The school opened Follyfield House, a senior girls’ boarding house, for the 13 boys and girls aged 14 to 18 who were unable to return home when international borders were shut because of the pandemic.

The children hail from Bermuda, China, Italy, Malawi and Russia and are looked after by the house team; Caolan Wukics, Lewis Mann and Isobel Nicholson.

The school has also been home to a number of trainee paramedics stationed with the East of England ambulance service down the road. The school was able to offer the service nearby accommodation in its empty dormitories.

Headmaster Chris Townsend said: “Operating as a ‘small household’ the main aim has been to ensure each student’s wellbeing, health and happiness, and to give them some structure to their day.

“As such a unique group, everyone has got to know and respect each other really well, blending numerous cultures, languages and experiences in the process.”

It has been evident that all the students who have had to stay at Felsted have approached this unprecedented situation with maturity and courage
– Chris Townsend, headmaster

Felsted uses Google for Education and was able to offer distance learning for students after the school closed its doors in March. Through the Easter holidays, the Follyfield students have taken part in structured days with time set aside throughout for an academic skills session, leisure time and socialising.

Student have been invited to use their holiday down time to ‘upskill’ themselves – one student decided to start learning French, while another enrolled for an online course which will earn her a diploma in business before starting university in Rotterdam this autumn.

In the afternoons, the house team have helped students bake bread and cakes and create art, and led them in pilates, hockey and tennis sessions on the school’s grounds.

In the evenings, the students who are spending the outbreak far from home, have directed mini films, held a quiz night and table tennis tournament, and a ‘pamper night’.

“It has been evident that all the students who have had to stay at Felsted have approached this unprecedented situation with maturity and courage, with some having to face challenging journeys in order to get home. They will certainly have a story to tell in years to come!” Mr Townsend added.

The school’s senior leaders have worked hard to secure repatriation flights for the 13 pupils and now all but five remain awaiting routes home. The school is now gearing up to use its design and technology workshops to produce visors for the local Broomfield hospital.

Read more: Prep school shows gratitude with NHS goody bags

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The Louise Rennison National Funny Award, inspired by the legacy of late author and comedian Louise Rennison, encourages 11 to 18-year-olds to create original comedy by submitting up to 1,000 words or three pages of creative copy, or a funny video performance of up to three minutes.

The free comedy competition opened 1 April and submissions close on 31 August. A panel of judges – including presenters, comedians and writers – will select the overall competition winners.

CBBC presenter and awards judge Ben Shires said: “In these bizarre times when schools are closed and the world is all looking a bit gloomy, the Louise Rennison National Funny Award gives young people up and down the country a great way to get creative and focus on something positive and fun.

The Louise Rennison National Funny Award gives young people up and down the country a great way to get creative and focus on something positive and fun

“Whether you think you’re funny or not, it really doesn’t matter – it’s all about trying something new and having a laugh whilst doing it. I think we can all agree, more laughter is exactly what the country needs right now – especially the younger generation – so get involved and let’s all have a good old giggle!”

Fellow judges include comedian Andi Osho, TV presenters Jonny Nelson and Lauren Layfield, writer and author Mark Heywood, talent manager Kate Haldane and Director of Hay Children’s Festival, Julia Eccleshare.

Submissions will be judged in two age bands: 11 to 14 and 15 to 18, with the option to enter as an individual or a group (up to four people maximum).

There will be prizes for first place, second place and third place runners up that include interactive comedic and creative writing and performance workshops with established writers and comedians; with over 100 books to be given away to runners up.

For more, visit www.louiserennisonnationalfunnyaward.com

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Firstly, many teachers will have been working to try to ensure 16 and 18-year-olds are doing something to continue learning between March and September, while confined to their homes.

Schools tend to be setting work online. This is important because pupils need continuation of education and, if they do not work this summer, will be behind all previous cohorts of similar aged children when schools reopen.

Year 11 pupils (those whose GCSEs have been cancelled) could now embark on their chosen A-levels. In the past, pupils changed their A-level choices once they saw their actual GCSE grades.

