Independent School Management Plus Autumn 2026 by School Management Plus

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T H E B U S I N E SS O F I N DE P E NDE NT E DUCAT IO N

Autumn 2026

Independent School

Management plus

Less Glue, More Lift

Adventures in Philanthropy

Recruitment and retention in teaching

Building a culture of giving

READING FOR PLEASURE Reimagining a school library BURSARS

HEADS

G OV E R N O R S PA R T N E R I N G W I T H

ADMISSIONS

DEVELOPMENT

2 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

Incorporating Conference & Common Room William Clarence Education Green Park House, 15 Stratton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8LQ Tel: +44 (0)207 412 8988 williamclarence.com EDITOR David Moncrieff david@williamclarence.com EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Dr Helen Wright Educational consultant, former Head of St Mary’s Calne and President of the Girls’ Schools Association Oliver Smith CEO AMCIS Andrew Lewer MP for Northampton South 2017-24; former Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Independent Education Ian Hunt School board member in the UK and Middle East, leader of international educational projects and a contributor to the national press Virginia Parkes Acting Chief Executive, AGBIS Robin Fletcher CEO of BSA Jeanette Cochrane CEO of the Girls’ School Association Louise Bennett CEO of the IDPE (the Institute of Development Professionals in Education) Nick Gallop Headmaster, Brighton College International School, Bangkok; regular contributor to the TES and editor of Politics Review Ben Vessey Former Head of Canford School and Director HMC C/E European Projects. DESIGN & PRINT Fellows Media Ltd The Gallery, Southam Lane, Cheltenham GL52 3PB 01242 259241 | hello@fellowsmedia.com ADVERTISING Alice Ireson, Fellows Media alice.ireson@fellowsmedia.com | 01242 259245 PUBLISHER William Clarence Education Ltd The William Clarence Education Group is a leading education publisher and provider of admissions, recruitment and careers solutions for parents, leaders and schools across the world. DISTRIBUTION Print and digital copies of Independent School Management Plus are distributed to headteachers, principals, bursars, marketing, development and admissions leads in every independent school in the UK, plus British international schools overseas. The magazine is published four times a year.

FOREWORD

he recklessness of the Labour Government’s decision to introduce VAT on school fees whilst at the same time withdrawing business rate relief and increasing employers’ NI is becoming increasingly clear. It is estimated that 30,000 students have already left the independent sector, with innumerable schools with proud histories being forced to close their doors permanently. And there may be worse still to come. Governors and school leaders have been straining every sinew to try and keep financially solvent, pursuing mergers, cutting costs and selling assets in a manner not previously seen. Parents, too, continue to struggle along for the present, keen to keep their children in the sector at least until the end of prep school, GCSEs or a Key Stage. But as time passes, more will have to give up the fight. So, there will be more closures. We cannot There is genuine anxiety at the highest levels within our sector that healthy, let this respected and well-run schools which were attack on not previously financially precarious may now be at risk. There can now be no doubt that the our sector sector is confronting an existential crisis. become However, this is not the whole picture. As one of the judges of the annual Independent normalised. Schools of the Year awards, I am constantly dazzled by the enormous achievements I read about. Achievements akin to the Reading for All initiative at Redmaids’ High Junior School and the development of the Character Education curriculum at Millfield; both of which are featured in this edition. But I am also constantly frustrated by the lack of awareness of these achievements in media and government circles. We cannot let this attack on our sector become normalised. We must build awareness of the carnage being wreaked upon us. We must take the fight to our critics with ever greater vigour before the tradition of independent education is lost. Following the arrival of the Burnham government, there appears to be something of a vacuum in the national conversation around education; let’s try and collectively fill it with a discussion on the importance of independent schools. David Moncrieff

© William Clarence Education No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. The information contained in Independent School Management Plus has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.

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CONTENTS

Less Glue, More Lift

Adventures in Philanthropy

Recruitment and retention in teaching

Building a culture of giving

ON THE COVER READ ING FOR PLEA SURE Reimagining a school library BURSARS

HEADS

ADMISSIONS

G OV E R N O R S PA R T N E R I N G W

DEVELOPMENT

ITH

Reading for Pleasure page 11

HEADS & GOVERNORS

Less Glue, More Lift

Less Glue, More Lift Recruitment and retention in the teaching profession

Reading for Pleasure The story of a reimagined school library

Developing Character Through Coherence The Millfield Approach

If They Zig, Do We Zag? The changing shape of independent school Sixth Form offers

In Conversation With Richard Harman

ADHD in Schools Are we asking the right questions?

MARKETING 33

Developing Character Through Coherence

DEVELOPMENT

Adventure in Philanthropy

Adventure in Philanthropy Building a culture of giving through shared challenge

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Recruitment and Retention Is the digital tide turning?

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GSA What makes girls feel they belong and what happens when they don’t

BSA Beyond the classroom

AGBIS Goodwill alone is no longer enough

AMCIS Digital transformation

IDPE Why benchmarking is integral to schools’ development

SECRET HEADMASTER 49

Did You Pray Before Your Interview? Navigating headship applications and processes

Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 5

HEADS & GOVERNORS

LESS GLUE, MORE LIFT

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IN THE TEACHING PROFESSION Shaun Fenton believes that, if we want more teachers, we need to make teaching one of the best career launchpads in Britain; a profession which people are excited to enter, pro d to sta in and on dent the an ea e itho t closing doors behind them.

his summer, a bright former pupil called me for career advice. He has a strong degree, excellent internships and is weighing up his options. “I’d love to teach,” he said. Then came the hesitation. “But what if I want to do something else later?” He wasn’t frightened of the classroom, about pay or even workload. He was worried that choosing teaching might close doors. And it made me wonder whether, after years of talking about teacher retention, we may inadvertently be making teacher recruitment harder.

Supply challenges Every year brings another teacher-supply headline. The challenge is real: hard-to-fill subjects, repeated advertisements and the sinking feeling when an exceptional colleague resigns. Departments feel it. Colleagues feel it. Pupils certainly feel it. The latest picture is more encouraging than many headlines suggest. Teachertraining recruitment has improved, and fewer teachers are leaving than in recent years, although shortages remain in several subjects and phases. NFER’s latest analysis suggests the overall picture is improving while warning that teachersupply challenges have not disappeared. So, this article is not presenting an 6 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

argument that retention does not matter. It is an argument that retention may be the wrong sales pitch for the generation we are trying to attract. The latest Department for Education data deserves careful reading. Almost nine in ten teachers remain after one year and around two-thirds after five years. We often translate that into a much starker headline: ‘A third of teachers leave within five years’. But the statistic measures whether teachers remain in England’s state-funded sector, not necessarily whether they have abandoned teaching altogether. More importantly, movement between organisations and state, independent and even international school sectors is normal, paralleled across the rest of our modern economy. Many teachers who leave a state school for a different setting come back, often with a wider experience base that benefits everyone. Genuine retention challenges remain. But we should be cautious about treating any movement as failure.

The value of long service Long service is precious. Some of the most remarkable people in our schools are those who have spent 20, 30 or 40 years refining their craft. They possess

qualities no training programme can accelerate: judgement, perspective and accumulated wisdom. Children need experienced teachers. Schools need continuity. Therefore, we should do everything possible to make teaching a profession in which more people want to stay for longer – and funding, workload, behaviour, pay and accountability measures loom large in that debate. But that is different from suggesting long service is the only successful outcome. Someone who teaches brilliantly for only seven years has not failed teaching. We focus on retaining. They may hear confining.

Generational assumptions The generation entering today’s workforce has different assumptions from those of us who entered the profession years ago. So maybe we, as leaders, should explore building transferable skills, creating opportunities – and possibly changing our organisation or even the sector? Research suggests younger workers increasingly expect careers to be less linear and more adaptable than previous generations – the classic portfolio approach to career development.

HEADS & GOVERNORS

Don’t waste a diﬃcult GRADUATE MARKET The graduate labour market has become tougher. Recent evidence points to greater competition for entry-level jobs and reduced opportunities for some young people entering the workforce. Historically, weaker labour markets tend to help teacher recruitment. NFER argues that improved recruitment into teacher training has likely been helped by weaker job prospects elsewhere in the labour market. But a weak economy is not a recruitment strategy. We should never want talented graduates to teach because they have run out of alternatives. We should want them to discover that teaching is one of the most rewarding, developmental and meaningful careers available. Our opportunity is to ensure that five years later they say: ‘I can’t believe I nearly missed this’.

Then they look at teaching. And what do they sometimes hear? ‘Enter our specialised profession.’ ‘Acquire qualifications that are often not understood outside education.’ ‘Progress through our unique structures.’ And, perhaps particularly damaging, ‘One of our principal workforce ambitions is to stop you leaving it.’ Young adults today want a career ticket to ride anywhere; they see us offering a one-way ticket to retirement.

Leadership programme? Teaching may be Britain’s most underrated leadership programme. Think about what we ask a young teacher to do. Several times a day. Every day. Teachers communicate complex ideas clearly. They persuade reluctant audiences, coach performance, handle conflict, organise projects and solve problems under pressure. We call these teaching skills. Many other sectors call them leadership, communication, influence and judgement. Whether the destination is sales, marketing, HR, operations or consultancy, teachers bring communication, coaching, analytical and leadership skills that many employers spend considerable

sums trying to develop in their own people. So why is five years of successful teaching not more widely regarded as a professional badge of distinction? It should be.

A contradiction There is a contradiction at the heart of education. We encourage pupils to undertake work experience, explore possibilities, develop transferable skills and keep doors open. Yet, when somebody becomes a teacher, our language sometimes changes. Movement can feel suspicious and leaving is often discussed as loss. Why should that philosophy stop the moment somebody becomes a teacher? Should we not have more confidence than that? Healthy professions attract talented people, develop them exceptionally well, create reasons to stay and remain connected to those who leave. Some return. Many carry the profession’s values and skills into wider society. That is not weakness. It is influence. Less glue, more lift.

Cultural shift At this point, some may think that all of

this sounds expensive: career coaching, secondments, work placements … With what budget? It is a fair challenge. But most of the shift I am describing is cultural rather than financial. Should we not celebrate former colleagues who thrive elsewhere, maintain relationships, welcome returners, talk openly about transferable skills and genuinely recognise the wider value of teaching experience? We need to ensure we do not treat departure as evidence of institutional or cultural failure. None of this removes the immediate challenge of filling vacancies. It is a longer-term argument about becoming a profession that more people choose in the first place. We need less glue, more lift. If we want teaching to look like a launchpad, we should make it one. Suppose a 21-yearold hears: ‘Teaching for five years will leave me unusually employable across many sectors, beyond education’. That changes the proposition completely. Leaving need not mean goodbye forever. We should stay in touch with former colleagues and make returning easier where possible. We need a boomerang profession: doors that open outwards but remain open in both directions. Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 7

HEADS & GOVERNORS

More glue, less lift THE CHALLENGES • Make teaching attractive to enter. • Make teaching exhilarating to do. • Make long service valued. • Make experience portable. • Make teachers’ skills so respected that other sectors seek them out. • Make teaching attractive enough to encourage returners.

Career changers The same confidence should shape how we think about career changers. Why should an engineer not become a physics teacher at 45? An entrepreneur teach business? A journalist teach English? A software developer teach computing? There has been genuine progress. Salaried routes, apprenticeships and assessment-only pathways have made teaching more accessible and flexible than it was a decade ago. But we can think more imaginatively still. Assessment-only QTS, for example, is designed for people who can already demonstrate the Teachers’ Standards and substantial classroom experience. It is not really an answer for the brilliant 42-yearold engineer who has never taught but could become exceptional. Nobody is arguing for lower standards. Children deserve excellent teachers. But a 45 year-old entering teaching can simultaneously be a novice teacher and an experienced professional. The destination should remain rigorous but the journey need not always be identical.

