Certainly modern boarding is nothing like it used to be and anyone who takes a tour of the comfortable and tastefully decorated bedrooms, the common rooms complete with big-screen TVs, Xboxes and squishy sofas, and the Pret a Manger-influenced spaces for casual dining will see that in many cases today’s boarders are living a life of relative luxury; most likely on a par with being at home with their parents – though, they might say, with more entertainment and less nagging.

Although boarding numbers in general might have dipped very slightly from 2018 to 2019, according to the Independent Schools Council’s 2019 Annual Census, since the turn of the century boarding numbers have remained stable.

Full boarding remains the most popular, with weekly and flexi boarding rising in popularity over the last three years.

Second home

“My boarding house is a place where you get that loving and safe feeling, while still being at school,” says Cedar Balogun, a year 11 student at New Hall School who has been a boarder for the past five years.

Indeed, so attractive is boarding that at New Hall, in common with many of the 500 independent and state boarding schools up and down the country, even students whose homes are five minutes up the road choose to board rather than going home to their families every night.

“Our boarders really do view the boarding house as their second home,” says Julius Sidwell, vice-principal, boarding at New Hall, where 27% of senior school students are boarders. “But there is the added advantage of lots of activities and outings with friends from different year groups in a real family atmosphere.”

Our boarders really do view the boarding house as their second home

Gone are the huge, draughty dorms of yesteryear – most schools now provide comfortable rooms with six or eight beds for younger boarders (aged 8 to around 13) with threes, twos and even singles for older students, giving a taste of university student accommodation.

“Most rooms in our new Follyfield House have en suite facilities,” says Felsted School’s headmaster, Chris Townsend, about the girls’ boarding house that was recently purpose-built to replace one that was tragically destroyed by fire (fortunately the boarders themselves were at home for the summer holidays).

“Bright rooms with environmentally friendly lighting make it a pleasurable and efficient home, with social spaces, inside and out, and room for the whole house to gather or for year groups to socialise,” adds Townsend.

“We know how important it is to keep our boarding provision appropriate to modern expectations and every one of our nine houses is regularly reviewed, updated and refurbished.”

At Queen Ethelburga’s, where 1,100 of the 1,400 students board on a full or weekly basis, a newly refurbished boarding environment has just been opened, which has taken into account the wish lists of the boarders themselves, who requested – and got – cosy low-level lighting, en suite showers and an air-conditioning system with temperature controls in each room.

“When we first began planning the refurbishment, the students gave me consistent feedback – mainly ‘please make it homely’,” explains Amy Martin, Queen Ethelburga’s chief executive officer.

“So the old bunk beds have been taken out and single beds put in their place, there is more storage for clothing and belongings, and everyone has a noticeboard for pictures and posters, to make the space personal.”

Communal living

Learning to work, live and eat together is just one of the life lessons boarding has to offer. While study bedrooms have become smaller and more private, common and dining rooms are now the hub of the social side of boarding.

“Our new ‘snug’ rooms on each floor have smart TVs for the ever-popular movie nights, as well as gaming devices,” says Queen Ethelburga’s Amy Martin.

“Each house also has a generous common room with comfy sofas, a TV and an area with café-style booths, lit in an array of neon. There’s also a craft table, bursting with supplies for our creative students.”

While the boarders in most schools eat their meals in the school’s refectory or dining room, often with day pupils, at some it is the custom to eat in the house.

“Eighty per cent of students at Ampleforth College are full boarders and the house kitchens are the centre of boarding life,” says the school’s deputy head, pastoral and wellbeing, Jon Mutton. “Matrons are often found baking or making pizzas and each house has its own outdoor area for al fresco meals in the summer months.”

There’s often a small house kitchen area for students to throw together their own snacks as and when, always including the essential toaster (and smoke alarms to detect the inevitable burnt sliced white).

Ordering in a takeaway is now not usually forbidden and makes a great treat on special occasions, and older students are often encouraged to whip up a meal to practise their university cooking skills on their housemates.

Developing independence

In fact, making the most of the opportunity for students to develop the confidence to stand on their own two feet is perhaps the biggest selling point of modern boarding.

Queen Ethelburga’s is soon to introduce a new life skills programme for upper senior students who board, to support them in life ahead, and many schools gradually loosen the reins as students get older, allowing them to have more freedom at the weekends or to take themselves on outings to the cinema or bowling, for example, or to pursue their interests at school and to learn how to manage their free time.

“Modern boarding gives students more time to find the things they are passionate about,” says Cranleigh School’s deputy head pastoral, Dr Andrea Saxel.