It would seem unwise to do that this year – the judgement they have already made about A-level subjects should be based on passion and aptitude for the subject, rather than the results of a computerised grading system that has had to be implemented in a crisis.

Pupils need continuation of education and, if they do not work this summer, will be behind all previous cohorts of similar aged children when schools reopen

Year 13 pupils may be offered ‘university preparation’ courses by their schools to help avoid too long a gap in studying prior to starting university. This could be especially beneficial to sixth formers planning to take a gap year beforehand, who stand to have quite some time out of education.

When my daughter went to Bristol University, her first piece of marked work was in week six. It would be reasonable for universities to set and mark work as early as they can this autumn (assuming they can reopen then). Freshers may need to be kick-started into work.

The biggest issue is that the Year 11 and 13 cohorts will not have had the same system of revision and final exams for their GCSE and A-level subjects. This matters because we know that revision commits knowledge to the long-term memory, which is fundamentally important.

Imagine embarking on a French A-level if you have not memorised all the grammar and vocabulary from the GCSE – you will be far less competent than similar students in previous years. So in some subjects (like languages and maths) schools may have to resume the summer term GCSE revision classes that were cancelled before plunging into the A-level courses.

What will happen when the results come out in July/August?

Many Year 13 pupils will get into university. They may already have received an unconditional offer. Many stand to be admitted even if their results are below their offer because universities, having lost overseas students, will probably be looking to fill places.

There will be an appeals system but I am afraid that pupils and schools will only be able to appeal on the basis that the exam board processes were incorrectly applied. They will not be able to appeal with the argument ‘I would have done much better than this’.

If a student is not satisfied with their assigned A-level grades and does not get a place at their first choice university, they may decide to sit the rescheduled A-levels in the autumn. The question is: ‘Will it be too late to go to university this autumn?’ Well, we hope that universities will show flexibility to ensure that students who take this option are able to begin their course with a delayed start time.

Barnaby Lenon is the chairman of the Independent Schools Council.

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More than 450 families have received #NHSstaffrock kits to create goody bags for NHS key workers battling the coronavirus pandemic.

The sets include four bespoke themed postcards featuring Solihull Preparatory School’s Scuffle and Twitch mascots, and a list of suggested gift items to include such as a treat or wellbeing product.

Pupils have been invited to personalise the postcards with handwritten messages, colourful drawings and happy photographs.

“We wanted to show the NHS staff how incredibly grateful we are for all they are doing,” said Mark Penney, head of Solihull Preparatory School.

“This is a small gesture which we hope will brighten their day. Our wonderful pupils are kind and creative and I’m delighted that this initiative allows them to harness and amplify both great qualities.

“Our families have followed all Government guidelines in the packing and production of the goody bags and our parents have bandied together into a small army of delivery and collection volunteers to help us complete the project.”

Efforts are being shared on social media with the hashtag, #NHSstaffrock

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Neuroscience for Teachers is the brainchild of Julia Harrington, head of Queen Anne’s School, Caversham, and founder of BrainCanDo.

Up to 30 qualified teachers, from state and independent secondary schools – who have been teaching for between three and five years – will be recruited over the spring and summer of 2020 to take part in the pilot from September 2020 to June 2021.

The course will take place at Queen Anne’s School and will be free of charge, with training costs sponsored by BrainCanDo.

Participants will require the support of their school’s head and will be expected to commit to six interactive days of workshops across the next academic year.

At Queen Anne’s we have pioneered the application of educational neuroscience and cognitive psychology across the school for several years and seen the results in improved emotional wellbeing and improved academic performance

Harrington said: “I founded BrainCanDo to carry out research into how the brain learns, especially during adolescence, and how those findings could – or should – be applied in the classroom.

“We used to think that the brain stopped developing at age 11 but we now know that it continues to adapt well into adolescence. It’s obvious to me that both classroom teaching and pastoral care need to reflect this aspect of children’s growth.

“At Queen Anne’s we have pioneered the application of educational neuroscience and cognitive psychology across the school for several years and seen the results in improved emotional wellbeing and improved academic performance.