The best job in the world? Teaching can be the best job in the world, but we have to recognise that pay, workload, behaviour, flexibility and leadership all matter to someone considering joining our profession. If teaching becomes unnecessarily bureaucratic, exhausting or joyless, no metaphor should distract us from fixing 8 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

those things. But we should distinguish between giving people wonderful reasons to stay and making leaving feel dangerous.

Pupils Ultimately, this is not really about teachers. It is about pupils. Young people deserve teachers who chose teaching positively, not because they lacked alternatives. They deserve career changers bringing a wider world into the classroom, long-serving experts who love the profession and returners who bring fresh perspective back with them. Every argument we can make for teaching eventually arrives at the same place: the child in the classroom. The stronger, broader and more confident the profession, the better will be the adults standing in front of the young people in our care.

Come and teach As leaders, our message should be ‘come and teach. Stay for five years or 40. Leave and come back, building something elsewhere and bringing it back with you. But start by teaching, because teaching may be one of the few professions that changes lives while developing its people at extraordinary speed.’ And if we truly believe that, our ambition should not be to hold teachers more tightly. It should be to make more extraordinary people want to teach and, for however long they stay, help them become the extraordinary adults our children deserve. ●

We should be cautious about treating any movement as failure. References 1. House of Commons Library, Teacher recruitment and retention in England (Feb 2026) https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/ research-briefings/cbp-7222/ 2. NFER, Teacher recruitment and retention improving but shortages persist in some subjects (Mar 2026) https://www.nfer.ac.uk/press-releases/ teacher-recruitment-and-retentionimproving-but-shortages-persist-insome-subjects 3. Nuffield Foundation / NFER, Teacher Recruitment & Retention Challenges in England https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/ project/teacher-recruitment-retentionchallenges-in-england 4. Prospects, Graduate Labour Market Update (Aug 2025) https://www.prospects.ac.uk/the-topic/ graduate-labour-market-updateaugust-2025/ 5. The Guardian, UK graduates facing worst job market since 2018 (Jun 2025) https://www.theguardian.com/ money/2025/jun/25/uk-universitygraduates-toughest-job-market-rise-of-ai 6. The Guardian, UK graduate job vacancies plunge to lowest in a decade (Aug 2026) https://www.theguardian.com/ business/2026/aug/24/uk-graduate-jobvacancies-plunge-adzuna

SHAUN FENTON OBE

is Headmaster of Reigate Grammar School.

Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 9

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HEADS & GOVERNORS

READING FOR PLEASURE THE STORY OF A REIMAGINED SCHOOL LIBRARY Lisa Brown re e ts on the importan e of reading for p eas re and re o nts her pro e t to reate a ne tion i rar a high ight of her areer. Worrying trends Darn it! Just as I began to write this article, I was pipped at the post by the House of Commons’ Education Committee’s report Reading for Pleasure, July 2026, which identified similar points that I was poised to write about. In the paper, the MPs on Education Committee recognise the worrying trend that the number of children reading in their free time is the lowest in 20 years. This is something our school has long understood – we were already putting into practice many of the latest recommendations several years ahead of the publication of the report.

Now, two years after the opening of our new fiction library, it is a good time to share what we did, what we are still doing and the outcomes we are observing.

Making reading headline news In the report’s section on the importance of reading, I found echoes of my own belief that reading enables children to explore the world, to learn about different cultures and relationships, to experience a range of emotions and to support their developing communication skills. Pupils in our school read well, they

love literature and make good progress in literacy. However, as the Committee’s paper also points out, we made a key observation that parents are finding it challenging to support reading at home; sports clubs and evening activities are taking greater precedence than reading. Parenting priorities are changing and, in my view, children are too busy. Where is the time to provide a secure, stable relationship and home environment in which children can explore the world around them safely, through a book? As a school leader, it was my role to address this question as a priority and to make reading headline news in our school community. As a result, I formulated a capital project to create a new fiction library, with the explicit purpose of reigniting in both children and parents the desire to read for pleasure. Coincidentally, as the

Children cannot fall in love with books they have never held.

Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 11

HEADS & GOVERNORS

The appealing main library was designed with lots of inviting nooks and crannies to snuggle into, with numerous illo y oor us ions er e t or o ing down onto with a book. Reading for Pleasure report states, I have long recognised that the instant gratification culture represented by screen time has impacted reading stamina. I wanted to address this issue by tempting readers into choosing stretching texts that would demand time and effort to enjoy. I wanted our new fiction library to be a place where children chose to be and where they would consistently choose to read for pleasure. So, what did I do?

Involving stakeholders From the outset of the library project, I identified and involved all stakeholders to give the project energy and commitment. Beyond myself, that included the English lead, the bursar, governors, staff, parents and, most importantly, the pupils. When an area of the school buildings presented itself, the English lead and I began to draw up a vision. After quite 12 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

a few persuasive conversations with the bursar, finance for the project was secured; it helped that I had already squirrelled away a number of small donations and sundry funds. Our Parent Discussion Group offered us a forum for sharing ideas, creating enthusiasm and a ‘buy in’ attitude which resulted in a financial donation for book purchases. The governors understood the value of the investment and stated that it was the best thing that had happened in the Junior School for years. When we consulted the pupils, they were delighted to be involved! They asked for a nature theme, with a tree, and lots of places to snuggle up, curl into and relax.

The physical project: making it happen Working alongside a design company, the plan for the physical space began to take shape. The appealing main library was

designed with lots of inviting nooks and crannies to snuggle into, with numerous, pillowy floor cushions, perfect for flopping down onto with a book. A lightfilled bay window seat overlooking the flower garden was a central feature. In a side room, a comforting ‘midnight garden’ was added as a place to decompress, including sensory lighting to create a deep blue, star-filled sky. A further space to accommodate small groups for project work and break-outs was also created. Eventually, plans were finalised and we were on our way!

Cutting the ribbon A huge sense of occasion was created when a local CBBC presenter known to the school did the honours and cut the ribbon on the new fiction library. I had surreptitiously introduced the presenter to the pupils on screen in previous assemblies. On the big day, she morphed

HEADS & GOVERNORS

from being present on screen to being amongst us in person, creating a real moment of awe and wonder. It was such fun – we certainly made the grand opening an event to remember!

Falling in love with books As the Reading For Pleasure report states, children cannot fall in love with books they have never held’. So, we reviewed the content of the library, replacing worn old favourites with modern editions and bringing in new titles exploring different cultures, genres and authors. We invested in a collection of dyslexia-friendly titles and made sure our shelves represented diversity. Our pupils had their own ideas about which books to buy, and this too guided our purchasing. We created a partnership with a local independent bookshop, inviting them into school for book sales and agreeing on commission, which feeds into further purchasing to keep our book collection fresh. The bookshop liaises with publishers to provide free author visits – and here again we are in line with the Reading For Pleasure report’s recommendations.

Secret weapon Many junior schools expect their English lead to run the library, but a major secret to the success of our project has been the appointment of an imaginative and ‘can do’ Junior School Librarian for eight hours a week. I would say that she is our secret weapon, leaving the English lead to do just that – lead the curriculum! Coupled with trained and reliable parent volunteers, much of the daily maintenance is achieved without class teacher input. Using catalogue software, we can track data on reading trends, which in turn informs decision-making as we continue to move forward. We also involve our older pupils as librarians, and they thrive on the responsibility of shelving returned books.

Library lessons and book clubs Weekly, all year groups have a timetabled library lesson, providing quiet times for individual reading shared with class

teachers. Additionally, the library is staffed and open for two lunchtimes and two further, parent-friendly, after-school sessions. Whereas library lessons are quiet, the main room in the extra-curricular times can be a bustling, buzzing environment, where pupils of all ages delight in guided interactions about book choices with our Librarian. Meanwhile, the midnight garden fills up with those pupils looking for a haven to dive back into a book they just can’t put down. Having previously run successful Year 6 book clubs, with the included essentials of squash and biscuits, we have expanded this across the school to create book clubs for all year groups and a parent book club which reads children’s fiction. We knew this was a success when a parent arrived at the group to say that her child had taken the book away from her, saying she would read it faster. That made us laugh! Termly, we have a themed reading challenge, with suggested titles for all age groups. Pupils can earn a certificate, a small prize or enter a lucky dip for a book spa at the local bookshop. Participation is very high and is a talking point throughout the school. A ‘journeys’ theme led to children playing with train sets, whilst a detective theme led to Cluedo being the lunchtime craze of the term.

‘I’m an author!’ In the library’s second year we looked at writing, inspired by many of our pupils’ dreams of becoming an author. We encouraged the children to engage with words, characters and stories in the books they loved through writing workshops, and we invited them to participate in a variety of national writing competitions. The library became an area of earnest toil and a place where the children chose to develop ownership and pride in being an author in their own time. One competition was to design a book character in which we had a regional winner who created a ‘vegan vulture’!

The idea still makes me smile a year later. Another competition enabled children to become published authors and their books took pride of place in the library. It’s a huge boost to self-esteem when a child can point to a book and say ‘I’m an author!’.

The role of the Headteacher As the Headteacher, it was my responsibility to lead, to inspire everyone and to make the library a regular talking point within key interactions across the school. Never underestimate how a Head can add value, credibility and a united purpose. I believe that Heads should lead by example and so I made it my purpose to know the books the children were reading, to help them make choices, to be invested and interested in the individual and to be a regular visitor to the library. Further bookish conversations between staff and parents led to book swaps and ‘What are you reading?’ is the question on many lips throughout the day. As I drove and sustained the library project, I was delighted to note my own personal development as a reader, something I will take forward on my next adventure. As I retire from headship, despite stiff competition from other challenges – including merging two schools and navigating COVID-19 – I am most proud of what we achieved in the library.

Cheers! Ultimately, the children still cheer when it is a library lesson two years after we opened our new space, which is in itself a measure of success. The library is a legacy for the future. In our school, it’s the place to be. ●

LISA BROWN

is the retiring Headteacher of Redmaids’ High Junior School GDST. Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 13

HEADS & GOVERNORS

DEVELOPING CHARACTER THROUGH COHERENCE THE MILLFIELD APPROACH

David Brooke, Claire Trainor and Irena Dzisiewska exp ore i e d’s commitment to developing young people, and an ed ationa mode , that is ho e person entred and prepares st dents not on to e f t re read , t optimisti and read to engage ith hange.

14 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

hildren today are experiencing a profoundly different childhood to that of their parents and their teachers. Haidt (2024) highlights the ‘great rewiring’ and rise in anxiety and depression in young people. Increasing numbers of young adults are not in education, employment or training (Department for Work and Pensions (2026)). Yet, education remains largely unchanged in terms of assessments and requirements to access tertiary education. Reform at national level lacks clarity and takes many years to implement, so it is imperative that schools engage with this widening chasm if we are to prepare children to successfully navigate the future. In this article we explore the approach of Millfield School: a values-based approach to education which prepares students for life by delivering a coherent education on the sports pitch, in the classroom and in the boarding house.

HEADS & GOVERNORS

Foundational values

Millfield Human

Millfield has developed five key foundational values: Be Authentic, Be Curious, Be a Disruptor, Be Kind, Be Brilliant. These values build the environment at Millfield. They are explicit – written inside and outside across the campus, spoken about in assemblies and small groups, celebrated with regular daily rewards, engaged with in every staff and student interview. The work of The Jubilee Centre for Character Education in Schools (Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, 2022) has helped us consider and reinforce the importance of this starting point. Having deeply embedded the school values within our culture over a number of years, our next phase is to develop a shared language and culture of skill development across the sports, academic and pastoral aspects of school life. There are multiple moments every day in which students are learning key skills that transfer to different environments. Having skilled staff who understand and routinely interact as coaches, as teachers and as boarding staff, ensures adults engage with, and understand, students in a variety of contexts.