“Our boarders really make the most of their school day – rather than being stuck in a car commuting to school, they are out on the pitches and in the studios rehearsing, or attending evening lectures from visiting speakers, or simply hanging out with friends in the boarding house.”

Support network

While boarders begin to develop the skills they will need in the adult world, it’s still important to make sure there is a robustly supportive staff in place in the boarding house to guide them. After all, in the case of boarders, the school is ‘in loco parentis’ 24-hours a day.

“Rather than regarding boarding as separating students from their families, we prefer to see it as parents allowing us to share in their daughters’ formative years,” says Anne Wakefield, deputy head, boarding and pastoral care at Benenden School.

“In houses, pupils have a team of staff who offer them emotional, academic, social and practical support. Because the house acts as a second home and the girls spend a great deal of time in it, house staff try to get to know their charges and their families extremely well.”

At Ampleforth, the house team includes a chaplain – and often the family pet.

“Our housemasters and mistresses ensure that the house is an extension of their own family,” says Ampleforth’s Jon Mutton.

“A lot of our houseparents have young children and pets – mostly dogs – who play a full part in house life, adding to the homely feel.”

Fitting in with family

Indeed, working with families is the aim and boarding has great logistical benefits for parents who have busy jobs or who regularly work away from home. The introduction in recent decades of flexi boarding (one or a few nights a week) and weekly boarding has increased boarding’s uptake.

“Our weekly boarding bus service on a Sunday night and Saturday afternoon has really eased the transport burden, particularly for our London families,” says Felsted’s headmaster, Chris Townsend, of the school buses that whisk weekly boarders from their homes in the big smoke to school in the Essex countryside, saving parents time, and petrol.

Flexible boarding arrangements at Felsted are also much appreciated; 72% of senior students (aged 13 to 18) board on some basis and the school has pretty much the same number of weekly boarders as full boarders, while a third board just three nights a week.

“Many of our children have dual working parents,” says Townsend, “so our three-night contemporary boarding option in the senior school allows parents to work late, knowing that their children are well cared for, completing their homework with appropriate support and enjoying co-curricular activities with friends.

“Most of our pupils become weekly boarders in the upper sixth if not before, in preparation for university – for some teenagers, this is the perfect balance between time at home and time away.”

Many of our children have dual working parents so our three-night contemporary boarding option in the senior school allows parents to work late, knowing that their children are well cared for

Boarding at Cranleigh is only offered on a weekly basis, so the 70% of pupils aged 13 to 18 who board arrive on Sunday evening and stay in school until they’re collected by parents after matches on Saturday.

Typical of many prep schools, boarding at Cranleigh Prep is more flexible, with pupils aged seven to 13 encouraged to try boarding by staying for just one night a week, or five, which about a third of pupils do.

“A gentle start to boarding in this cosy environment can often be easier than boarding for the first time later on, when school life is busier and regimes less flexible,” says Cranleigh’s Dr Saxel.

Enhanced education

With rising fees, boarding is simply out of reach for many parents nowadays who perhaps used to be able to afford it.
However, independent schools are doing everything they can to make boarding worth the investment.

By providing comfortable, contemporary boarding facilities, run by approachable and supportive staff and with a programme of engaging social activities – all on a basis that works for today’s families – modern boarding can really add an extra dimension to school life and help develop the independence and skills boarders will appreciate well into adulthood.

The post The bright lights of modern boarding appeared first on Independent Education Today.

The Steinway Music School provides a unique and contemporary learning environment complete with professional standard recording studio and a recital room.

The opening also signals a new partnership between Royal High School Bath and prominent piano makers Steinway and Sons. With its commitment to excellence in musical education, Royal High School has become one of only 250 schools worldwide to gain the prestigious Steinway title (and one of 29 schools in the UK).

Students will benefit by having access to world-class Steinway and Sons pianos, masterclasses by Steinway artists and performance opportunities throughout the year.

This significant investment signals Royal High’s continued commitment to our talented musicians

Kate Reynolds, head at Royal High School Bath, said: “This significant investment signals Royal High’s continued commitment to our talented musicians. With research suggesting that learning a musical instrument aids academic success – our girls already benefit from the specialist skills of our excellent teaching staff – and now they have a brand new facility to match.

“Our Music School is an incredibly vibrant and creative environment which will reflect and inspire the talents and ambitions of our girls.”