“I believe that learning to become a teacher is incomplete without some understanding of what’s happening in the teenage brain. So I asked Professor Patricia Riddell to design a completely new course to fill that gap in conventional teacher training.”

Professor Riddell is contributing to the project as an independent consultant in the field of applied neuroscience.

The aim is for a continuous neuroscience programme with up to 30 teachers from a wide variety of schools joining every year.

Headteachers can nominate a teacher to take part in the pilot by contacting info@braincando.com

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Few, if any, sporting spectacles excite like the Olympic Games. From the iconic 100m final to the city-wide wonder of the marathon, from the round-by-round tension of field events to the thrill of the relay, the games hold a global audience captive.

When it comes to the provision of Olympic sports, independent schools willing to go the extra mile or, indeed, the extra 1,500m, will find rich rewards in engaged pupils who may even go on to represent their country on the international stage.

Heading to Tokyo

Rugby School alumni Paralympian Sam Ruddock is in training for Tokyo 2020 in track cycling and regularly visits the school to speak to its sports scholars.

For those pupils with similar sporting aspirations, Rugby School provides many of the sports included in the 2020 Olympics, with specialist coaches offering expert tuition, including Ellie Watson, who represented GB at the hockey World Cup and ex-England basketball player Mark Spatcher. The school’s athletics coach, James Wright, represented GB’s U23s in combined events.

An array of onsite facilities include a rifle-shooting range, three indoor basketball courts, three hockey AstroTurf pitches, a 25m indoor swimming pool, 10 badminton courts, 35 tennis courts and 13 rugby pitches. Offsite facilities allow the school to run equestrian, shooting, golf and sailing programmes and thus link with local clubs and share coaching.

High-tech equipment ensures pupils reach peak performance, and stay there, according to the school’s director of sport,

Debbie Skene: “Students are monitored using GPS trackers during training and matches, with data linked to match footage taken by two cameras on pitches. Footage and data are loaded onto an analysis app that students can access via their phones. They receive group seminars on their performance and one-to-one feedback.”

Students are also screened three times annually to assess their physical literacy, helping to design and implement personal training programmes, leading to a reduction in injury. Rugby School also has a health and safety officer who works closely with all of its coaches to ensure safety procedures are followed and risk assessments updated.

Sport for all

Participation in Olympic sports is widespread at St Mary’s School, Cambridge, where 48% of pupils take part in track and field athletics, 48% also do gymnastics and 55% play hockey. A growing number – almost 100 girls aged 11–18 – take to the water, with rowing an increasingly popular sport offering.

The school’s ambitious vision for rowing saw it open a state-of-the-art boathouse in September last year, providing senior school and sixth form students access to exceptional facilities and coaching. Located on the River Cam, the boathouse provides great access to the water and is well-stocked with single, double and quadruple sculls. It also offers an extensive gym for land training.

Stuart Cain, St Mary’s rowing co-ordinator, leads a team of six coaches who train three squads.

He says: “St Mary’s rowing programme provides a clear pathway from beginner to performance-level rowing and racing at local and regional level.”

Back on dry land, work has begun which will transform St Mary’s School’s existing sports facilities at Long Road. The ambitious development project will provide two new AstroTurf pitches, three netball and tennis courts, and athletics track and field facilities, plus a new pavilion with a kitchen and changing rooms.

Alongside the outstanding new rowing facilities on the River Cam for St Mary’s oarswomen, Long Road will greatly enhance opportunities for students to discover, experience and excel in a wide range of sport, delivering St Mary’s commitment to encourage sport for all.

As well as benefiting St Mary’s girls and students of Homerton College, the new Long Road facilities will also be accessed by members of the wider community, as part of Cambridgeshire County Council’s health and wellbeing strategy.

The modern pentathlon event, a mainstay of the Olympics since 1912, comprises fencing, swimming, show-jumping, pistol-shooting and cross-country, and is based on the skills needed by a typical Greek soldier during the time of the original, ancient Olympics.

Equestrian excellence

The modern pentathlon event, a mainstay of the Olympics since 1912, comprises fencing, swimming, show-jumping, pistol-shooting and cross-country, and is based on the skills needed by a typical Greek soldier during the time of the original, ancient Olympics.