At Millfield, we are conscious that academic and sporting success do not happen by chance, nor do they happen overnight. The importance of human relations underpins everything our staff work to develop in our students. Relationships with key, trusted staff members matter, and our pastoral, academic and sporting structures are centred upon the quality of relationships we develop with young people. Students are encouraged to build rich and meaningful relations with staff ; our structure deliberately facilitates this with small class and group tutor sizes, experienced teams of house staff, and opportunities for students to be involved in a wide range of extra-curricular pursuits alongside experienced and dedicated staff. Children have contact with multiple members of staff, every day – housemaster, group tutor, teachers, sports coaches – who all work closely to mentor, guide and encourage children. At Millfield, we understand the importance of relationships and map the trusted adults of all students to ensure that support can be available and directed effectively when needed. It is fundamental to our cohesive approach that all members of staff work across many areas of the school. This creates a richness to our pastoral care but also ensures that all staff can support children on any aspect of Millfield life. Resources Worrying updates from the Children’s Commissioner confirmed that children and young people’s mental health services are increasingly stretched (Children’s Commissioner for England, 2026). At Millfield, we are fortunate to have the use of internal resources to support students, and the use of external tracking. Since 2024, we have partnered with STEER Education to map student wellbeing and identify early warning signs on a termly basis. This data gives house staff the ability to have early conversations with children and provides a trackable system to monitor our interventions. The growing challenge for schools will be to coordinate additional layers of support, to ensure that they are available when required, and that children are taught how to safeguard their own mental health. This cohesive approach to education becomes ever more important to help develop character strengths and key skills to support resilience, self-reflection and ultimately, human connection. We want our students to go and flourish in the world beyond Millfield but, ultimately, they need to be ready and armed with the skills to face the challenges of adult life.

Cohesive approach At Millfield, we believe that a cohesive approach to sport, academic and pastoral life offers the ultimate educational experience. Based on the foundational school values and the underlying importance of human connection, we view student development through the overlapping and intertwining threefold lens of the Millfield Athlete, Millfield Scholar and Millfield Human. This is not intended to separate out these three aspects of student development, but rather to explicitly support and grow the same person and cohort through a three-dimensional lens. Our aim is to prepare students to form deep and meaningful human connections, staying curious, maintaining perspective and understanding themselves and their brilliance.

Millfield Athlete Millfield is synonymous with sport; we deliver sport for all, so that all students leave with a lifelong relationship with sport. Whilst the great facilities help and experienced coaches are critical, we believe that culture and values are Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 15

HEADS & GOVERNORS fundamental. Sport is grounded in the school’s values in terms of sporting colours, sports sanctions and rewards. We identify critical traits that underpin those values: resilience, determination and self-discipline. Heads of sport weave growth into their approach, alongside focussing on teamwork and fun. Given all the heads of sport have been at the top of their sports, they understand how critical the environment and psychological mindset is, specifically: Feeling safe The importance of feeling safe is cited by many professional athletes. This includes believing in who you are and having trust in those around you. In sport, this is grounded in creating an inclusive environment. Fixture selection and coaching methods introduce challenge and encourage self-assessment. Challenging opposition or actively rehearsing setbacks in training allows students to experience disappointment and recovery that facilitates better navigation of future challenge. This only works if success is defined as how you respond, not the fixture outcome; the principle Bill Walsh captures in his leadership book, The Score Takes Care of Itself (Walsh, 2009). For many students, sport offers a natural safe space, and our coaches

Key Learnings • There is a widening chasm between requirements to access tertiary education and the skills and dispositions required to successfully navigate life. • There is no singular moment in which only sports, only academics or only pastoral aspects of students are being developed. Each moment is about child development and key skill acquisition should be explicitly transferable. • Character isn’t built in one place. It’s built when every place is aligned and shares the same values. • Confidence does not come from winning; confidence comes from success and ensuring students understand and can articulate success in terms of development, performance and team. • The ultimate academic environment for student development is created within a culture of performance sport in which the key skills of resilience, self-awareness and coachability (listening and responding to feedback) are leveraged to attain exceptional academic outcomes by traditional metrics. • It is precisely because of the current challenges and increasingly rapid and volatile changes throughout the world, that we commit to a pedagogical approach that focuses on developing the whole person and ensuring students are future-ready.

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often have the privilege of forming closer relationships with students who may struggle to communicate or form bonds elsewhere. Progressive autonomy Coaching can only take a student so far. Ultimately, sport (and indeed life) is better navigated through personal deliberation and choice. Sport is progressively programmed so that responsibility increases with age and, by Year 13, students are acting autonomously. Opportunities include: selecting which sports and what balance of sports to commit to each term, their athletic development pathway and leadership opportunities. Multisport is the sharpest example of the deliberation and ownership principle in action, since balancing two or more sports forces more frequent, higher-stakes versions of the same choices. Choice, self-assessment, ownership, teamwork, trust and decision-making are borne out in Millfield Sport. Many of the more deliberate areas for student choice make Millfield less ordered or structured, making management and organisation more challenging. However, we believe that this risk offers an important opportunity. The aim is that when students leave our campus, they are better equipped to navigate their own journey through life, including the vital use of sport.

Millfield Scholar The Curriculum and Assessment Review (2025) by Prof Becky Francis highlighted some of the well-known concerns of curriculum design (move to mastery over content recall), inequality and access (particularly with SEND pupils), the narrowing of curriculum choices (blamed on the EBacc performance measure), an insufficient focus on skills for the future (digital, AI, financial, oracy, critical thinking) and weaknesses in the 16-19 pathways. These are all areas we continue to engage with at Millfield with explicitly identified academic priorities. One aspect of developing skills for the future included reviewing our curriculum offering in order to ensure we have a broad range of qualifications across A Level and BTEC (over 30 courses are offered in the Sixth Form from A Level Chinese to BTEC Music Production to A Level Photography), whilst continuing to monitor the development of V Levels. Another response to this need for skill development has been the development our own course, begun as a pilot project with Pearson, called the PQ Baccalaureate (Millfield School, 2025, PQBaccalaureateBrochure.pdf ). This is a two-year course that is offered in place of a single GCSE in which students are taught and apply research skills, learn to manage their time and deliver presentations on their final outcomes with no terminal written exam. Students have complete autonomy with regards to topic choice. As part of this course, student skill development has been monitored, with increases recorded in every skill area.

HEADS & GOVERNORS Effective feedback Feedback is another central academic priority for the coming years. This includes engaging with well-known academic pedagogy (Wiliam, D., 2017 and Hattie, J. and Clarke, S., 2018) and developing expectations and structures for listening, understanding, recording and developing student autonomy so that they are more able to respond to feedback and to make actionable change as a result of feedback. One strand of our CPD offering for staff is a yearlong action research course in which teachers will observe sports coaches, reflect and share their observations and consider how to apply aspects of their observations to their own classroom environment.

Engaging with change The Millfield Athlete, Millfield Scholar and Millfield Human are not three separate areas of student development, but a threefold lens to view whole-person development. These areas allow a sense of focus but also require a shared language to ensure students develop cohesively. This is a priority for Millfield moving forward and we are committed to developing education for the benefit of all. We are keenly aware of the increasing challenges facing young people today, in tandem with the challenges facing education in the UK. It is precisely in response to these challenges that we commit to developing young people, and an education, that is whole-person centred and prepares students not only to be future-ready, but to be optimistic and ready to engage with change. We are committed to working beyond our own gates, and we welcome interaction, support and challenge

References • Children’s Commissioner for England (2026) Press Notice: Over a million children referred to mental health services, with highest annual referrals as demand rises faster than systems can respond. 29 June. Available at: https://www. childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/news-and-blogs/ press-notice-over-a-million-children-referredto-mental-health-services-with-highest-annualreferrals-as-demand-rises-faster-than-systemscan-respond/ (Accessed: 3 September 2026) • Curriculum and Assessment Review (2025) Curriculum and Assessment Review final report: Building a world-class curriculum for all. London: Department for Education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/

from any schools or educators around the world. We develop human connection when we model our own development in rhythm with the development of our students. We remain hugely optimistic about the future due to the incredible young people at Millfield and throughout the world. We are confident that students leave Millfield empowered, grounded and confident, and we look forward to connecting with anyone interested in being part of this journey. ●

DAVID BROOKE is Deputy Head (Academic) CLAIRE TRAINOR is Deputy Head (Pastoral) and IRENA DZISIEWSKA is Director of Sport at i e d hoo .

curriculum-and-assessment-review-final-report (Accessed: 3 September 2026) • Department for Work and Pensions (2026) Young people and work: interim report. London: Department for Work and Pensions. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ young-people-and-work-interim-report/youngpeople-and-work-interim-report (Accessed: 3 September 2026) • Haidt, J. (2024). The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness. New York: Penguin Press • Hattie, J. and Clarke, S. (2018) Visible learning: feedback. London: Routledge • Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues (2022) The Jubilee Centre Framework for Character Education

in Schools. 3rd edn. Birmingham: Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham. Available at: https://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/ wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-Jubilee-CentreFramework-for-Character-Education-in-Schools. pdf (Accessed: 3 September 2026). • Millfield School (2025) PQ Bacc student guide: Years 10-11. Millfield Project Qualification Baccalaureate (PQ Bacc). Available at: https://resources.finalsite. net/images/v1775127261/millfieldschoolcom/ geqyzox5jfofm7brw8el/PQBaccalaureateBrochure. pdf (Accessed: 3 September 2026) • Walsh, B. (2009) The score takes care of itself: my philosophy of leadership. New York: Portfolio. • Wiliam, D. (2017) Embedded formative assessment. 2nd edn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press

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Gen-Al: Adopting a Safeguarding First Approach Schools need a robust strategy to manage Generative AI. One that can withstand the rapid changes in technology that we are experiencing. Gen-AI is already embedded across many familiar websites and apps, and many children and staff are already using it - often without schools realising. While these tools can offer opportunities for learning and creativity, they also introduce many safeguarding, data protection and intellectual property risks as well as ethical dilemmas. That’s why we encourage schools to develop a strategic approach to the use of AI, with safeguarding at the very core of this. Use our free support materials, including an AI Policy Toolkit to start to formulate your school’s approach.

Access all our free training, resources and support on using Gen-AI safely in your school, at genai.lgfl.net

Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 19

HEADS & GOVERNORS

IF THEY ZIG, DO WE ZAG?

THE CHANGING SHAPE OF THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SIXTH FORM OFFERS Sixth Form is a key staging post in students’ educational journeys, and many choose to change schools for their last two years. Andrew Lewer considers how schools are responding, and examines the strengths of the different ‘offers’.

oday, it is not unusual for a pupil to complete their GCSEs at one school and their A Levels at another. And increasingly that movement runs not only between two independent schools but between a state and an independent school too. A pupil’s GCSE school – having invested years of pastoral care, extracurricular development and no small expense on the parents’ part – may therefore see its most able leavers depart at 16 for a school perceived to offer stronger university outcomes, a broader subject

range or simply a more that a stable, known produced them, still less with ‘prestigious’ Sixth Form. For environment would not have an account of whether the the school being left, this is exacted. Schools recruiting pupil arrived at 11, 13 or 16. more than an administrative heavily into the Sixth Form inconvenience: those owe it to these pupils to treat Curious position Having said that, universities departing pupils could have integration as seriously as complicate the picture anchored the prefect body, they treat marketing, which further. Admissions officers driven the strongest A Levels is not always the case. Some results and represented schools have responded with insist, not unreasonably, the school at its most Recruiting a Sixth Form pupil is not the visible. Their departure is felt in the league same undertaking as educating one. tables as keenly as in that they want the grades the common room. induction weeks, bridging coursework over the summer and the personal statement, not the crest on the blazer. Integration or a buddy system pairing Yet contextual admissions The pupils themselves are new arrivals with existing schemes, now widespread not always well served pupils: modest interventions, across the university sector, by the assumption that but ones that quietly explicitly take an applicant’s a move at 16 is concede a point some school into account on the straightforwardly schools are otherwise slow principle that an A grade beneficial. A change to admit – that recruiting achieved in a school with of school at that age a Sixth Form pupil is not few resources represents a means rebuilding a the same undertaking as different achievement from friendship group and educating one. the same grade gained in adapting to unfamiliar Underlying all of this a school with – what the teaching styles, all is a fact that schools are said officers would call – while approaching reluctant to say aloud but ‘every advantage’. the most academically which governs the whole Independent schools find demanding two system: what a university, themselves in the curious years of a school an employer or a national position of being told on the career. Some pupils league table ultimately one hand that their name are transformed by records is the grade, not should not matter, while the fresh start; others the journey towards it. A discovering on the other that spend the first term of Level results are reported as for some purposes it plainly the Lower Sixth simply A*AA or BBC; they are not still does. Associated with finding their feet, at annotated with the name of this is what one might call real cost to momentum the school Sixth Form that

HEADS & GOVERNORS the ‘Hills Road’ effect, where there is a suspicion that being from an independent school may count against a student when seeking an Oxbridge, Russell Group, or indeed any university place. This concern can – and often does – represent an additional reason for students to go to a state school or college for Sixth Form. If a pupil can make such a move in an area where their fellow pupils are likely to be similarly motivated to succeed (such as, say, Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge) then so much the better. The counter to this ‘freedom’ argument is well made in places such as Hereford Cathedral School, which is competing against the city’s Sixth Form College with over 2,000 students and over 40 A Level choices: The Cathedral School’s counter offer embraces structure, continuity and – perhaps most of all – an environment where individuals are known, supported and, yes, cared for, in a way a huge college, with the best of intentions, cannot match.