Mark Bradbury, director of music at Royal High School Bath, said: “We offer a brand new space in which to rehearse and perform and when the facilities are not being used by our students, each of the rooms and the recording studio will be available for use by local organisations. We are looking forward to inviting the local community into our school for a series of musical events coming very soon.”

Students now have access to 10 brand new Steinway and Sons pianos, and a professional standard recording studio for students to record, engineer and produce music.

The post Royal High School Bath unveils Steinway Music School appeared first on Independent Education Today.

As a leading supplier of carpets into the healthcare sector and many education settings, we understand the importance of providing a flooring solution which can help maintain the cleanliness of a setting and help combat the spread of infection, which is why a number of our ranges include an innovative antimicrobial yarn treatment.

Micro-organisms are part of our everyday lives and include many diverse organisms. They include bacteria, fungi, yeast and algae that are found wherever moisture, temperature and food sources allow. Some of these organisms are beneficial and a natural part of our environment.

Others can cause serious problems including deterioration, defacement, rotting, surface degradation, staining and health problems ranging from simple discomfort to physical irritation, allergic sensitisation, toxic responses and infection.

Additionally, carpets require the need to control microscopic arthropods such as mites. Mites are associated with dirt and dust and their presence in carpeting has been linked to allergenic responses in humans. The ability to make surfaces and carpeting resistant to microbial contamination has many advantages and values in applications where carpeting is used.

Danfloor’s antimicrobial yarn treatment

Microbial growth on any flooring finish can lead to a variety of problems including: aggravation of skin complaints, dust mites which can lead to asthma, and the spread of bacteria.

Our Equinox, Evolution and Economix Collections incorporate an innovative yarn treatment call BI-OME®, which achieves a 99.99% (4 log) reduction in harmful bacteria. The yarn treatment starts to kill bugs and bacteria, including those that cause MRSA, Ecoli and C-Diff, as soon as contamination occurs.

BI-OME® is a revolutionary technology that guarantees optimum freshness and hygiene even after intensive use and frequent commercial cleaning. It is a non-migrating antimicrobial coating, which kills the micro-organisms when they come into contact with the fibre. BI-OME® doesn’t lose strength over time and creates an environment which microorganisms can’t adapt to.

The benefits of BI-OME® technology include:

– 4 log reduction of 99.99% in the presence of harmful micro-organisms
– Long lasting freshness
– Eliminates the smells created by yeast, fungus and bacteria in carpets
– Controls or eliminates microbial staining
– Eliminates dust mites
– Reduces the risk of cross contamination

As a result, the BI-OME® treatment can provide many benefits for children, young adults and staff within school classrooms and student accommodation, where bacteria can spread and breed quickly as a result of a large number of people working and living in close proximity to one another.

How does it do this?

So how does BI-OME® work should bacteria, contained within a body spillage, reach the floor?

• Contamination occurs, the carpet fibre attracts and holds the spillage in one place without it spreading any further
• The carpet’s impervious membrane holds the spillage on the surface of the carpet, without causing a slip hazard, to ensure it can be effectively cleaned away
• The BI-OME® treatment punctures the cell membrane like a sword
• It deactivates the micro-organism
• It achieves a 99.9% reduction within the first 15 minutes and progresses to a 99.99% reduction within 30 minutes

BI-OME® is important for anyone needing to eliminate odours and increase health protection. It is ideal for sectors where carpeting is used near or around food and drink, within multi dwelling residents and populated communal spaces.

BI-OME® has been developed to combat the widespread problem of superbugs and a full list of all the bacteria, fungi, yeast and algae which can be controlled with the use of this treatment can be found within our guide.

There are many other innovative features which make our ranges suitable for the education sector, including soil and stain resistant yarns and outstanding sound absorption properties. If you’d like to find out more and request free samples visit www.danfloor.co.uk

For more information on BI-OME®, visit: https://www.danfloor.co.uk/content/uploads/2019/04/BI-OME-Anti-Microbial-2019.pdf

The post How carpet can help combat the spread of infection appeared first on Independent Education Today.

Nursery, prep and senior sites are all set to be transformed at the North Wales independent school, with the school also investigating the possibility of opening a residential sixth form centre.

“In drawing these exciting plans together, the views of parents, staff and pupils have been most helpful in assisting our decision-making,” said the board of governors’ chairman, Julian Barnes.

He continued: “The plans are aimed at enhancing a school that is fully-equipped for many generations of Rydal Penrhos pupils to come, one which will enable us to continue to deliver our values.