In 2020, Leweston School, one of only nine pentathlon academies in the UK, sees the majority of its pupils giving some aspect of the pentathlon a go. On horseback, 27 students are registered as competitive riders competing in the Olympic sports of dressage, show-jumping and eventing, competing regularly at national level.

The majority of the school’s sporting leads have connections to national bodies including UK Athletics: Leweston’s head of pentathlon is a Team GB coach as are its fencing and shooting coaches. The equestrian team, which recently visited Olympic rider Chris Burton’s home yard for a training session, train with the GB young rider eventing coach and chef d’equipe Emma Fisher.

The equestrian team is led by the school’s own, in-house equestrian manager, Lorraine Roberts, who says: “In my opinion we have a duty to our sporting students to broaden their knowledge of the competitive world through top-level experiences they might not get anywhere else. By having access to national, international and Olympic riders or coaches they will understand that with hard work, dedication (and natural talent) they can also achieve success at top level if they really want to.”

The school has a particularly strong reputation in cross-country which is seen as a partner to the athletics programme, particularly for middle-distance running. Weekly running sessions for all age groups are hosted year-round, the school also supports students by exposing them to the full range of competitions at a local, regional and national level. One student is likely to gain a place on the English team this year and is currently ranked number two nationally for 1,500m in his age group.

Rio glory

Aspiring athletes at Rydal Penrhos School need look no further than former pupil Vicky Thornley, a double sculls silver medallist at the Rio Olympics, to see how far they can go in sport. Vicky is only the most recent of numerous Olympic-level athletes from the Welsh independent school.

“These sorts of achievements serve as a massive inspiration to pupils looking to follow in their footsteps and shows them what can be achieved if you work hard and make every second count,” says Nicky Head, the school’s head of physical education.

Boasting its own performance centre, the school recently launched a new in-house RPS Sports Programme for sports scholars and others displaying potential within various fields.

This includes weekly seminars on everything from nutrition to time management, weekly analysis sessions with staff and goal-setting during the holidays.

This has been a great asset for pupils, not only during performance but also acquiring knowledge standing them in good stead during the remainder of their sporting lives once they leave school.

“We are lucky to have a tremendous coaching staff who go above and beyond to help our pupils reach their goals,” says Nicky.

She continues: “Our hockey programme has been hugely successful in recent years, clinching national titles at U14, 16 and 18 level in addition to a wealth of Welsh internationals.”

Realising potential

Project MVP was launched in 2018 with a mission to give athletes the opportunity to become the best version of themselves; since then over 1,300 schoolchildren have experienced their programmes.

Children’s potential is identified through a range of assessments measuring a diverse array of athletic skills. Their height, weight and seated height are measured to gain a snapshot of their biological maturity, with further measurements including their 20m sprint time, vertical jump height and strength measured through a static pull.

To blend physical and cognitive skills, Project MVP has produced a reaction test wherein the athlete moves their hand towards a specific light, ignoring incorrect lights. The assessment finishes with the YoYo test to measure aerobic capacity for the younger ages and anaerobic capacity for pupils in year 10 and above.

Each individual is ranked against every other person of their sex and year of birth who has also completed Project MVP’s assessments, providing the athlete with detailed insights into where their skills lie and where areas of improvement may be, based on their national comparison.

All pupils new to strength and conditioning are placed on a familiarisation plan where they are introduced to new movements and their correct technique. For the main school sports of basketball, football, rugby, netball and hockey, pupils can follow a sport-specific plan, with programming dictated by the results of their assessment. A scholarship process sees those who have performed exceptionally well on their assessment day invited onboard.

While they may come around only once every four years, children introduced to Olympic sports at the UK’s independent schools can find a passion lasting a lifetime. Thanks to schools’ provision of cutting-edge facilities, dynamic programmes and elite-level coaches, some of these students may be Olympic medallists of the future.

This feature was published in Independent School Sport magazine before the Olympic Games were postponed

The post Athletes in training appeared first on Independent Education Today.