Diverging Sixth Form offers Clearly, though, Sixth Form provision within our sector has begun to diverge in style. Some schools, HMC and GSA members among them, have widened their offer substantially by adding the International Baccalaureate alongside A Levels and introducing BTEC and other applied qualifications for pupils better served by them. They are also building supercurricular and apprenticeshipfacing programmes for those

not bound for the traditional university route, and putting real institutional weight behind the Extended Project Qualification as a way of demonstrating independent scholarship to universities that increasingly prize it. Others have gone in the opposite direction, narrowing their Sixth Form to a smaller number of subjects taught with unusual depth, following the theory that a distinctive, tightly focused offer is more memorable to universities and more defensible to sceptical parents than a broad menu indistinguishable from the school down the road. One may add to this that perhaps the most visible evolution has been the move by a number of historically single-sex schools to open their Sixth Form to the opposite sex, even where, sometimes, the school remains single-sex lower down.

Following the crowd? An expression I have heard several sector colleagues use recently – and which has really stuck with me, not least as I was ruminating about this article – is ‘if they zig, do we zag?’ (an expression popularised by a famous 1982 Levi’s commercial featuring the tagline ‘When the world zigs, zag’). It applies to subject specialisation but also to broader Sixth Form culture. Leaders ponder if competitor schools are broadening their offer, do we broaden ours in turn, or do we deliberately narrow it and trust that distinctiveness will do more work than breadth? There is no single correct answer, and governors would

do well to be suspicious of anyone who claims otherwise with too much confidence. What can be said is that the schools managing this transition most successfully are not the ones chasing every fashionable addition to the prospectus. They are those that have thought clearly about what kind of Sixth Form they are actually trying to be – and have then built their marketing, their staffing and their pastoral structures around that answer, rather than the other way round.

To zig or zag? The ‘zig’ that most independent school Sixth

Forms are adopting in England is towards informality and study focus. That being so, even if that model is by far the most popular and sought after – and if 90% of schools are going that way – is it right and sensible, if brave, for at least a few to ‘zag’ the other way? These two forms of Sixth Form organisation are sometimes described as the ‘leadership model’ on the one hand and the ‘transition model’ on the other. Inevitably, most schools will say that they deliver both, and one must respect that aspiration. Indeed, some schools genuinely pull this difficult balance off. RMS for Girls

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HEADS & GOVERNORS

in Rickmansworth has a Sixth Form board room, a business and enterprise zone and the impressive Hind House Sixth Form Centre. Yet it retains what amounts to a Sixth Form uniform and has subject ambassadors in addition to a head girl, sports captains and prefects, etc to ensure that a visible senior pupil leadership role is there. Similarly, at Bromsgrove School, all the traditional Sixth Form structures are present, proudly and more visibly than in many other schools. Yet it has Housman Hall, a dedicated, co-educational house exclusively for Sixth Formers, which allows significant independent study time in diverse venues.

The two models Notwithstanding these fine examples of squaring the circle, my extensive travels to over 70 independent schools in the last school year has shown me that the ‘transition’ model is the favoured one in England, in interesting contrast to Northern Ireland, Australia, New

The ‘zig’ that most independent school Sixth Forms are adopting in England is towards informality and study focus. Zealand and South Africa. The transition model tends to regard the Sixth Form as a particularly distinct and separate entity within a young person’s educational journey. It maybe has something of a dress code or maybe none whatsoever. The focus is on a personalised learning experience which represents something of a halfway house to university or the world of work. This ‘separateness’ is often expressed architecturally via there being a separate Sixth Form Centre or at least Sixth Form areas which are so clearly delineated within a main school building as to represent a clear entity of their own. The leadership model, on the other hand, emphasises that Sixth Formers are not just preparing for A Level or IB exams but are also the leaders of the school. It sees

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them as the people setting the example, the tone, for the rest of the school. This is quite often accompanied by a stronger dress code or indeed school uniform (even if the uniform is often one distinct from the rest of the school). The movement of Sixth Formers in and around the spaces occupied by other pupils in the school is more visible too (although this virtually never precludes the provision of a

Sixth Form Common Room and other ‘Sixth Formersonly’ facilities).

Durability After all, a Sixth Form judged ONLY by the grades it produces in August will always be vulnerable to the next school prepared to offer marginally better ones. A Sixth Form that pupils remember and would choose again – whatever the model – is harder to compete with. That, in the end, is the more durable thing to build – a Sixth Form worth staying for, as much as one worth arriving at. ●

ANDREW LEWER MBE has been a school and university governor and works with a number of independent education businesses. As an MP, he founded the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Independent Education 2017-24.

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HEADS & GOVERNORS

– IN CONVERSATION WITH –

RICHARD HARMAN Richard Harman shares his insights about school governance with Zoe MacDougall as he retires from his role as Chief Executive of AGBIS and looks ahead to the organisation’s merger with ISBA.

Governance through the eyes of headship

Richard Harman AN INTRODUCTION Richard’s first post-University of Cambridge foray into the world of work took him in the direction of publishing, where he spent two years learning the ropes of the business – selling text books, liaising with the warehouse, understanding customer service and delivery logistics. It was practical, nuts and bolts experience that would prove useful later in life, keeping his feet firmly on the ground whilst occupying exalted positions in the education sector. Recognising that publishing wasn’t the career best fit, Richard moved into education, taking a teaching job in the English Department at Marlborough College in January 1984. Whilst there, he was able to explore his passion for theatre as a director of school shows – Guys and Dolls and Cabaret were his personal favourites, alongside The Hired Man, complete with Cumbrian accents! Richard’s career progressed through two headships on to his role as Chief Executive of AGBIS, a post from which he retired in August 2026.

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As the Chief Executive of AGBIS for ten years, Richard Harman is a recognised expert in the field of school governance. Previously, as a Headmaster, Richard gained invaluable insights into how and why governance is a critical element of school leadership. Although governors are a Head’s employers, it’s a symbiotic relationship that needs to be handled skillfully on both sides. From 2000 to 2006, Richard was Headmaster of Aldenham School, during which time his significant contribution was to secure the future of the school following tough but necessary decisions taken by his predecessor during the economic recession of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Richard introduced prep and pre-prep settings to create through-school provision and re-launched the school as a co-educational establishment. To achieve this much in six years speaks volumes about the efficacy of the school’s strategic leadership. Between 2006 and 2016, Richard undertook a second headship at Uppingham School. He cites two areas where he made a real difference – increasing physical resources through capital building projects and working on the overall culture amongst students and staff. It’s this latter area which was the most challenging and the most impactful. “There was a big moment, halfway through my time at the school, when I had to ask quite a few of the boys from one of the boarding houses to leave due to a bullying-

HEADS & GOVERNORS

related incident. That created a furore; there was a student protest and the press got involved. It was a very difficult but a very formative time. What came out of it was a drive towards a culture of inclusion and kindness involving students, parents and staff. A school’s culture is key and it was a decade’s work for me to channel it.” Reflecting on governance in relation to headship, Richard offers some shrewd observations: “On some days, governance was wonderful and welcome and on other days it was a headache I could have done without. I had to learn about the need for the executive leadership and governance to work together as creative partners. Sometimes there might be tensions – it’s easy to say one should welcome challenge but it’s not always easy to do! “If I was starting again now as a Head, I would be much more intentional about how I work with governance. At the time, there was no training about governance, I had to find things out as I went along. I’m sure I made mistakes. I worked with a number of different chairs of governors, with very different styles, but I found a way to work well with all of them, and that’s a critical relationship. My experiences have fed into my decade of work at AGBIS – but I would have benefitted from some of the training that AGBIS now delivers! “Being a Head isn’t just about education. It’s about business. So, you need to be able to tap into a range of skills and expertise on your governing body. What you’ve got in your governing body is a brain that’s bigger than just yours. And your brain isn’t just one

In the last decade, governance has come into focus more than ever before. thing, it has lots of different zones which do different things. You need the emotional bit, the rational bit, the pre-frontal bit, the mathematical bit, the creative bit – and they all need to be working together! The role of governors is to support you as the senior leader: to help you focus on the strategy of the school; to think outside the box; and to hold you to account. Collectively, they’re a critical friend. They ask annoying questions! But annoying questions are necessary if you’re a senior executive leading a multimillion pound business, which is what you are as a head in the independent sector.”

AGBIS: The Association for Governing Bodies in Independent Schools In the 1940s, two associations were formed to represent the governing bodies of independent boys’ schools and girls’ schools: the Governing Bodies Association and the Governing Bodies of Girls’ Schools Association respectively. These organisations merged in 2002 to become one – AGBIS. If there was a perceived need for collective representation eight decades ago, then the current need in such complex financial, cultural and political times in the sector is inarguable. As Richard comments, judiciously: “Once upon a time, it might have been possible to think of

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HEADS & GOVERNORS

governors as benevolent people who turn up on speech day and show their approval of the good works of the school. If that was ever appropriate to the job, it certainly isn’t today. In the last decade, governance has come into focus more than ever before.” Governance is a key focus of school inspections, with all the consequences that go with it. Richard explains how inspections work: “Governance is one of the leading parts in an inspection. Even though inspectors don’t do a deep dive into the governance of a school, all the roads lead back to it. If a school is non-compliant in any area, then there is an automatic failure in governance and leadership. Governors are responsible for everything, because they are the ‘proprietors’ of the school. The expectations of the governors’ role are significant, with major consequences for everybody if the role isn’t fulfilled properly, including people’s employment and children’s lives.” Put simply, governors can’t afford to get things wrong. Yet the vast majority of governors are volunteers, giving up their time to contribute at a high level to school strategy whilst also fulfilling other personal and professional roles. And this is where AGBIS comes into play.

Supporting good governance Why do schools need AGBIS and what can the Association contribute to strategic, personal and practical levels? Richard is proud to highlight some of the unassailable benefits to member schools. “At AGBIS, our aim has been to professionalise governance through better training and a better understanding of the role. Our role includes undertaking governance audits and reviews, consultancy work, facilitating strategy days and delivering advice, guidance and other services for our members. We also represent governance in different forums under the Independent Schools Council umbrella in collaboration with CEOs of other Heads and governance associations. “Included in a school’s membership is an advice line, which since the introduction of VAT on fees has been particularly active. We have a document library, which includes guidelines for governors, online induction and safeguarding materials. We offer in-person training through seminars and webinars, either on generic requirements or on bespoke issues such as crisis management. We have an annual conference in London and an AGM for members. Recently, we’ve conducted research into the changing role of the chair, acknowledging the 26 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

You need to be able to tap into a range of skills and expertise on your governing body. evolving purpose of governance. We’re also developing an international brand. “Significantly, we’ve introduced our Governance Professionals Programme, aimed at clerks to the governors, who are often bursars. It’s the only accredited course of its kind in the independent sector and it offers Foundation and Advanced qualifications. It’s vital and essential that governors are prepared for their role – and that’s what we aim to do.”