The plans are aimed at enhancing a school that is fully-equipped for many generations of Rydal Penrhos pupils to come, one which will enable us to continue to deliver our values

“The Governing Body is committed to the delivery of these significant developments by lending its full support to the management team.”

A significant investment in the senior school will see upgraded science labs, fully refurbished classrooms and the installation of modern IT systems.

Art and drama suites will also be given a makeover.

Although plans are yet to be finalised, the Colwyn Bay school has also announced the construction of a new nursery and prep school.

Rydal Penrhos is also looking to improve its sports offer with “big plans” for the New Field area, an upgrade of the pavilion and the building of a second all-weather surface.

You may also like: Rydal Penrhos launches new sports programme for athletes

The post Large-scale development announced at Rydal Penrhos appeared first on Independent Education Today.

During the event, Willmott Dixon gave a group of junior and senior pupils a tour of the building site and explained to them what would be happening over the next 18 months, before pupils got a chance to have photos taken in the digger.

The development is significant for the school as it will not only benefit the school community, but also the local community.

St Dunstan’s headmaster, Nicholas Hewlett, said: “This represents the most significant redevelopment of our college sites since our foundation in Catford, in 1888. I feel sure our founders and benefactors would be proud of the innovative new buildings that are being constructed, as records show they were intent that a St Dunstan’s education should be ‘ahead of the current time’.

“As one of the first schools in the world to have invested in science and technology laboratories, it seems fitting that 130 years on, we are creating state of the art STEM facilities for the next generation of Dunstonians.”

As one of the first schools in the world to have invested in science and technology laboratories, it seems fitting that 130 years on, we are creating state of the art STEM facilities for the next generation

The school’s bursar Clair Wilkins said: “Finally breaking the ground on this monumental project marks the start of an extremely exciting period for the College.

“Once completed, this beautifully designed building will provide our community with dedicated and specialist spaces for science, technology, engineering and maths as well as a sixth form hub with cafe and university style study spaces. In addition, the long awaited new junior school will significantly enhance the indoor and outdoor learning environments for our pupils.”

Development of school facilities

Designed by Bond Bryan, the new development will be sited adjacent to the existing historic headmaster’s house and be connected by a glass atrium.

Built over two, three and four storeys, phase one will see demolition of some existing building and the construction of the new junior school that will provide a stimulating learning environment – with specialist facilities for art, music and performance – whilst providing unrestricted access to age-appropriate sporting facilities across the elevated playing areas and the two multi-use games areas (MUGAs).

Phase two will see the delivery of the STEM centre and sixth form centre; these cutting-edge facilities will consolidate STEM subjects into a modern central space. The hub will also provide university-style learning, including independent study spaces and social areas and a café.

Adam Worrall, director for Willmott Dixon in the London and South said: “We are delighted to celebrate this official milestone and see work start on site for this fantastic project. This development will deliver a world-class inspirational learning space that will complement St Dunstan’s teaching for many years to come.”

You might also like: Schools which have refurbished facilities

The post St Dunstan’s starts ‘most significant redevelopment’ of school facilities appeared first on Independent Education Today.

Considered design principles within school environments, including boarding facilities and classrooms, can positively affect student learning and teacher satisfaction as well as enhancing the mental wellbeing of all its occupants.

There are many ways in which carpet can benefit an education facility and one of those is creating an acoustically sound environment which is conducive to learning in the classroom and creates a relaxing and calm living environment within boarding houses.

Schools are built for safety and cleanliness. Hard, reflective surfaces often line the hallways, classrooms, gymnasiums, auditoriums, offices, music rooms, cafeterias and more. As a result of these highly reflective textures, sound waves will bounce around all of these spaces for extended periods of time. As the background noise builds, the rooms in the school and boarding facilities become less functional, and the learning and living environments become compromised.

When young children are regularly exposed to levels of noise auditory processing functions can be compromised and this can interfere with communication, which in turn may develop speech or reading difficulties.

Children continue to develop their speech perception abilities until they reach their teens. Evidence has shown that when children learn in noisier classrooms, they have more difficulties understanding speech than those who learn in quieter settings¹.

In a study conducted by Cornell University in 1993, children exposed to noise in learning environments experienced trouble with word discrimination, as well as various cognitive developmental delays¹. In particular, the writing learning impairment dysgraphia is commonly associated with environmental stressors in the classroom¹.

Studies suggest that the evidence of the effects of noise on children’s cognition has grown stronger over recent years, with over 20 studies showing detrimental effects of noise on children’s memory and reading outcomes².