PE departments have been upping their game, keen to satisfy increasing numbers of young women who are thirsty to try new sports, to compete at the highest levels and to follow in the footsteps of a new generation of inspiring sporting heroines.

Of course, traditional sports like lacrosse, netball and gymnastics are as strong as ever. At Putney High School GDST over 250 girls play netball with seven teams across year 7 alone and 250 matches per year. But for those looking for something different, or who don’t want to play those traditional sports, there are now plenty of exciting alternatives.

Putney champions a culture of getting girls moving and enjoying being active, at every age and level of ability.

Physical fitness and mental wellbeing go hand-in-hand with academic achievement, and as such, an energetic sports department offers everyone the chance to get involved in team sports, to challenge themselves as individuals and to take part and/or compete in something they enjoy.

The school has a strong tradition of student voice which has, of course, meant listening to demand. When England’s National Women’s team performed so well at the Football World Cup, igniting a passion for the game in a whole new generation of girls, Putney’s sports department knew that football lessons should be added to the timetable. Women’s and men’s football were once on equal pegging until a ban by the Football Association in 1921.

Since that ban was lifted in 1971, women’s football has taken time to rebuild and it is great to see the explosion of interest amongst this generation of girls.

The sport is now hugely popular at the school and teams are progressing well under the watchful eye of specialist coaches. Putney has even appointed girls as football ‘marketers’ and ‘deliverers’ on a football committee who are responsible for raising awareness of the game.

“We’ve had an amazing response with more girls signing up every week and lots of positive feedback from parents who are pleased we’re offering the sport. The plan is to keep having regular fixtures and training and enter national cups,” explains Dominique McKee, Putney’s head of football.

Rounders has become a thing of the past at many schools, giving way to the much more popular cricket, which again hit the spotlight thanks to England women’s performance in the World Cup. Everyone seems to want to play.

“We first introduced cricket three years ago, Kwik Cricket for years 7 to 9, and such has been its success that we have now widened this, launching hard ball cricket for year 9 upwards,” explains Emma Fraser, Putney’s director of sport.

Putney competes in the Lady Taverner’s Indoor Competition at Lords and has four teams at under 12 and under 13.

The under 14s and under 15s train during the winter months with cricket coach Alastair Fraser (ex-County for Middlesex and Essex) in readiness for the hard ball season which begins in the summer.

One of the reasons cricket works well is that everyone can get involved – each player bowls, bats and fields. As well as
being inclusive, it delivers for those who want to compete at elite level, there are so many opportunities now for girls within the sport.

In the same boat

Rowing is another popular sport at Putney and the school has the first ‘girls only’ boathouse on a prestigious stretch of the Thames at Putney Embankment.

Supported by an active Rowing Supporters Association, the boathouse provides professional facilities for girls who practise and compete nationally and to international GB level. There are five squads and almost one fifth of the senior school involved in rowing overall with social and performance tiers in each age group.

I remember the days when rowing was considered a male sport. Great Britain’s success in women’s rowing demonstrates that with clear vision and action, equality can be achieved, with all the benefits it brings in terms of participation, fitness, health and wellbeing as well as sheer enjoyment. I’m delighted that in 2021, Henley Royal Regatta will, for the first time, include a Women’s Junior Eights race, a blue-riband event for schoolgirls to join the one that is already available to boys.

There is no doubt that one of the biggest issues for schools is finding time within the PE schedule. Emma Fraser evaluates the curriculum every year and tailors the provision according to the interests of a specific year group.

“In terms of the challenges of introducing new sports such as cricket, we are fortunate that there is a lot of support available for girls and for coaches within the sports and particularly for us within the Girls’ Day School Trust which has made the transition easier. For example, year 8 pupils receive training with community coaches from England Rugby,” she explains.

From rugby and football to cricket, sports that once were the preserve of boys’ schools are now top of a list that includes a huge amount of choice. There’s also athletics, cross country, squash, volleyball, tennis, martial arts, spinning, dance, yoga and Zumba. For the increasing numbers of talented young students who are competing at county or national level, there is no shortage of specialist support.