AGBIS and ISBA: Two associations become one Recognising the increased complexity of operations in the independent sector following the change of government in 2024, AGBIS is due to merge with ISBA (The Independent Schools’ Bursars Association) in January 2027. This merger acknowledges that governance, risk, finance, compliance, sustainability, staffing and expectations are now more challenging than ever before. Putting together the expertise found in AGBIS and ISBA will result in greater synergies whilst also reducing costs and responding comprehensively to members’ needs. Richard offers his personal thoughts about the merger: ‘We’re very conscious of value for money. We have a very small team here and our resources are stretched. Once we started to talk to the Board at ISBA, we realised that our organisations could combine to create a much stronger association, which would not only continue to provide the same services but in fact enhance them. We’ll see some back office savings and, as two charities, a merger will be relatively straightforward. Some of our members have responded to the proposed merger by asking us why we haven’t done it sooner!” In a period of change and challenge in the independent school sector, strategic leadership is more important than ever before. Governance exists to ask the pertinent questions, scrutinise the answers and pull together the big picture. AGBIS and ISBA have an impressive history in supporting business and governance in schools. The sector looks set to welcome a new, combined association warmly as that invaluable support continues. ●

ZOE MACDOUGALL

is an educational commentator with extensive teaching experience in both the maintained and independent school sectors.

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Better spaces build the best experiences

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HEADS & GOVERNORS

ADHD IN SCHOOLS ARE WE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS?

Dr Mukesh Kripalani believes that whilst schools have a crucial role in supporting an ADHD diagnosis, they should not wait for a formal ‘label’ before putting a whole-school approach to the condition in place.

or senior leadership teams, the current debate about whether ADHD is being overdiagnosed risks obscuring a more important issue: whether schools have the right systems in place to identify need, contribute effectively to assessment and support pupils afterwards. School leaders do not need to take a position on whether there are ‘too many’ diagnoses. Their responsibility is to ensure that concerns are recognised early, that staff observations are useful and evidence-based, and that pupils are not left waiting for a diagnostic label before receiving appropriate support.

Complex condition ADHD is a complex neurodevelopmental condition affecting attention, impulse control and, for some children, hyperactivity. Its impact can extend well beyond academic attainment to emotional regulation, friendships, selfesteem and behaviour. These difficulties can also overlap with anxiety, autism, learning difficulties, sleep problems and other conditions. This is why assessment quality matters. ADHD should not be diagnosed on the basis of a short appointment, questionnaire or isolated observation. A robust assessment considers a child’s developmental history, functioning across different settings and information from parents, teachers and clinicians.

An important role for schools

Beyond behaviour

Schools therefore have an important role in getting assessment right. Teachers see children in circumstances that parents and clinicians cannot, including during sustained concentration, transitions, group work, unstructured time and periods of academic pressure. Senior leaders should ensure staff understand the value of specific observations. Reporting that a pupil is ‘distracted’ is less helpful than explaining when this happens, how often, whether it occurs across subjects and what appears to improve the situation. Good records can help clinicians build a much clearer picture of the child. Equally, diagnosis should not become the sole gateway to support. Where difficulties are already apparent, schools can often introduce practical strategies while assessment is underway. These might include breaking instructions into manageable steps, reducing unnecessary distractions, using predictable routines, checking understanding discreetly, allowing movement or short breaks where appropriate, and providing additional support with organisation and deadlines. Support should also be individual. Not every pupil with ADHD will need the same adjustments, and strategies should be reviewed to establish what is actually helping.

It is particularly important that staff look beyond behaviour. A pupil who repeatedly forgets equipment, struggles to complete work or appears not to listen may be experiencing difficulties with executive functioning rather than simply lacking motivation. Repeated sanctions for difficulties a child cannot consistently control can contribute to low self-esteem, anxiety and disengagement from school. Some pupils with ADHD also experience intense rejection sensitivity, when criticism, perceived failure or social exclusion can trigger a disproportionately strong emotional response. Leaders should ensure staff recognise this, as repeated correction or public criticism may increase distress, withdrawal or reluctance to participate.

Whole-school approach The objective should not be to encourage or discourage ADHD diagnosis. It should be to create a consistent whole-school approach in which concerns are noticed early, staff understand what to look for, families are treated as partners and support is based on the needs of the individual pupil. ●

DR MUKESH KRIPALANI is Consultant Psychiatrist at The ADHD Centre. Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 29

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arking an exciting milestone in its approach to school meals, apetito reveals its biggest menu refresh to date, comprising 18 new dishes developed with children at the forefront, ready for the brandnew school year. Shaped by the views and experiences of pupils, parents and key decision makers across the sector, the new range, created with the expertise of apetito chefs and dietitians, combines great taste with balanced nutrition, bringing more enjoyment, variety and choice to school menus. The range was developed following market research, focus groups and children’s tasting sessions conducted by apetito and aims to make mealtimes better for children. It builds on the existing offer to provide schools with meals that truly meet the expectations of children – and

their parents – today. Each dish, created with the expertise of apetito chefs and dietitians, combines great taste with balanced nutrition, bringing more enjoyment, variety and choice to school menus. Featuring familiar favourites alongside dishes inspired by global cuisines for more adventurous eaters, the new range comprises simple-toserve solutions for the whole school week. Comforting Cowboy Beans & Sausages – a hearty mix of beans and sausages in a smoky tomato sauce – join more adventurous dishes including Chinese Style Beef, Chicken Stir-Fry and Lemon & Herb Chicken with Rice as additions to the range. To encourage more autonomy over children’s food choices, build-your-own dishes also feature. The range includes various side options, including Wholewheat Rigatoni, Garlic Bread, Penne Pasta and

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Ditalini Pasta, alongside several hearty sauces, including Beef Bolognaise, Tomato & Basil and Cheesy Green Veggie, to suit a variety of tastes. In addition, Mini Pork Chipolatas and Mini Breaded fish are also included, providing classic flavour for smaller appetites. A Cheese & Tomato Pizza also joins the range. Featuring a rustic, 5-ingredient base topped with tasty tomato sauce and plenty of melted cheese, this classic dish brings familiar flavour to the offering. The meal provider also introduces four fruit-filled desserts to the range. Its new Banana Bread is made with banana purée and is 50% fruit for natural sweetness, while its Puff Top Apple Pie features flaky pastry paired with apple and juicy sultanas. The new creamy Banana & Cinnamon Rice Pudding offers a warming combination of comforting flavours while the Toffee Apple

Pudding – a soft sponge filled with apple on a base of rich toffee sauce – offers a richertasting option. The refined range of 18 meals balances nutrition with enjoyment while supporting schools with the ongoing pressures and realities of school catering. Crucially, the range includes meals that children genuinely want to eat, ensuring the nutritional benefits of the meals served are actually eaten. ●

To find out more about the new range, visit apetito.link/newchildrens-range

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MARKETING

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS THE DIGITAL TIDE TURNING?

Philippa Scudds believes that personal, face-to-face connection plays a critical role in school marketing. She argues that the reliance many schools placed on digital communication to underpin their recruitment and retention strategies during the pandemic should be re-evaluated in the light of evolving parental preferences.

or years now we have all been told that the future for school recruitment and retention lies firmly in digital communications, an area of activity which for many school marketing and admissions teams opened up during the COVID-19 pandemic. For many of us this shift in our approach to marketing represented a bright new world of possibilities as we fully harnessed the power of digital reach in innovative ways in order to stay connected and engaged with families while our schools were closed. The fast-paced development of AI has further enriched such opportunities for tailored communications and ‘Marcomms’ teams now devote a good chunk

of their budgets to digital across the full suite of online engagement platforms. Many pay significant sums to external agencies expert in navigating PMax, PPC and Meta. School social media is flooded with reels, accompanied by trending music tracks. This summer alone I have spotted schools jumping on wider social media trends beyond education, hoping perhaps for that viral reel, that magic repost, that web traffic surge which will secure the ultimate goal of an enquiry form being completed or a visit booked.

In today’s digitally exhausted world, are we starting to get the balance wrong?

Growing weariness Yet is the digital tide starting to turn? I am not suggesting for one moment that digital communication in all its forms is not important to any school recruitment and retention strategy. We are all well

aware of the benefits digital marketing offers – targeted reach, global opportunity, interactive engagement in real time, cost effectiveness, efficient tracking and measurement to name but a few.

MARKETING

But as school communicators in today’s digitally exhausted world, are we starting to get the balance wrong? In my recent conversations with families, it is interesting that an increasing number are turning away from screen-based communication altogether in favour of something terribly old-fashioned – the faceto-face, tangible, in-person conversation: historically,

Families want to be heard, not herded. the only way to truly make a personal connection. In an era where we are bombarded daily with information overload, I have talked before about ‘cutting through the noise’. So, I get a real sense

that the digital tide might be turning. Platforms such as ‘smartphone-free childhood’ on social media are surging in popularity, although I appreciate the irony in this. Some are switching off accounts on Instagram and Facebook altogether. Commentators on LinkedIn, the historically well-respected platform for professional discussion, indicate that there is a growing weariness for the way that it has developed into a general space for people sharing their personal highs and lows on a public business forum. There is also a growing mistrust around digital communications and where your information could potentially be shared, however secure you may believe that private conversation to be. Many important discussions are now happening offline,

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face to face and in-person, whether they be with parents, friends or colleagues. And with increasing safeguarding concerns around deepfakes and the use of children’s images on social media public platforms, pinning the majority of your marketing mast to digital communication is starting to feel in need of a reset.

Studies by UCL cite that while remote communication can be beneficial, face-to-face contact is of greater value. In-person interactions can also contribute more to wellbeing than virtual ones, offering a deeper sense of connection. Digital communication helps build the initial connection, but it doesn’t fully substitute for what in-person interaction provides.

In-person social interaction

A sense of trust

There is also scientific evidence of the significance of in-person social interactions and their essential role in rebuilding lost connections post-COVID. According to research by the Clinical Neuropsychology team at the University of Cambridge, over 50% of those surveyed said they are more energised when they meet with colleagues, friends and family or network in person.

I am seeing parents voting with their feet in a way which endorses this view. I am not just referring to the specific post-COVID surge in prospective parent visits and open event booking figures which went through the roof in so many schools up and down the country once campuses reopened; what’s most interesting is that it’s ongoing. At Port Regis, we had the highest number of

MARKETING

families attend our Open Morning in May 2026 for many years. Private visits are not slowing either. We can always learn much as school marketers from beyond the sector. Take Alison Dsouza, Director of Aerviva Aviation Consultancy, a Dubai-based international consultancy, who says we simply cannot dismiss the value of inperson events. “This personal connection can foster a sense of trust and build strong relationships. Such events also have a lasting impact on the individual, leaving a memorable impression that can enhance the company’s image and brand awareness.” I am sure I am not alone in genuinely looking forward to the chance of that faceto-face, in-person chat with sector colleagues at the various upcoming networking events, conferences and awards ceremonies during the next academic year.

A huge decision There is a good deal of talk among school Marcomms teams of ‘efficiency’, parental lack of time, families demanding answers at a click, instant results. That may be true for much of commerce, but are we not forgetting a fundamental about why schools exist? They are about families, about children, not about ‘products’ or ‘commodities’ to pop in an online basket. The decision to send your child to an independent school is a huge, life-changing one. Individual views, needs and desired outcomes – which are often deeply personal – can complicate the picture, and

building in the wider sense. It goes way beyond recruitment. Every touchpoint is part of a school’s identity and its wider community engagement, and influences how that engagement works.

Inspiration

the advent of VAT on fees necessarily adds an intensity to the financial calculations, too. According to a TES Magazine summary of a University of Exeter + YouGov survey, 63% of parents said their school communicated well during COVID-19, but only 43% felt the school listens to their views. Listening to parental voice plays an increasingly important part of any school communications strategy in terms of both recruitment and retention. Families want to be heard, not herded.