Acoustically sound environments are so important that the Department of Education sets out clear objectives and advice around the subject. One of the objectives of their ‘Acoustic design of schools’ guide is to provide suitable indoor ambient noise levels to enable:

• Clear communication of speech between teachers and students
• Clear communication between students
• And for learning and study activities

The Equality Act 2010, which covers all areas of disability and types of discrimination discusses the issues of acoustics within schools, principally those relating to disabilities and where English is not the first language, in both cases clarity of speech is therefore particularly important to assist comprehension.

Creating the optimum learning and living environments is an important design consideration for any education facility. With the use of carpet levels of concentration and comfort can be improved.

Acoustics in boarding houses

Children have been identified as a group vulnerable to the effects of sleep disturbance². Prolonged sleep disturbance in children may result in tiredness, difficulties in focusing attention, increased irritability and lowered frustration tolerance².

High noise levels have also been known to damage the physical health of small children. Children from noisy residences often have a heart rate that is significantly higher (by 2 beats/min on average) than those of children from quieter homes¹.

Peaceful, non-echoey environments enhance living spaces and produce an atmosphere which is conducive with study and relaxation, especially for those students with additional needs

Carpet has a unique ability to reduce sound impact levels, no other acoustical material performs the dual role of a floor covering and a versatile acoustical aid. Research suggests that carpet is 10 times more efficient in reducing noise compared to other flooring options³.

Carpet helps to create an acoustically sound environment within multi dwelling buildings. Peaceful, non-echoey environments enhance living spaces and produce an atmosphere which is conducive with study and relaxation, especially for those students with additional needs.

Acoustics within student accommodation have to be closely monitored and meet the requirements of part E of the Building Regulations. Carpet can naturally achieve in excess of 28 decibel reduction in transmitted impact noise and will help you achieve such standards.

Benefits of carpets in the learning environment

-Combats leg fatigue and creates zonal and comfortable learning areas

Carpets can be a useful way of creating flexible leaning spaces, making it comfortable for students and teachers to sit, stand and even lie down on the floor. With many teachers standing for a large proportion of their time, carpet also increases underfoot comfort and reduces muscle fatigue. In a survey carried out in 2001, the majority of public school teachers surveyed said that they actually preferred carpet for its comfort, noise reduction and safety benefits⁴.

During the primary years many students spend much greater time sat on the floor and the warmth and comfort of a soft flooring finish can provide many benefits.

-Provides thermal resistance

Carpets, because of their fibrous construction, trap a layer of air close to the floor. Air is an excellent thermal insulator and consequently increase the thermal insulation of a surface. Carpet is therefore perceived as being warmer and providing more comfort.

-Reduces glare

Carpet also offers a glare-free surface which helps to reduce reflection and eye strain.

Benefits of a danfloor carpet

We recommend the installation of our nylon range of carpets, which includes the Evolution and Economix collections. These ranges help to achieve all the above benefits and provide the following:

• Class 33 heavy-use certification, the highest wear rating a carpet can receive
• Up to 15 years’ wear warranty
• A and A+ Environmental BRE certification
• Antimicrobial yarn treatment providing a 4 log reduction (99.99%) in harmful bacterial, including those that cause MRSA and E-coli
• Impervious membrane preventing spilt liquids reaching the sub floor
• Easy to clean, and soil and stain resistant yarn.

For more information and to order samples visit www.danfloor.co.uk

1 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_from_noise#cite_note-45

2 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40572-015-0044-1?shared-article-renderer#ref-CR34

3 – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264195999_Acoustic_advantages_of_wool_carpeting

4 – Beth Schapiro & Associates (2001) “National Survey of Public School Teachers”

The post School design for positive cognitive development and wellbeing appeared first on Independent Education Today.

Facilities also have to satisfy the expectations of parents and guardians, as well as matching up to the needs of the nearly 60,000 teachers who share and use those spaces, be they classrooms, common areas or even corridors (as we’ll explore later). That’s not to say that this comes without difficulties: making spaces work for their various users and uses can be a challenge.

Many independent schools have histories and tradition that must be preserved, while at the same time making them fit for a modern academic environment. But, as illustrated by the examples explored below, making the most of facilities can have the potential to attract pupils, grow school numbers and thereby contribute even more than the £13.7bn that, according to global forecasting body Oxford Economics, independent schools already contribute to the UK economy.

Rebuilding a boarding house

Giggleswick School is situated near Settle in North Yorkshire. In September 2018, it launched a large-scale refurbishment project of the main boarding facility, Nowell House, to make it fit for the needs of 21st-century boarders – and introduce a bit of ‘wow factor’ to replace the extant ageing facilities. To achieve these aims, the school teamed up with education interior design specialists Envoplan.