Helping young elite athletes to manage their academic studies alongside the demands of training and competition is no easy task and some schools are now offering tailor-made support, like Putney’s Elite Sportswomen Programme, to respond to the specific needs of high-performing pupils. Having a team of professional coaches on hand, from Olympian Jess Eddie (their rowing coach) to England’s Claire Faram, head of lacrosse and world champion acrobat Lewis Walker, offers students access to not only some great role models, but a mentor who genuinely understands the demands on their time.

Equality of opportunity is heralding the dawn of a new generation of sporting talent and there’s no sign of these girls dropping the ball any time soon.

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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

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It has been absolutely fantastic. The best bit about it has been getting to know each and every one of my pupils. I have the most wonderful conversations with them and their curiosity about life and learning is infectious. The parents at South Lee are very supportive too and I have a really hardworking and talented staff. I am very lucky indeed.

Q. You were previously deputy head at St. John’s College School in Cambridge for 14 years. Were you worried about taking the next step into headship, and would you recommend it to others?

I wasn’t really worried about it, more excited at the prospect of running my own school. I was very lucky to have been at a fantastic school where I learned loads and an equally fantastic state school in London before that. It was the right time for me to move and take on a headship, as my children are a bit older now.

I would recommend it to others, although I would warn you that your school will occupy a place in your head and heart at all times, so it is important to make the effort to keep a good work/life balance, as otherwise it will become all consuming.

Q. Having worked in prep schools, do you think this stage of education is a particularly important one?

Absolutely, it is the foundation of all learning. It is at this time that you nurture children’s curiosity and natural zest for learning and turn that into something that lasts for life. Small class sizes, specialist teachers and breadth of curriculum allow prep schools to spend lots of time with individual children and offer a wide range of learning activities and experiences.

It is a huge privilege to have a hand in moulding the early learning journeys of the youth and adults of the future. What an amazing job!

Q. What are the challenges of running a small independent school?

As with all independent and state schools regardless of their size, money is an issue. The economic climate has made it difficult for parents to be able to offer their children the fantastic education an independent school can provide. For schools, affordability of fees for parents and value for money are hugely important. Balancing this with growing operational costs is tricky.

Q. What do you think makes South Lee School stand out?

So many things! South Lee is a really happy, vibrant, ‘family feel’ school – perfect for the formative years of a child’s education. An innovative, challenging curriculum which puts equal value on academic, creative and sporting subjects, alongside an emphasis on learning about social and emotional needs, makes for a wonderful, all-round education.

South Lee prides itself on nurturing and encouraging our pupils to be innovators of the future, by offering plenty of opportunities for leadership and problem-solving learning.

Subjects such as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and maths), philosophy and debating offer many possibilities for the children to access and initiate fantastic skills and enquiry-based learning – all things that will be so very important for employability in forthcoming years.

Q. What was your favourite subject at school?

I adored English literature and maths. I still love literature now and I read a wide range of genres. I was going to be an accountant when I left school because of a love of number problem-solving, but I wanted to teach young children more.

Q. What issue in education are you most passionate about?

Ensuring children’s social and emotional wellbeing is as well-catered for as their academic needs. Life is pretty stressful already nowadays, so it is really important to me that my pupils get a fantastic curriculum, but they are still allowed to be children.

I strongly believe that children learn better when they are happy and relaxed and, most importantly, when they feel that they are listened to and know that they have a voice.

We spend time at South Lee learning about ourselves as individuals, how to talk about and deal with our emotions, and how our brains function best for us as individuals and learners. Time is built into our curriculum to do this on a regular basis.

Q. What is your favourite book?

It depends on what mood I am in. I love the Summer Guest by Justin Cronin, which is a beautiful story about love and family. I also love The Count of Monte Cristo, the epic novel by Alexander Dumas, in which good ultimately outwits evil. Classic and superb.

Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I have three children and a dog, so life is always very busy. I love spending time with them and my husband, cooking, travelling, lots of sports and being with my friends.

Q. If you weren’t in education, what would you do instead?

This is difficult because I can honestly say if I was choosing again, I would definitely choose the same career path. If not, I probably would have done something else to do with helping people, so a doctor or midwife.