Mixed portfolio This is not to say that virtual events and broader digital communications do not have a place within any recruitment/retention communications portfolio. As the digital agency Interactive Schools wrote in a blog on the subject, virtual recruitment events are not just a ‘pandemic thing’ and schools are continuing to use them strategically as part of their admissions and marketing outreach toolkit. Virtual tours and open events complement inperson onsite visits and can be hugely successful in engaging with families

globally. Virtual meetings offer flexibility and enable greater accessibility to a school and therefore promote inclusivity. They can provide highly focused discussion on specific topics within a pre-agreed timetable. They are excellent for quick updates and follow-up contact, which is absolutely critical in a highly competitive market. And, as already mentioned, tracking and traceability is another important advantage and gives school marketing teams valuable data insights and analytics for geodemographic targeting of potential new markets and consolidation of existing ones.

Relationship building Ultimately, successful school communication is about relationship building. The more opportunities you can offer to build that personal connection with every individual family – valuing them as part of your school community from the first moment they contact you through to their days as alumni – the more you will stand out. It demonstrates you genuinely care. COVID-19 resulted in a long-term cultural shift about relationship

Digital communication is hugely powerful in reach, in initial engagement, in starting that conversation and in continuing that all-important discussion. Yet however successful and convenient it might be, it simply can’t fully replace the wonder that a prospective family can feel as they come onto the school campus, see the grounds and experience, as one school leader put it, “the sparks of inspiration bouncing off every wall’’. We all remember the power of those first in-person post-pandemic reunions, the emotion they evoked and that feeling of human connection they reignited; so, let’s reflect on the power of that experience that lasted way beyond the goodbye as we shape our communication plans for the upcoming year. ●

PHILIPPA SCUDDS has over 30 years’ experience in strategic marketing and communications. She is currently Director of Marketing and Communications at Port Regis, a judge in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards and Board Trustee of HMC Projects.

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DEVELOPMENT

ADVENTURE IN PHILANTHROPY

BUILDING A CULTURE OF GIVING THROUGH SHARED CHALLENGE Lord Wandsworth College has taken the school’s mantra of ‘widening worlds’ and used it to boost its philanthropic and fundraising success, Sam Corﬁeld, explains how.

ver a hundred years ago, Lord Wandsworth College (LWC) was formed to provide an education for children who had lost the support of one or both parents. A century on, the aim of widening the worlds of every young person who passes through the College remains, with 55 students continuing to be supported each year through the Lord Wandsworth Foundation. LWC’s fundraising journey has been shaped not simply by targets or campaigns, but by a belief that philanthropy becomes most powerful when it is lived collectively and when the whole-school vision of widening worlds can be applied to development activity. Adventure, challenge and shared experience have become central to how we engage parents, alumni, governors, staff and students in the life

and purpose of our Foundation. Since 2017, we have steadily built a culture in which fundraising is not viewed as the responsibility of one department alone, but as something woven through the entire school community. Alongside traditional development activity, we have introduced challenge events and fundraising adventures that have created meaningful connections, strengthened retention and broadened engagement with the College’s philanthropic and wider mission. Naturally, this progress has only been possible because of strong leadership support and genuine whole-school buy-in. We have drawn upon the belief of our Head, Adam Williams, that cultivating a lifelong love of sport, health and adventure is a crucial catalyst in a long and happy life. Here’s how…

Building an ‘Adventure in Philanthropy’ culture One of the most successful aspects of LWC’s development journey has been the emergence of what we now think of as a culture of ‘Adventure in Philanthropy’. Like many schools, we recognised that traditional fundraising approaches do not always engage every section of the community equally. Some people respond strongly to formal campaigns or events; others connect more naturally through shared experiences, physical challenge and collective achievement. Adventure lies at the heart of LWC’s mission and has always shaped our community spirit. By tapping into that existing culture, we found a way to make fundraising feel participatory, memorable and deeply relational. The first significant example was The Beckwith, introduced during the College’s centenary year. The event was designed as a 5km and 10km run or walk across our 1200-acre campus, fields and woodland. Initially launched as a fundraising initiative, this quickly became something much bigger: a joyful, community-wide

event that brought together students, staff, parents, grandparents and alumni in a shared experience rooted in place and belonging. It has become an annual fixture at the start of each Autumn Term. What began with The Beckwith has since developed into a much wider programme of challenge-led philanthropy. In February 2023, we set off on our first overseas fundraising challenge: a trek across the Sahara Desert. I had previously run similar events with donors at Macmillan Cancer Support and was keen to test their impact in a school setting. The response exceeded expectations. Parents, alumni and staff travelled together, fundraising collectively whilst forming friendships and connections that extended far beyond the challenge itself. Importantly, two governors also joined this inaugural event, sending a powerful message about shared participation. What became immediately apparent was that these experiences were achieving far more than simply generating donations. Participants became ambassadors for our Foundation. Through their fundraising activity, they shared LWC’s mission and values with their wider networks of family, friends and colleagues. Conversations about bursaries, opportunity and access reached audiences that traditional communications may never have touched. At the same time, the emotional impact of the shared experience was significant. Participants returned energised, connected and deeply invested in the school community. The model proved so successful that further challenges followed with an Iceland trek in 2025 and the Yorkshire Three Peaks earlier this year. Together, these three initiatives have so far raised approximately £150,000 for the Lord Wandsworth Foundation and have led to conversations about future major gifts. Perhaps even more tellingly, many

participants have chosen to return for multiple events, with five individuals having completed all three! This says something about community engagement – these events are not transactional fundraising exercises; they are joyful experiences (despite many aching muscles!) that people genuinely value and want to repeat. We have created an ‘Adventurers Society’ for our brave trekkers. They have input into choosing our adventures and planning has already begun for the next one – Camino de Santiago, here we come!

The bigger picture One of the most interesting outcomes of challenge-led philanthropy has been its effect on parent engagement and longterm community retention. Independent schools are increasingly aware that belonging matters. Families who feel emotionally connected to a school community are more likely to remain engaged long after their children leave. Shared challenge experiences create unusually strong bonds. Parents who may previously only have interacted briefly on the sidelines of school events suddenly find themselves trekking across deserts, climbing mountains or navigating difficult terrain and weather conditions together. Governors and alumni become part of the same story. Staff are seen in entirely different contexts.

For development professionals, this matters enormously. Strong relationships create stronger philanthropic cultures over time. The fundraising totals are important, of course, but equally valuable is the sense of advocacy and affinity these experiences generate. Alongside our challenge events, LWC has also created opportunities for connection that are not directly linked to fundraising at all. Our Golf and Motoring Societies allow parents, staff and alumni to experience adventure of a different kind. Whilst these groups are primarily social rather than philanthropic initiatives, they have become another important way of strengthening community ties. For some, these societies provide a route back into LWC life; for others, they create new friendships and shared experiences deepening engagement and belonging throughout the school. Not everyone wants to trek across the Sahara or climb mountains, but many people do want the chance to spend time with like-minded members of the community – whether through a great (or dreadful) round of golf, or a sunny afternoon drive with 30 beautiful cars ending with coffee, a bacon bap and a chat. These moments of shared enjoyment matter. They help create familiarity, trust and affinity with the institution in ways that often later strengthen volunteering, advocacy and philanthropy organically. Ultimately, whether through challenge events, societies or informal gatherings, the principle remains the same: Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 37

DEVELOPMENT

strong communities are built through shared experiences that offer an opportunity to adventure beyond the norm.

Whole-school buy-in At LWC, one of the most encouraging developments of this approach has been the growing role of our students in philanthropic activity. Young people increasingly want to engage with causes that feel authentic, visible and active. Platforms such as SuperKind have helped create many fundraising opportunities that feel relevant to younger generations, whilst also connecting them to our Foundation’s wider purpose. Following his GCSEs last year, 16-yearold LWC student Luca and his father cycled from their home in Farnham to Luca’s grandparents’ house in Italy, raising almost £3,000 for the Lord Wandsworth Foundation. This summer, Upper Sixth Former Phoebe became the youngest known woman to run the length of the UK. Setting off from John o’ Groats just after sitting her final A-level exam, she arrived at Land’s End 68 days later. Phoebe collected her A-level results along the way (3 As) and raised over £5,000 for the Lord Wandsworth Foundation and National Autistic Society. Beyond the student body, this collective buy-in – achieved by pushing boundaries – has seen others stepping forward. Lottie, one of our parents, raised around £11,000 by running the London Marathon for The Foundation this year. Meanwhile, 38 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

Adventure lies at the heart of LWC’s mission and has always shaped our community spirit. LWC governor, Kevin, successfully cycled from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in just 16 days. He raised over £6,000 (with Gift Aid) for our Foundation and two other charities close to his heart. And then there is our annual Stern Challenge, which sees students, parents, alumni and staff coming together to cover 100km in a single day. May’s event raised over £5,000 for The Foundation, as participants collectively ran or cycled the distance between LWC’s campus in Long Sutton, Hampshire and Hayling Island. There is something uniquely powerful about students running alongside alumni, parents encouraging staff members and everyone pushing themselves further than they expected, because they feel part of something bigger. The Stern Challenge has become a shared adventure, bringing together multiple generations of the College community around a common purpose. These moments help create cultures of belonging and generosity that no brochure or campaign alone can achieve. These initiatives matter because they demonstrate that philanthropy has moved beyond organised campaigns and into the identity of the wider community

– the DNA of our school – as people associate their own personal milestones, ambitions and adventures with The Foundation’s mission.

Lessons for the sector Whilst fundraising income remains important for any development team, LWC’s approach to widening worlds through philanthropic adventure has had many significant additional benefits: stronger advocacy, deeper community ties, greater visibility of mission and increased pride in the College. We know that participants who feel emotionally connected to a cause frequently become its most effective ambassadors. Successful fundraising is fundamentally relational. Campaigns and events provide structure, but long-term philanthropic culture is built through trust, shared purpose and meaningful human connection across the whole school community – and some fun along the way! LWC’s experience is certainly not a blueprint that every school can or should replicate directly. But adventuring beyond the traditional certainly has many benefits. Every community has its own identity and culture to draw upon. Adventure happens to be ours – what’s yours? ●

SAM CORFIELD is Director of Philanthropy and Alumni Relations at Lord Wandsworth College.

ADVERTORIAL pupil live, and would every department give the same answer? How long does it take to answer a governor’s crossdepartmental question? And if you replaced a system tomorrow, would your processes and data be ready to move with it? If those questions are hard to answer, you are far from alone. It’s a conversation we’re hearing regularly within The MSP LAB Community – a curated peer network for IT Directors, technology and digital leaders in independent schools, created to connect peers, exchange ideas and share experiences

IS FRAGMENTED SCHOOL DATA HOLDING YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM BACK? MSP LAB - The IT Authority for

family updates their address with the admissions team in the spring. By September, the bursary is still sending invoices to the old one, the medical record lists a different emergency contact, and a head of year is working from a spreadsheet exported last term. Nobody has done anything wrong. The school simply holds five versions of the same family, with no agreed answer to which is correct.

• Treat it as organisational change. Staff who have built workarounds over many years need to understand what improves for them, not just for the school. We’re currently working with a number of independent schools on projects like this, helping them understand where data sits, how systems connect and what needs to change before technology is introduced. In some cases, this includes exploring the move to a single platform.

The platform is not the ﬁx on its own

Three questions for your next leadership meeting

It is tempting to see a new, integrated platform as the solution. For many schools, consolidating onto a single system is the right move, reducing duplication and giving teams confidence in what they see. For others, connecting well-chosen specialist systems through proper integration is the better fit. Both approaches can work. Neither works if the underlying issues are left untouched. Working across the independent sector, a few lessons come up repeatedly: • Decide who owns each piece of data before choosing any system. If nobody is accountable for the accuracy of a pupil’s address, no software will keep it accurate. • Map processes, not just platforms. Moving an inefficient process onto new technology tends to reproduce the inefficiency, only faster. • Expect data cleansing to be a significant part of the work. It is also one of the most valuable, and most often underestimated.