The project was a big investment for the school and didn’t come without its own challenges; Giggleswick’s long history (it dates back as far as 1512) means buildings are listed and this needed to be taken into account when undertaking the total renovation.

Bedrooms, common areas and washrooms were all reconfigured in a way that was sensitive to the school’s heritage. Nowell House was zoned into living, working and sleeping areas, with the intention of bringing in elements of home. Kitchens were central to this plan and shared social spaces were shaped to facilitate interaction between year groups. Envoplan were involved in everything from strip-out to the manufacturing and fitting of furniture, and they reflected the school’s aims by working with conservationists and involving staff and students in the design process.

In fact, design workshops were held with the boarders who will actually live in the end-product.

Our challenge has been to future-proof our provision to meet the changing needs of parents and the expectation of our pupils

Giggleswick’s director of admissions and external relations, Jane Paul, says that their objective was “to provide the best home-from-home experience for everyone from full boarders to flexi-boarders and day pupils”.

She adds: “The redesign is now more reflective of a family home where pupils spend their daytimes on the lower floor of the house, in the living areas, kitchen space, individual and shared studies, then boarders go upstairs to bed.” To avoid disruption to the timetable, most work was completed during holidays, with messier work undertaken outside school hours.

“Our challenge has been to future-proof our provision to meet the changing needs of parents and the expectation of our pupils,” says Paul, and the project has given them a template for the future, with Paley and Shute Houses up for refurbishment next. The Nowell House refurbishment was so successful it was shortlisted for the 2019 Boarding Schools Association awards.

Making walls come alive

Bloxham School is a co-educational day and boarding school near Banbury, Oxon. It also expressed the aim of bringing the ‘wow factor’ to its science facilities, which are housed in a 1960s brick block that is less visually pleasing than its other traditional Horton Sandstone buildings.

When the school was investing in refurbishing and expanding the block to accommodate growing pupil numbers, they decided to inspire students – and make a statement – with eye-catching, science-themed murals between rooms. Ninety-eight square metres of bespoke décor was created by educational wall art specialists Promote Your School.

Again, the school was heavily involved in the process: “Heads of department were given ownership of their area to ensure that there was staff support for the project but with a remit to produce something which stretched thinking and discussion about their subject,” says deputy head (curriculum) Matthew Buckland. 

The pictures don’t just beautify what would otherwise be rather prosaic locales, corridors that channel pupils from A to B. Rather, they maximise potential educational spaces, taking learning out of classrooms and making it ambient, since murals go into specific detail about their subjects: one wall uses the powers of 10 rule to illustrate atom size and the distance of galaxies, while another shows the science careers that are open to students.

Designs are focused by subject area, so the chemistry area features the periodic table, biology illustrates how the subject has advanced with a timeline of major developments, while the maths zone shows key thinkers in the field. Murals also serve as teaching aids for staff. “It’s been good to see bits of lessons in the corridor,” says Buckland.

The project is equally successful on an aesthetic level, too. “The aim was to take a somewhat dark and uninspiring part of the school and to make the area into a modern learning space which immediately grabbed the attention of students, staff and visitors as they transitioned within the building,” says Buckland.

The aim was to take a somewhat dark and uninspiring part of the school and to make the area into a modern learning space

The artwork has received positive responses from all who see it and it enhances learning in a way that the old departmental noticeboards could never achieve.

Buckland adds: “As an oversubscribed independent school, we have a regular flow of prospective students visiting throughout the year and the building now presents a much-improved image of the school and what we are aiming to achieve in the classroom.”

Futuristic science laboratories

While expanding lessons out of the classroom is relevant, the spaces in which formal lessons take place are, of course, of utmost importance, and science was again the driving force behind a major redesign at The Kingsley School. It’s a highly valued discipline at the girls’ senior school in Leamington Spa, where most pupils take three sciences at GCSE, gaining a 100% pass rate in 2019.

Although the school occupies a Victorian manor house, its science facilities were 1970s labs that needed considerable refreshing. To achieve this, the school undertook detailed discussions with laboratory and educational furnishings experts S+B, and together they took an in-depth, sustained look at the school’s teaching style and what it wanted to achieve from the refurbishment.

From those early discussions, it became clear that each science would be taught very differently and therefore different classroom furniture systems would be required. Subject heads and the school’s estates manager met with S+B and the contractor for detailed discussions.