The post Interview: Ruth O’Sullivan, headmistress, South Lee School appeared first on Independent Education Today.

However, the British Medical Association reported concerns from health care workers about PPE shortages, with nurses saying staff on some wards had no protective equipment.

Examples of PPE include aprons, gloves, surgical masks and eye protection.

One way independent schools are helping is by turning their design and technology (D&T) departments into PPE production lines.

Which independent schools are making PPE for the NHS?

Below are just some of the independent schools manufacturing PPE for health workers. There are many more doing their part across the whole of the UK.

England

North East

• Royal Grammar School Newcastle – using 3D printers to make visor parts, first 40+ visors have been collected by GPs, year 11 student producing four face screens a day using own 3D printer

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Ashville College – given Harrogate District Hospital 200 pairs of safety glasses from science lessons
• St Peter’s School – initially made five sample face masks for the approval of York Teaching Hospital Trust, given go ahead to produce more
• The Grammar School at Leeds – in full production mode with three printers making six masks an hour, donated over 330 pairs of protective goggles
• Bradford Grammar School – making full visors in DT, donating science safety goggles, thousands of disposable gloves donated to local GPs, opticians, care homes, etc.

West Midlands

• Denstone College – D&T team produced 50 visors initially, since been approached by five hospitals, GP surgeries, carers, nursing homes and funeral directors, currently out of polypropylene but more coming soon
• Bromsgrove School – producing face shields, 290 pairs of goggles delivered to County Hall for distribution

East Midlands

• Stamford Endowed Schools – started manufacturing 200 visors a day, now producing over 1,000 a day
• Oakham School – have made around 1,800 face shields and distributed them to NHS and local key workers
  Fundraising page: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TimWeston4
• Uppingham School – head of D&T has been using a laser cutter to create masks
  Donation page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/clive-simmons
• Oundle School – D&T staff making PPE for front line NHS staff
• Repton School – DT department laser-cutting polypropylene headbands with acetate/PVC visor shields for local NHS hospitals, 100 gone to Derby Royal Hospital Hand Unit

South West

• Wellington School – D&T department producing facial visors using 3D printers
• Millfield School – laser cutters being used by staff, students and volunteers, have made 130 masks so far
• Cheltenham Ladies’ College – head of engineering has made 54 face shields by laser cutting and eight by 3D printing, as well as hands-free door openers
• Monkton Combe School – 3D printing protective masks
• Taunton School – machines operating 24/7 making visor clip components
• Plymouth College – 250 face shields made so far, request for 350 more from local NHS
• Prior Park College – DT department producing approx. 500 units per day, continuing over Easter, back orders of nearly 1,000 and increasing on a daily basis, produced and delivered over 1,500 visors
• Bryanston School – making protective face masks using 3D printers for local GPs and frontline NHS, D&T teachers making masks from scratch from home, demand increasing every day
• St Edward’s Cheltenham – IT infrastructure manager and D&T staff made over 50 3D printed protective visors so far and counting
• Sherborne School – producing visors for healthcare workers, now using 3D printers to produce prototype ventilator hose adaptors for NHS
• King’s College Taunton – working on a 3D print prototype door handle for Bournemouth Hospital, creating face shields
  Healthcare workers can order face shields via the 3DCrowdUK website
• King Edward’s School, Bath – making visors, first 100 masks have gone to The Avenue Surgery in Warminster
• Wishford Schools – making protectivehttps://www.3dcrowd.uk/ masks, kitted out three doctors’ surgeries with more to come
• Dauntsey’s – 250 masks have gone to frontline workers, more ready to go, the team produce about 100 a day
• Godolphin School – manufacturing face shields for Salisbury General Hospital
• Truro School – were able to make 90 re-usable shields in a day, distributed to surgeries, care homes and hospitals across mid-Cornwall