Where does the deﬁnitive record of a

Independent Schools Retained Counsel | Virtual IT Director | Digital Strategy | Strategic Projects | Cyber Security | IT Discovery Assessments ● Join the MSP LAB Community for expert insights, sector discussions, customer success stories, and exclusive events for independent school leaders.

Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 39

40 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

PARTNERS

WHAT MAKES GIRLS FEEL THEY BELONG AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY DON’T Two-thirds of girls change their everyday behaviour to avoid harassment. Helen Jeys addresses a question facing every school: how deliberately are we building the sense of belonging that underpins girls’ mental health?

sense of belonging is crucial for mental health. Those feelings of having an identity that is valued, of belonging to a community that welcomes you and accepts you for who you are lead to ‘psychological safety’, where pupils feel able to express their ideas and concerns openly, willing to make mistakes without humiliation or fear of punishment. This sense of belonging is crucial to a student feeling that their school is a place where they can flourish and girls feel this, in abundance, in GSA schools.

Wellbeing GSA research has shown that girls in single-sex girls’ schools often demonstrate higher levels of wellbeing and mental toughness than their peers in other types of school, and teachers identify mental health as a primary concern too. Furthermore,

research into marginalised groups reveal that girls from disadvantaged backgrounds in single-sex girls’ schools maintain higher wellbeing than peers in co-educational environments. When we hear that the impact of social media dangers is more significant for girls than boys and when we live in a world where girls’ freedom of movement and social development can be curbed because of their fear of the world around them, the confidence that girls develop in girls’ schools cannot be underestimated. In September 2025, the Girl Guiding organisation stated that two-thirds of girls change their everyday behaviour to avoid sexual harassment. Indeed, the persistent threat of sexism, misogyny and harassment impact girls’ everyday lives, affecting their confidence, mental health and wellbeing.

This same research asserts that 70% of girls between the ages of 11 and 21 say that they have supported another girl or young woman who has experienced sexism or misogyny, including 41% who say that they have stood up for another girl who was being picked on for simply being a girl. 53% of these girls said that their female role models make them feel empowered and more confident to be themselves.

Sisterhood This is the power of sisterhood; a feeling of togetherness that comes with being educated in a girls’ school. That feeling of belonging to a community of supportive girls is crucial to giving young women the resilience, the self-confidence and self-esteem to flourish.

And this is what girls receive in GSA schools, enabling them to feel valued, heard and empowered. Our schools provide that safe place to grow and develop so that they can face the world outside the school gates with resilience and tenacity. This is coupled with an approach to education that is designed for girls; an environment where every classroom, every leadership opportunity, every educational experience is intended for girls. Girls’ schools, like mine, are empowering young women to know that they can excel in any field. Their voices are heard and they develop into agents of change, confident to lead in all contexts. I firmly believe that it is the foundation provided by a girls’ only environment that enables young women in GSA schools to excel and to flourish. ●

HELEN JEYS is President of the Girls’ Schools Association and Headmistress of Manchester High School for Girls.

PARTNERS

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM UNRIVALLED ENRICHMENT

Robin Fletcher considers why boarding schools are well placed to deliver unbeatable enrichment programmes.

oarding schools have a distinctive advantage when it comes to enrichment. In fact, extracurricular activity is woven into the rhythm of a typical school day, rather than an optional add-on.

Enrichment framework Enrichment has moved firmly up the education agenda following the Government’s Enrichment Framework for Schools and Colleges published in June 2026, but it’s certainly nothing new for boarding schools. The framework sets out non-statutory guidance to help education providers plan, strengthen and evaluate enrichment opportunities beyond the statutory

at different points throughout the day, in the evening and at weekends. Life skills are another key focus for many boarding schools, which supports the Government’s wider ambition to help young people develop the skills and confidence needed for life and work after school. BSA’s Boarding Life Skills Award programme reinforces this notion, offering member schools a dedicated certificate for boarders of all ages to complete during their time at school. The initiative requires students to evidence the soft skills learnt in boarding, such as time management, developing friendships and connections whilst living alongside others, independent thinking and problem solving.

A residential setting naturally oﬀers more opportunity for pupils to explore interests, develop practical skills and build relationships. curriculum. It identifies five broad areas: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activity; and wider life and future skills.

More time, more opportunity A longer school day and a residential setting naturally offers more opportunity for pupils to explore interests, develop practical skills and build relationships in ways that are embedded into daily life. Crucially, this can allow activities to take place

Peer support and leadership Shared activities can bring together pupils of different ages, interests and backgrounds, creating opportunities for peer support and leadership. A pupil may discover confidence on the stage, a sense of purpose through volunteering or a new talent on the sports field. However, the new framework also provides a useful reminder that quantity alone does not equal quality. A long list of clubs and activities is not necessarily an effective enrichment offer. The

Government’s benchmarks emphasise strategic alignment, accessibility, pupil voice, partnership working, evaluation and continuous improvement.

Meeting community needs Boarding schools are therefore well placed not only to offer a breadth of opportunities, but also to ask important questions about who participates, whose voices shape provision and whether every pupil can access the experiences available. The strongest programmes will reflect the interests and needs of their communities rather than relying solely on tradition. The Government’s wider ambition is to make enriching opportunities a common entitlement and to reduce gaps in participation, and its June announcement included a £132.5 million ‘Every Child Can’ programme. For the boarding sector, this presents an opportunity to contribute to a national conversation in an area where it has long-standing experience. As many schools across England consider what high-quality enrichment looks like, boarding schools can demonstrate how a culture of opportunity, community and participation can help young people discover interests, develop confidence and acquire skills that will stay with them long after they leave school. The challenge now is to ensure that enrichment is not simply something boarding schools provide in abundance, but something every young person, boarding or not, has access to. In that respect, boarding schools have much to offer – and much to share. ●

ROBIN FLETCHER is CEO, BSA.

PARTNERS

GOODWILL ALONE IS NO LONGER ENOUGH WHY IT IS TIME TO PROFESSIONALISE SCHOOL GOVERNANCE

Perhaps the most important question is not simply: are we Virginia Parkes argues that professionalising compliant? It is: are we improving this school? go ernan e is essentia to the effe ti e leadership of our schools in changing times. Guide and guardian

ndependent school governance has always relied on something enormously valuable: people giving their time, experience and expertise in service of a school and its community. That commitment remains one of the sector’s great strengths. But the environment in which governors are now operating has changed significantly, and goodwill alone is no longer enough. Governing bodies are overseeing increasingly complex organisations. The decisions boards are being asked to make are becoming more difficult, whilst the consequences of getting them wrong can be significant.

Developing governors, reviewing governance models It is therefore reasonable to ask whether we should approach the development of those responsible for governance with the same seriousness that we apply to the development of those responsible for leading our schools. Professionalising governance does not mean turning governors into paid professionals, nor does it mean importing unnecessary bureaucracy into the boardroom. It means being much more intentional about how governing bodies recruit, induct, develop and evaluate themselves. It should also mean being prepared to challenge assumptions about what governance has to look like. In some schools more agile approaches, including the circle model, can encourage greater participation, clearer accountability and more responsive decision-making. A strong board should understand the skills and perspectives it needs, rather than simply replacing one retiring governor with someone who looks remarkably similar. New governors need meaningful induction, and development should continue throughout their time on the board. Governing bodies should regularly ask whether their structures, behaviours and relationships remain effective, rather than assuming that a smoothly run meeting is evidence of good governance.

The role traditionally described as the Clerk has changed considerably. Increasingly, we are seeing the emergence of the ‘Governance Professional’: someone who does far more than organise meetings and record minutes. At AGBIS, we often describe this role as both the ‘guide and guardian’ of good governance. At their best, Governance Professionals advise chairs and Heads, safeguard good process, maintain institutional memory, identify emerging governance risks and help boards continually improve. They can also play an important role in helping governing bodies question established ways of working and consider whether their governance arrangements remain fit for purpose. This changing role was one of the drivers behind AGBIS developing its ‘Governance Professionals Programme’. What has been striking is not simply the demand for the programme, but the appetite among those working in governance to develop their practice, share experience and view governance as a discipline in its own right.

A change in mindset? That mindset needs to extend across the whole board. We rightly expect Heads and their leadership teams to reflect on their performance, undertake professional development and respond to challenge. Governing bodies should expect no less of themselves. And any review should not simply ask whether the existing model is working well. From time to time, boards should be brave enough to ask whether the model itself remains the right one. Professionalising governance is ultimately about helping governors fulfil the responsibilities they have willingly taken on. If our schools are evolving, becoming more complex and increasingly agile, the governance around them must be willing to evolve too. ●

VIRGINIA (GINNY) PARKES is Acting Chief Executive, AGBIS Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 43

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WHAT DOES BRITISH-MADE MEAN FOR A SCHOOL CANOPY PROJECT? Canopies UK’s entire Connekt canopy range is now registered with Made in Britain. We’re very proud to carry the marque, which recognises what we’ve been doing for more than 35 years: designing and manufacturing Connekt here in Lancashire. For schools, it’s a clear sign of where their canopy comes from. It also means they work directly with the people making it. We visit the school, talk through how the space will be used and survey the site before designing and manufacturing the canopy at our facility in Darwen. Our directly employed installers then complete the work on site, so responsibility for the finished structure stays with Canopies UK. It’s the same approach we take across covered

41 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

walkways, outdoor classrooms, dining areas, entrance canopies and playground shelters. Every Connekt canopy is made for its site, with measurements and structural requirements carefully worked out and site-specific calculations included as standard. Connekt comes with a 10-year product guarantee, and work completed by our team also carries a 10-year installation and labour guarantee. The result is useful outdoor space that schools can rely on for years to come. Canopies UK designs, manufactures and installs outdoor canopies for schools across the UK, helping create extra space for teaching, dining and breaktimes. To explore what’s possible at your school, contact us to arrange a free site survey. w | 01254 777 002

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WHY THE SMALL DETAILS MATTER Oliver Smith re e ts on ’s o n digita transformation, and shares hat he’d te an asso iation or s hoo ra ing for the same o rne .

MCIS’s digital transformation is in full flow; a new CRM, a new website and the launch of a membership platform in AMCIS Connect. If there’s one thing I’d say to anyone preparing for a similar project, it’s this: start before you feel ready, and really sweat the small stuff.

Why it matters It’s tempting to treat a website or platform refresh as a stand-alone IT project – something to be delegated, scoped and signed off with minimal fuss. We’ve learned the opposite. Digital transformation touches how we operate as a business, how members find us, the customer experience we offer, and ultimately how they feel about being part of our community. Get it right, and the digital capabilities become a huge asset that result in time saved, and value added. Getting it right requires investment in planning and resources to avoid longterm frustration.

For AMCIS, the stakes are practical as much as strategic: membership renewals, event and training bookings, access to our resource library and, increasingly, our own recognition of member excellence all sit on this infrastructure. A transformation like this isn’t a nice-to-have sitting alongside the ‘real’ work. It is the real work – and once live, start thinking about the next one.

Starting out A few things worth thinking about before you start: • Sequence matters more than speed. We’ve resisted the temptation to launch everything at once. Content, design and platform migration all pull in different directions, and trying to solve them simultaneously increases the risk of getting all three wrong together. • Bring your team with you early, not at the reveal. The people in touch regularly with students/families need

to understand the ‘why’ before they’re explaining the ‘what’ and they’ll spot practical problems your project plan won’t. • Appoint a lead. Ensure your lead has the time dedicated to manage the project. • Collective support is invaluable. In times of uncertainty or change when reassurance and collaboration can make all the difference, ensure there is team buy-in. • Budget for the unglamorous middle. The launch gets the fanfare; the months of double-running old and new systems, learning the limits and quietly fixing what breaks get none of it, so plan resources and patience for that phase specifically. • Treat your members as co-owners, not an audience. We’ve tried to keep communicating honestly about what’s changing and why, even when – especially when – we don’t have every answer yet. A community that feels informed forgives more than one that feels managed.