In the end result, biology laboratories were kept rather traditional with forward-facing desks but with an overall modern design: they achieved this with S+B’s Crescent system. The school valued the flexibility the system offered.

S+B’s sales manager, Mark Fitzpatrick, says: “It can facilitate theory on one side and practical on the reverse. This changes the orientation of the classroom and encourages a dynamic teaching and learning style.”

As an oversubscribed independent school, we have a regular flow of prospective students visiting throughout the year and the building now presents a much-improved image of the school

For chemistry lessons, the school favours a collaborative learning approach, so it opted for workstations that allow students to face the teacher for the theory elements of lessons, then spread around the circumference of the workstations for group practical sessions. To meet these teaching requirements, the school asked S+B to install Saturn and Mercury systems.

The largest lab, physics, was the one the school wanted to make into their showpiece. They achieved this with installation of strikingly modern, propeller-shaped workstations and underlighting, which – as well as looking impressive – also allows students uninterrupted workspace for experiments.

Both physics and biology labs needed considerable storage for equipment, so floor-to-ceiling Spacesaver Working Walls were installed, maximising storage with minimal encroachment onto the classroom floor, and with facilities that allow for the use of both interactive and traditional dry-wipe whiteboards.

The STEM teaching facilities were kitted out with dropleaf furniture that can be folded or unfolded, allowing pupils and staff to arrange lessons in whatever formation required: groupwork, scale drawing, building models for robotics, large-scale experiments or demonstrations by teachers. The project was installed in August 2018 and it took approximately four weeks to complete, at a cost of £100,000.

Feedback from all quarters has been incredibly positive: the pupils love the modern look and design of their new laboratories and workspaces, while staff say that the new labs fit the teaching style perfectly. Ultimately, the school believes that modernising the facilities in such an eye-catching and practical way will encourage prospective students to join them.

You might also like: Future-proofing the classroom

The post Space odyssey: how schools are striving to make the most of facilities appeared first on Independent Education Today.

We know that well-developed self-regulation and language enables us to communicate to those around us, make our needs known, discuss ideas, offer opinions and participate in the social world. This in turn builds our sense of identity, sense of place and belonging, and enables us to have a stake and purpose in the communities of which we are a part – all key factors that are vital for securing emotional wellbeing.

The vehicle for learning and thinking 

As educators it is critical that we recognise the growing evidence that language is the explicit vehicle through which learning and thinking takes place.

The process of ascribing words and language to objects, emotions, thoughts, and our ability to recall, are the means by which we develop communicative and expressive worlds; connecting learning and successfully building relationships.

Complex language, sophisticated thinking

It follows then, that the more complex the language we use, the more sophisticated our ability to think and understand.

Young children acquire language by being exposed to a rich diet of vocabulary and experiences in which new words, idioms and forms of expression float naturally and seamlessly onto experiences and conversations.

In the early years there is wide recognition that children’s learning behaviours, language development and love of story are paramount

As with learning anything, there can be huge variables in this. Some children pick up new words very quickly after hearing them just a few times and are then able to integrate these appropriately into their everyday speech. Other children need additional ‘consolidation’ to reach this point and may have to hear the same words many times over and in many contexts to be able to use them in the same confident way.

It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to ensure that we offer multiple opportunities for children to hear and use new vocabulary if it is to become truly embedded.

The lexicon of vocabulary

Think of simple words that you use every day and employ a thesaurus. Children aren’t just ‘hungry’; they could be famished, starving or ravenous – maybe hungry enough to ‘eat a horse’.

It isn’t just ‘cold’ outside, it could be chilly, cool, freezing, bitter, nippy, crisp, raw or frosty. It could ‘feel like an icebox’ out there or ‘be nice weather for a polar bear’.

The use of such language not only opens up the possibilities of how nuanced and expressive language can be, but it can also start discussions on the origins of such words and enable children to invent their own and enjoy playing with language.

An environment that inspires curiosity

At Early Excellence, we believe that central to this is also a skilfully planned environment and experiences that inspire curiosity, prompt the need for more complex language, facilitate progression, encourage talk, discussion, conversation, questioning and storytelling – and that’s why we specialise in providing high-quality learning resources including:

● Natural objects and artefacts that prompt close observation, encourage questioning and hypotheses and naturally form the need for specific language and vocabulary to describe them. 

● Small world figures, scenery and props that lead to storytelling; re-enacting plot, characters and motives and invariably helping expression of emotions, events and other phenomena.

