries me that our education system is so focused on testing. We have heard so much recently about the pressures the SATs put on children as young as Year 2 and those that teach them. I have seen evidence of schools being forced to limit their timetables to English and maths and the occasional PE lesson. This is not education. This is not broadening children's minds. It is simply jumping through hoops to satisfy targets and produce data that those who make decisions on our education system seem to love so much.

Don't get me wrong, testing is a valuable part of a successful education but it should be a marker post on the way to gauge pupils' understanding. Our boys are about to do their Common Entrance exams. They have been working hard towards them and they are hoping to do well. I am a big fan of Common Entrance, I think it is an excellent way to mark the end of their prep school education and it gives the pupils something to aim for. 

There are those who criticise Common Entrance for being too narrow but surely this is down to those that are teaching the syllabus. Yes, if we were to stick only to what is likely to be in the papers, it would be very narrow, and very boring. Schools have a duty to ensure that the teachers do not do this. The aim is to instil a love of learning; an enthusiasm for the subjects that they study. Unfortunately this is unmeasurable, we cannot create data for the level of engagement. Occasionally we get letters or emails from former pupils who say what they are taking for A-Levels or reading at university and they sometimes say, "It all started with Mr / Mrs so-and-so at Sunningdale." For a teacher this is manna from heaven. 

We can all remember, as pupils, some of the lessons we most enjoyed were when the teacher went off on a complete tangent about something they were passionate about. When I was at school we used to play a game where we tried to see if we could get the teacher to go off on a 'red-herring'. Of course the teachers knew what they were doing and we were learning all the time and we loved it. 

It goes beyond the classroom too. I have always felt that league tables present such a narrow view of what constitutes a good school. Good schools get good results, yes, but they do this, as Mrs McCabe says, by building those important qualities that stay with the pupils for life. Confidence, resilience, self-discipline, courage, joie de vivre; these are the things that count. 

We must strive to get good results, we owe that to our pupils, but we need to remember that a child is so much more than the sum of his or her grades. 

Scholarships

The summer term is a busy time for senior school scholarships. Schools offer various different scholarship opportunities ranging from academic to sport, music, art, drama and DT among others.

This year we had  a bumper crop of scholarship candidates. I have always felt that for a boy even to be in the running for a scholarship is an achievement in itself. They have to show real dedication, make certain sacrifices and display a very high level of ability in their chosen field. 

This year three boys attempted academic scholarships to Winchester and Eton. Six boys sat art scholarships and one was entered for a Design Technology scholarship. 

To win an academic scholarship to a school like Winchester is a remarkably difficult thing to achieve. Boys need to be able to work hard but that on its own is not enough. They need to have an undefinable 'spark', something that sets them apart from the rest. They need to show academic curiosity, an ability to think outside the box and deal with things they may never have seen before. We are incredibly proud that the two boys who we entered for the Winchester Election we both successful. This is great credit not only to them, but also to the dedicated teachers who have led them on this path. 

Two boys were awarded art scholarships. The quality of their work was exceptional and it is wonderful to see examples displayed in the front hall of the school. They had to spend hours in the art room building up their portfolios and produce still life drawings on the day.

As I said, though, we are proud of all of the boys who reached this level. In recognition of all of their efforts, the whole school was awarded a half day to celebrate their achievements. It is now up to those that follow after them to try to emulate their success. 

Return of the blog!

After somewhat of a hiatus, I feel it is time to reinstate the blog.  So much happens both here and in the wider education sector and it seems a shame not to give Sunningdale's reaction to it. 

So keep an eye out for various comments in the future and feel free to engage with us!