South East

• Abingdon School – making PPE visors, first batch of 200 distributed to local Abingdon surgeries, another 200 in the production line
• Elstree School – delivering aprons, gloves and masks by minibus around London
• Cranleigh School – design engineering team has been providing Perspex for creation of visors, over 100 goggles and 850 pairs of disposable gloves donated to Cranleigh Medical Centre
• Guildford High School – producing visors
• Tonbridge School – making protective masks
  Step-by-step manufacturing information: https://make-more-masks.com/
• Woldingham School – making protective face visors using 3D printers and donating goggles from science lessons
• Sutton Valence School – produced equipment for five GP surgeries and a special educational needs school
• Caterham School – making visors, science goggles and masks delivered to GPs
• The Oratory School – Design Lab have produced and fitted protective screens for reception areas at three surgeries, producing 16 face shields a day
• Cottesmore School – delivered PPE to a East Surrey and Sussex hospital
• Frensham Heights School – making face shields, staff sewing scrubs, washbags, hats and headbands
  If you need PPE, or want to help, visit: https://www.frensham.org/supportnhs/
• Headington School – producing protective face shields for Oxford
  The school is looking for more acetate sheets
• Eton College – D&T department creating visors for local hospitals, science department donated unused PPE supplies to local surgery
• Benenden School – making face shields for local frontline workers

East of England

• Royal Hospital School – face shields being produced, intend to make 200 over next couple of weeks, first batch sent to GP’s surgeries, local pharmacies, care homes and community health care workers in Ipswich
• Norwich School – now produced over 2,000 visors, delivered around 100 pairs of goggles and 30 boxes of gloves from the school’s science department
  The school has made available instructions, CAD design files and construction guidelines
• Ipswich School – made more than 150 visors for local healthcare workers, more being made
  Any local GPs who require more equipment, and schools with laser cutters which would like to have the design files, should contact the school at media@ipswich.school
• King’s Ely – head of D&T spending Easter break making face shields, recipients have included a hospital, GP surgeries, a pharmacy and a care home
• Queenswood School – onsite staff making masks for local care homes, stitching NHS-grade scrubs, current target is 1,000 masks and 30 sets of scrubs
  Donation page: https://bit.ly/Queenswood-PPE

Greater London

• Dulwich College – producing 150+ full face visors a day, distributed to hospitals, surgeries, care homes, hospices and latterly pharmacies, five 3D printers supplied by James Allen’s Girls’ School, distributed 650+ pre-existing eye protection
• Merchant Taylors’ School – making visors using five 3D printers
• Godolphin and Latymer School – have supplied 135 pairs of protective lab goggles to care homes in Hounslow
• Kingston Grammar School – made 100 PPE visors in the first day
• Latymer Upper School – using 3D printers to make visors, already created and delivered 90 visors, orders for 500 units from GP surgeries and hospitals
• Hampton School – initially started making component parts for face shields using 3D printers, now using laser cutters to mass-produce face shields for frontline workers, donated 350 safety goggles to NHS
• St Paul’s Girls’ School – donated 150 full eye cover safety goggles to a hospital, sending nitrile gloves and 25 pairs of safety specs to a care home, also sending nitrile gloves, overshoes and 50 safety specs to local services
• St Margaret’s School, Bushey – donated goggles, gloves and protective face shields
• St Dunstan’s College – making face masks and visors for the NHS using laser cutter

Scotland

• Kelvinside Academy – have made over 500 protective face visors at onsite NuVu Innovation School using 3D printers and laser cutters, which have been donated to local hospitals and care facilitates
  The school is looking for donations of 3-4mm acrylic sheets dimensions: 1000mm by 600mm, A4 acetate 200 microns and Scotch magic tape. If you can help, please email david.miller@kelvinside.org or call the school switchboard on 0141 357 3376
• Dollar Academy – made over 100 visors which have been distributed to local GPs and hospitals
  Able to respond to additional requests for visors on their Facebook page

Wales

• Rydal Penrhos – now using six 3D printers to make 100 sets of protective masks per day for NHS staff and keyworker facilities across the region
  The school is looking for a second 3D printer and donations so they can increase production. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/sarah039s-campaign-for-rydal-penrhos-limited

We have been inundated with schools manufacturing PPE – you can find many more on Twitter by searching terms like #PPE

The post Which independent schools are making PPE for the NHS? appeared first on Independent Education Today.