● Role play costumes and props which further the need to story-tell, including the critical skill of negotiating, co-operating and compromising as other children become involved and the story changes to accommodate them, their experiences and needs.

● Small construction and blocks that enable the complex world of design and problem-solving to become part of children’s experiences, with the necessity of language a key part of any project as it unfolds.

With the power of such carefully selected resources in mind, it is important to consider how well each of your classrooms presents these opportunities, experiences and challenges, and supports effectively the process through which children develop their vocabulary, understanding and use of words in conversation and thinking – the foundations of much success for all.

Transforming learning with Early Excellence

By Laura Rowlands, senior teacher and Joanne Speight, pre-prep coordinator at Yarm Preparatory School, North Yorkshire

“With the help of Early Excellence, we transformed our whole environment, redesigning the space and investing in many of the wonderful Early Excellence learning resources.

“Straight away it was clear to see higher levels of engagement and concentration in our children which led to deeper levels of learning across the EYFS curriculum. The open-ended resources provided so many opportunities to develop children’s communication and language skills – particularly seen in the Block Area, Small World Area and the Transient Art Area (all resources purchased from Early Excellence).

“We are also delighted to work with Early Excellence as a partnership school, enabling all of our team to access high-quality CPD. This has facilitated the early years team to gain more knowledge and understanding about how to organise the environment to promote independence.  It ensures that every opportunity, even tidy-up time, is a learning opportunity!

“We love what we’ve done. The transformation of the environment, the provision areas and the new resources have had a huge impact on our children. Our parents also comment on the lovely cosy spaces, the lighting and our displays. It really is a special place to be.”

To find out about Early Excellence, visit earlyexcellence.com or request a set of brochures today at admin@earlyexcellence.com

The post Why learning resources matter: an early years perspective appeared first on Independent Education Today.

A semi-enclosed courtyard and amphitheatre, which can be configured for indoor and outdoor performances, will sit between the new building and the school’s original chapel to create the outdoor performance space.

Cascading picture windows on two sides of the building will be used to ‘bring the outside in’ and the main classrooms will be open to pitched roofs with skylights, creating the feeling of an auditorium.

Acting headmistress Julie Chatkiewicz said: “We’re extremely excited about the construction of our new facilities. The modernised building will allow the music department to expand upon its current offering both inside and outside of the classroom, providing an exciting and exceptional new environment for pupils studying music.”

The modernised building will allow the music department to expand upon its current offering both inside and outside of the classroom, providing an exciting and exceptional new environment for pupils studying music

Thermal and acoustic insulation will also form part of the external construction process, and the school has approved the implementation of a system to harvest rainwater from all roofing and paved areas to supplement the adjacent pitch watering.

Investment has also been made in a new computer suite and electronic keyboards for classroom learning, four new practice rooms for small groups and individual tuition, and a dedicated walk-in storeroom for musical instruments, as well as offices and additional tutorial spaces for teaching staff.

The building is expected to be completed by the end of the spring term next year, with internal fitting work finished by the end of the summer term, ready for pupils in next year’s autumn term.

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The original library, ‘Great Roke’, which is situated in the main school building, underwent the refurbishment during the summer holidays, assisted by Envoplan. The work was made possible through a £10,000 donation by the Barrow Hills Community Committee.

Great Roke was built in 1909 by architects Herbert Tudor Buckland and Edward Haywood-Farmer, who were best known for their arts and crafts houses. Of these, Great Roke was the “largest and most ambitious”, the school said.

The new library features William Morris blinds and a colour scheme sympathetic with this era.

At Barrow Hills, our pupil profile encourages children to be scholarly, curious and responsible and it is hard to imagine how to hone these attributes without easy access to books

Philip Oldroyd, head of Barrow Hills School, said: “The Department for Education has acknowledged the vital role that school libraries play in encouraging children to read widely. However, with a recent report commissioned by the Great School Libraries campaign run by CILIP revealing that 13% – or one in eight schools – don’t have access to a library space, a designated reading zone is not something that is always available.

“This is especially true in primary schools where finding a dedicated library space is even less likely. At Barrow Hills, our pupil profile encourages children to be scholarly, curious and responsible and it is hard to imagine how to hone these attributes without easy access to books.

“Our children are not just encouraged to read per se, we want them to enjoy reading and for it to become a lifelong passion. We want to do everything in our power to ensure our children grow up recognising the significant value that books can bring to their lives – and to their overall wellbeing.”

Lou Emmett, a former Barrow Hills parent and teaching assistant, has taken up the position of librarian.

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