Bursar’s Review Spring 2020.

Spring 2020 www.theisba.org.uk 6 News Pupils ‘learn better wearing cosy socks and slippers’ Year 4 pupils at Belmont Grosvenor School near Harrogate are being allowed to wear slippers and cosy socks in class, swapping their usual chairs for cushions on the floor in front of a roaring fire. It is all part of Scandinavian-style ‘Hygge’ lessons where the pupils are being encouraged to feel cosy and comfortable in order to promote learning. The concept of Hygge, which is said to translate from Danish as ‘a feeling of wellbeing, cosiness and contentment with life’, was introduced to the school by Katie Page to coincide with lessons about Scandinavia. She said: “We use cosy blankets and quilts, often play music in the background, and have a roaring fire on the whiteboard. Pupils bring in cosy socks as it makes them feel happy and I’m relaxed about them lying on the floor while they learn. Teaching like this has encouraged the children to try hard and feel safe in their learning and they are all extremely focused”. The school's head, Sophia Ashworth Jones, said: “I like to pop in to these lessons whenever possible to experience the wonderful feeling of wellbeing and cosiness”. Single-sex schools changing admissions to allow transgender pupils Single-sex independent schools across the UK are considering changing policies to admit transgender pupils. Some heads say they are open to admitting children based on gender, rather than sex, and some schools have begun introducing gender-neutral uniforms and gender-neutral pronouns to make pupils who are transitioning feel more welcome. This move comes after charities that support trans children warned that refusing to admit them to same-sex schools is discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010. However, campaigners warn that changes to admissions policies could trigger lawsuits from parents who have chosen single-sex education. Equestrian success for Cranleigh School Cranleigh riders stormed their way to four national team titles, two individual National titles, one team silver, one individual silver and four more top eight placings at the NSEA National Championships held at Addington Manor in Buckinghamshire last October. HARROW SCHOOL LAUNCHES ‘VIRTUAL’ SIXTH FORM Harrow School has launched a £15,000-a-year virtual sixth form to teach overseas A-level pupils. The school will launch the new online course for English-speaking students this year and pupils will be given one-to-one academic tutorials, live online lessons with a teacher and other pupils, as well as regular coaching sessions for support. The new venture − called Harrow School Online − will be open from September 2020 and will initially focus on science and maths A-levels. The online classes will only be available to pupils outside the UK so it does not compete with its own bricks and mortar school in north-west London. King’s Ely Junior pupils send Postcards of Kindness to care home residents Year 7 and 8 pupils at King’s Ely Junior have been supporting the ‘Postcards of Kindness’ initiative, spearheaded by national care home provider Your Health Group. Launched in 2018, the campaign was designed to combat loneliness and isolation and remind care home residents that there is always somebody thinking of them. King’s Ely Junior pupils have loved writing and sending their postcards and have been delighted to receive some replies. Lorraine Oldham, Key Stage 2 modern foreign languages co-ordinator at the school, has been working with the pupils on the project and said: “Our pupils have thrown themselves into this wonderful project, writing and illustrating postcards and birthday cards for residents. They were so surprised and delighted to receive replies from one residential home in Norfolk”. Lessons in front of a roaring fire at Belmont Grosvenor School Harrow School