Where we go from here There’s more to come. What I can say is that the case for doing this work has only strengthened the further in we’ve got. Like other businesses, our sector doesn’t stand still, and neither do the expectations of the schools we serve. A transformation like this is about the modern-day needs of our members. If your school is weighing up a similar project, my honest advice is simple: appoint a lead, get into the detail early, and be really clear on what you are looking to achieve – change can be painful but it’s worth it. ●

OLIVER SMITH is of amcis.co.uk Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 45

PARTNERS

WHY BENCHMARKING IS INTEGRAL TO SCHOOLS’ DEVELOPMENT Louise Bennett considers the headline data from IDPE’s latest benchmarking report.

or school leaders, the question is no longer simply whether fundraising and engagement activity is happening but whether it is delivering the reach, resilience and return your school needs. Campaign totals, donor numbers and alumni engagement figures can look impressive in isolation – but without context, it is hard to know whether performance is strong or falling short. Benchmarking is invaluable because it helps leaders move beyond anecdote, allowing them to compare progress with peers, identify where investment is working and build the evidence needed to strengthen decision-making.

benchmarking data consistently shows income rising with capacity.

LOUISE BENNETT is CEO, IDPE.

Philanthropy in schools is gaining momentum

IDPE’s latest benchmarking report shows a schools’ development sector that is continuing to grow. Average funds received per development office in independent schools reached £1,147,121 in 2024-25, a 17% increase on the 2022-24 average of £977,187. Across all development offices, average return on investment in 2024-25, based on philanthropic income only and all development office expenditure, was £3.60 raised for every £1 spent. Schools raising the highest levels of income reported the strongest average return on investment, demonstrating how fundraising can become more efficient as a programme develops and scales. This is reinforced by new multi-year analysis of a smaller cohort of independent schools which shows average income increasing with the number

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of years that development has been established. Development is not a quick win: with sustained investment, income grows. However, headline growth tells only part of the story. Schools start from different levels of staffing, maturity, pupil profile and ambition. Benchmarking enables like-for-like comparisons, revealing the factors that most influence fundraising performance.

Using benchmarking to invest with conﬁdence Benchmarking turns development from a perceived cost into an evidence-based investment decision. It helps schools ask whether they are investing at the right level, and in the right activity, to achieve the income, engagement and impact they need. For example, the data shows that 43% of major gifts came from previous donors and that major gifts accounted for 73% of philanthropic income raised – evidence that today’s smaller gifts and first-time donors can become tomorrow’s transformational support. Benchmarking also highlights whether schools are investing in the capacity needed to deliver sustainable results. In 2024-25, average development office staff fell across every income group, with 41% of offices reporting reduced FTE. Yet benchmarking data consistently shows income rising with capacity: in development offices raising over £500,000 of philanthropic income a year, the average team size was 3.8 FTE, compared with 1.2 FTE in the offices raising less than £100,000. Reducing staffing levels can limit the school’s ability to acquire donors, steward relationships, secure major gifts and grow income over time.

chool leadership

atters

Benchmarking makes one thing clear: successful development is not driven by the development office alone. It depends on active, visible and informed leadership. Happily, Heads continue to prioritise development: 61% of development offices reported their Head spent more than 5% of their time on development, while those spending more than 10% rose from 19% in 2025 to 26% in 2026. Where leaders understand the long-term nature of fundraising and the conditions needed for success, schools are better placed to grow income, engage communities and sustain impact. IDPE supports school leaders to play this integral role with confidence. Find out more at idpe.org.uk/#benchmarking or contact ceo@idpe. org.uk if you would like to know more about our Fundraising for School Leaders programme. ●

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AI AND THE UNIVERSITY APPLICATION: WHY SCHOOLS NEED A POSITION OF THEIR OWN

ach autumn, thousands of sixth form pupils sit down to write the 4,000 characters that may shape the next decade of their lives. Many now do so with an AI assistant open in the next tab, and the institutions reading their work don’t agree on what that means. UCAS permits AI for brainstorming and checking, but screens every statement for similarity. Cambridge accepts it as a prompt for ideas yet bans it at interview. The Common App treats presenting AI output as one’s own work as fraud, and Brown allows nothing beyond proofreading. A school advising pupils across these systems needs its own position, ideally

calibrated to the strictest destination a pupil is applying to. That policy should extend to staff. Cardiff University advises referees to exercise extreme caution with AI, and the UCAS reference rests on professional judgement that can’t be delegated. There’s a data protection question too: entering a pupil’s personal information into a public AI tool is a matter for governance, not individual discretion. The personal statement and the reference are acts of trust: a young person vouching for their own curiosity, and a school vouching for its pupil. Software that claims to detect AI writing is unreliable, and no tool can replace

the judgement of teachers who have known a pupil’s voice and thinking over several years. Schools that protect time for genuine reflection, and supervise drafting closely, will find their word carries weight with admissions officers for many cohorts to come. ●

Learn More

Crimson Education helps applicants build authentic, compelling applications in their own voice, complementing the guidance schools already provide. crimsoneducation.org

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THE SECRET HEADMASTER

DID YOU PRAY BEFORE YOUR INTERVIEW? NAVIGATING HEADSHIP APPLICATIONS AND PROCESSES…

George Bailey takes a humorous, sideways look at the challenging interview processes many would-be Heads have to navigate to secure the ‘top job’.

“A

re you too posh for this school, Mr Bailey?” asked a governor at my shortlist interview. I wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but I started quoting some Kipling, referencing the poem ‘If ’. I slightly overdid it when I said: ‘Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch’. The subject of headship and the requisite skills one needs to succeed has been a focus of many an educational magazine. RSAcademics produced an excellent report The New Art of Headship which is well worth reading. Likewise,

observed that – in the past – they had been valued for their ‘gravitas, impressiveness and dignity’ and admired for their ‘sobriety, humanity and vision’. These qualities were, however, now – so the writer opined – considered to be passé. The modern Head, it was surmised, needed to have excellent presentation skills, be visible and know everything about everyone’s child, particularly their first names. To my mind, this viewpoint oversimplifies the situation. Of course, all Heads aspire to these qualities or skills,

One governor wondered whether I would just be ‘fat and happy’ if appointed. The A–Z of Independent School Leadership by Guy Holloway provides valuable insights into effective school leadership. I remember reading an article in The Daily Telegraph that questioned the qualities that a Head requires, and

but, at the same time, many senior school leaders are running multi-millionpound businesses and, in some cases, ‘empires’ which span the globe. For prep school Heads, the difficulty, or challenge, is that they are expected to do everything as well as everything else!

Hurdles and ditches The process of headship selection follows many different routes depending on how it is being managed. Most schools engage a recruitment agency, but others employ a retired Head or consultant; or in some cases the governors do the job themselves. The most important role of any governing body is to recruit an ‘outstanding’ Head – and there were many processes, hurdles, ditches and experiences that I faced in my numerous applications. Perseverance was certainly a prerequisite to being a Head. I was sometimes faced with psychometric testing, the Myers Briggs type – INTJ (‘The Mastermind’) or ENTJ (‘The Commander’) were always safe bets. When completing these online tests, you were never quite sure what profile the governors were looking for as it all depended on your predecessor and the strategic aims of the school. It was all about your psychological preferences and how you perceived the world around you and thus made decisions. Autumn 2026 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 49

THE SECRET HEADMASTER There was always a tour of the school prior to either the shortlist or longlist interview. It was important that you were friendly to the office staff, and that you engaged with everyone you met. It didn’t mean that you had to play hopscotch, hide and seek or hula hoop with the children at break time but, and be under no illusion, you were being observed by everyone, and their opinions would be sought.

Trial by fork There might be the dreaded ‘trial by fork’ with one’s wife or partner. You must remember that a country prep school was inevitably looking for a husband-and-wife team, ideally with young children, plus a dog (preferably a Labrador, or a Cockapoo nowadays!). It was all about meeting the parents’ and governors’ expectations. The role of a prep school Head has historically been male-dominated, and governing bodies were often quite traditional. Fortunately, this has now changed. The problem with dinner with the other candidates and governors was that everyone’s competitive nature comes to the fore. There were the pushy couples taking over the conversation or – even better – getting drunk and having to be helped into their taxis at the end of the evening. There was the pompous candidate one knew from previous applications and interviews, but who was now ‘in the zone’ and was not going to engage in any light banter or camaraderie; it was war. It was always interesting to watch the applicants’ partners vie for control. “I can do some teaching, bake a cake, knit socks, run the school tuck shop and lead the choir”, one eager wife was heard to say to the Chair.

The interview The final hurdle one had to face was the shortlist interview, which typically involved giving a presentation followed by questions from the panel. There were many decisions that had to be made before you delivered your ‘vision of the school for the next five years’ or ‘the Head’s address at an open day’. Should it 50 | schoolmanagementplus.com | Autumn 2026

be on PowerPoint, Visme, Prezi, overhead projector, whiteboard, or flip chart? Should one use notes or memorise it? Do you produce beautifully created booklets on thick Smythson card for the governors to read before, during or after the presentation? Does anyone care? My most daunting shortlist experience was for a school that had experienced a Headmaster’s sudden and unexpected departure over the summer holidays. He just upped sticks and left without telling anyone! The governors were under a lot of pressure to make the right appointment. The panel was assembled, all 18 of them, in a semi-circle with me in the centre. I felt once more drips of sweat assemble on my forehead as I looked out to the sea of senior school Heads, local county types, a few parent governors, the recruitment consultant, alumni governors, a cleaner and someone they had met on the drive that morning. It was all a bit over the top. It was only a prep school, for God’s sake. There was a quick-fire set of questions. One governor was straight out of The Fast Show, the spitting image of Rowley Birkin QC, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the immortal lines,

‘I was very, very drunk’. But I couldn’t understand a word he said. One presentation took place at the top of one of the school buildings. I was a little out of shape and, by the time I reached the summit, I was red-faced, out of breath, perspiring and certainly not relaxed. In fact, I thought that I was going to have a coronary. I feared that the statement on my application form that said I loved mountaineering was going to be seriously questioned at this point: ‘When was the last time you walked up a mountain, a hill, or some stairs?’. Possibly guessing that my recent cake intake had increased my waistline, one governor wondered whether I would just be ‘fat and happy’ if appointed. I suppose he was intimating that I was going to rest on my laurels and not take the already successful school to greater heights. At this point, I wondered whether any of these governors had been on a ‘safer recruitment’ course recently, as I was quite sure that this line of questioning was quite inappropriate. But at last, after all the applications and interviews, the stars aligned, and I was successful. Now the hard part began…’ ● From disastrous hockey matches and impossible parents to scholarship fever, WhatsApp outrage, sportsday politics, and the delicate art of surviving prize-giving, The Secret Headmaster lifts the lid on the wonderful yet absurd world of independent education.

George Bailey is the pseudonym of a headmaster who has, for the past thirty years, led an extraordinary life in the world of independent school education. The obvious allusion to the main character in the film, It’s a Wonderful Life, hopefully highlights that, in the end, all we are trying to do is our best. I have used the names of Charles Dickens’ characters to add some flavour.

In The Secret Headmaster, George Bailey offers a warm, witty, and sharply observed portrait of modern prep school life, where heads are expected to be educational visionaries, diplomats, therapists, financiers, detectives, peacekeepers, crisis managers, and occasionally Father Christmas in a borrowed beard. Full of humour, humanity, and moments of genuine insight, The Secret Headmaster is an affectionate portrait of school life and the extraordinary characters who inhabit it. A sense of humour is strongly recommended.

Secret Headmaster Publishing www.secrethead

master.co.uk

£12.99

GEORGE BAILEY is the pseudonym for a long-serving but now retired prep Headmaster. The Secret Headmaster by George Bailey (£12.99 plus pp) will be available as a signed hardback copy directly from the author or a Kindle eBook on Amazon (£4.99). Order your copy at www.secretheadmaster.co.uk

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