Lifelong achievement
student-led research on a topic of their choice.”
This independence of spirit is evident outside the classroom too. “Every pupil is encouraged to take advantage of the many and varied opportunities available to explore her talents and interests through our rich extra-curricular programme,” says Dr Short. “It is through these activities that the girls encounter challenges that will require them to take risks, to lead teams as well as to be team members and to step outside their comfort zones to discover their own strengths and resources.”
This continues into a broad enrichment programme in sixth form, alongside A-level study, culminating in the new St Helen’s Portfolio. “This will provide a means of recognising that the girls achieve musical, creative and artistic success, as well as participating in the Combined Cadet Force operated jointly with Merchant Taylors’ School; Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and Young Enterprise; the acquisition of additional qualifications such as languages, the Extended Project Qualification and so much more.”
Extra-curricular programmes are also highly valued at John Lyon School in Harrow, where Katherine Hayes, the headteacher, is keen to emphasise that education goes beyond the academic: “The development of leadership is central to the education here and we believe this is achieved through national and international expeditions, our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and through school visits,” she says. The school is known for its inspiring overseas expeditions, with recent destinations including Uganda, Iceland, Morocco, India, Vietnam and Greenland. “Real-world learning is a vital part of a boy’s education and personal development,” she says.
The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School aims to produce “confident and self-motivated young men who are fully prepared for the challenges of the future”. Extra-curricular activities play an important role. Boys have a wide choice of sports, clubs and societies and the main school has dedicated music facilities, advanced ICT resources and a modern library and science labs. Work is due to begin on a new sports pavilion for use at the start of the 2014/15 academic year, with a 25m, eight-lane pool, squash courts and fitness suite. The pool will provide first-class facilities for water polo and swimming, at which the school excels.
The past academic year saw pupils win the Junior Schools’ Challenge, a national general knowledge competition based on University Challenge, a remarkable feat given that this was the first time Habs entered at junior level. In athletics, the under 14 and under 16 teams secured a place in the National Final of the ESAA Track and Field Cup. In the Watford & District Athletics championships, Habs’
Kindling curiosity at Habs’ girls
boys won 17 gold medals and were the overall competition winners.
The art department held a private view of GCSE and A-level art, while the Politics Society hosted local MP James Clappison, who answered pupils’ questions on Europe, the economy and the voting system. The school coach service has more than 110 stops, over a 30-mile radius, making it easier for pupils to stay on for after-school activities.
Haberdashers’ Aske’s Girls, adjacent to the boys’ school, “takes a bespoke approach to educational development, rather than uniformly following the national curriculum; 2012’s outstanding public examination results are largely attributable to this modus operandi,” says a spokesperson. Some 85 per cent of the upper sixth were awarded A* and A grades, for instance.
“The Habs approach preserves the best of a traditional education while responding positively to curricular developments,” says the school, which offers Latin and ancient Greek alongside more modern additions such as theatre studies. The curriculum aims to inspire the girls and stimulate discussion and ideas, because the school values “independent thinking, creativity and imagination and the opportunity to pursue topics beyond the confines of the exam specifications”.
The school is not required to follow the National Curriculum but all departments keep themselves up to date on National Curriculum developments and draw on best practice nationally and in other schools. As girls progress through the school, they are given greater choice and the opportunity to personalise their curriculum to suit their needs and interests. The GCSE curriculum has space for up to four optional subjects. In the sixth form, the girls have a free choice from 22 subjects.
Habs’ Girls has weekly Jewish assemblies and a Jewish Society — and the Nosh and Learn club runs lunchtime activities for girls in the middle and upper school. The club often invites guest speakers — past invitees have included Holocaust survivors, members of World Jewish Relief and rabbis. Various events are run in conjunction with the boy’s school; this year’s Purim lunch party raised more than £270 for Kisharon, which provides support to people with learning difficulties and their families. Top-class facilities, including a new swimming pool, allow for a wide range o f e x t r a - curricular a c t i v i - ties. Sport, music, drama, art and d e b a t i n g thrive and t h e r e a r e many opportunities for leadership, charity and community service.
N o r t h L o n d o n Collegiate School, in Edgware, is one of the leading academic schools in the UK, sitting at the top of the IB diploma, A Level and GCSE league tables. As well as receiving top grades, the pupils excel in music, drama, art, sports and other activities. The school is renowned for its outward-looking role in the community, fostering partnerships with several state and independent schools in this country and abroad and it has been twice awarded the title Independent Secondary School of the Year by The Sunday Times.
North London was judged “excellent” in every category of its recent report by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. The inspectors noted the pupils’ exceptional achievements, both academic and extracurricular; the pastoral support; the success in placing pupils in the most competitive universities in the UK and America; the teachers’ and pupils’ commitment and love of learning, the ethos of tolerance and service to others and the excellence of governance, leadership and management.
The inspectors also commented on the establishment of NLCS Jeju in South Korea — founded to fund bursaries at NLCS — saying: “The international initiative brings professional benefits for staff and educational opportunities for pupils at the UK school”.