1 20 Clitheroe Advertiser &Times, Thursday, September 18th, 2008 www.cmheroeadvertiser.co.uk Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 01282 478111 (Advertising), 01282 422331 (Classified)


Independent schools — what they are and what they are able to offer


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0-16years Excellent exam results Caring family environment Outstanding sports & activities Traditional teaching Affordable fees


Non-selective entry


Record 2008 GCSE results: 95% 5A*-C (see website for more details) '


ADVERTISING FEATURE


Advertising co-ordinated by ZOE REYNOLDS


. ^


AN independent school has the free­ dom to set its own curriculum and freedom in the choice of its pupils. Independent schools are not depend­ ent on Government or local authori­


ty finance. Wikipedia defines independent schools


as: "not dependent upon national or local


government for financing its operation and instead operated by tuition charges, and perhaps the investment yield of


an endowment." The main advantage of independent |


schools is their ability to concentrate on i meeting the needs and aspirations of I their pupils, rather than spending too ' much time on Government-imposed tar- I gets. They have an excellent record of adding value at all levels of ability. Inde­ pendent schools a re also sometimes referred to as private schools, public schools or fee-pa}dng (or, more accurate- | ly, fee-charging) schools. The Government has begun to apply I


the term "independent" to state-funded ' academies. Academies are not dependent i


-on local authority funding and are not i subject to local authority control. How­ ever, they are not independent of state | funding and have limited freedom to i


choose which pupils they teach. Most I countries would not recognise academies I as being independent schools, and they I


OPEN DAYS


Thursday 2nd October (11am - 7pm) Monday 20th October (11am - 7pm) Wednesday 3rd December (11am - 5pm)


Places are available in our nursery, junior school and senior school for September 2009. We have limited places for an immediate start in some year groups. It's never too late to switch to private education. We operate transport throughout East Lancashire.


Moorland School, Ribblesdale Avenue. Clitherce wwyy.moorlandschool.co.uk t:01200 423833


Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Preparation for Life


HMG Co-educational Day School 3-18


are not included in the figures given I below.


Sweden has a different model, under !


which any group of 50 parents can demand state funding for an independ­ ently-run school. Something broadly | similar operates in Australia, where state | funding is provided to independent schools on a formula which pays more to disadvantaged areas. There are more than 2,500 independ­


ent schools in the UK, educating about 620,000 children. The actual number ! fluctuates more or less daily as new j schools are registered. A "school" may be very siiiall indeed: schools have to be reg- | istered if they ed u c ate five or more pupils, or even fewer in some cases. The schools can range in numbers from 30 to more than 2,000 pupils. In England, independent schools edu­


cate more than seven per’cent of the entire school age population. There are regional variations, too: in the south east, about 10 per cent of children are in independent schools and the proportion rises to 14 per cent in Inner London. Independent Schools Council members


If


Sixth Form Open Evening Thursday 25 September, 7pm


Senior School Open Evening ' Friday. 10 October, 4.30pm


Whole School Open Morning Saturday 11 October, 9.30am


A first-class education for girls and boys Small class sizes


A supportive environment . Bursaries available


QEGS is charity no 1041220 registered for iw .


. educational purposes. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.


details and a prospectus call: "■■■ : ”


^ www.qegs.blackburn.sch.uk admissions©qegs.blackburn.sch.uk


01254 686300 Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, West Park Road, Blackburn BB2 6DF From 3 months to 16 years H I D5 ETLNAHACOLHO


fThursday 25th Se|>tember: i 10.00am ■ A.00pm


Small classes (max 16) with dedicated staff


• Individual attention to enable your child to make the most of their education.


• Flexible hours to suit working parents


• Offering up to 11 GCSE's • Transport available - Tour ChildDeserves'theBest,.


...and die best is found at » . ,


, Broad Oak, Sandy Lane, Accrington 0 1 3 5 4 2 3 4 3 8 4


Hours: 8.00am- 6.00pni www.heathtandcoU^e.co.uk ' , Nursery voochefs for 3 ond 4 year olds occepted


' ^ -H e c l L l l l c l l lU .


■,, Have a look around the school, meet some of our children and have an informal chat with the staff. /■ , -wf


-


AAfe are an affordable independent school, welcoming children from all faiths. Our enhoiKed curriculum indudes music, sport and preparation for entrance examinations.


^ Children in our small dosses enjoy a friendly and ‘ -stjmuIaBngerivironmenL: ■ •,


Burnley [ Nursery & Preparatory School {for 3-11 year olds} . ^ ^ “ ^ '’''^-parkhlllschool.co.uk-- .. -K Tel:01282455622


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educate more than half a million children —more than 80 % of the pupils in the UK independent sector. # Continued on nc.\t page


St Joseph's Park Hill


A co^ducofional school (or children aged 3 - 1 1 years


You ore warmly invited to come and bring your children to our


, I Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 01282 478111 (Advertising), 01282 422331 (Classified)


• Continued from previous page What distinguishes them from


other independent schools is that t l ^ ^ r e all accredited and inspected Independent Schools Inspec­


to ra te (ISI) under a framework agreed between ISC and the Depart­ ment for Education and Skills (DIES) and the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). They also have to be accepted into member­


The skills and the strengths


INDEPENDENT schools have the freedom to experiment and innovate, and many of them have individual skills and strengths to complement the general excellence that is the hallmark of the sector. The schools appoint their own staff


and develop their own policies; they have flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and to respond to new initiatives; they can use their resources to meet particular needs and to provide facilities in keeping with modem stan­ dards. Children coming from European and other countries are welcomed into the school communities. A great strength of the independent


sector is the choice and diversity it offers. Parents can choose single-sex or co-educational schools, boarding or day schools, senior or junior schools, rural or urban schools and schools that are large or small. Independent schools provide education from age three to age 18. Many schools are "all-through" with their own nursery, primary and secondary departments. Some prepara­ tory schools have a nursery depart­ ment and a pre-preparatory depart­ ment. Classes in many independent schools


are smaller than in o th e r types of school, particularly for the younger age groups. This is when children are espe­ cially keen to learn, the foundations of a good education can be laid, and mis­ takes and learning difficulties are recognised and put r ig h t. The ISC Census 2007 reported the lowest ever pupil/teacher ratio, with one teacher for every 9.7 pupils in ISC schools. Independent schools have many


ideals in common. The sector has a strong tradition of academic attain­ ment, good examination results, sound discipline and a commitment to a wide range of sport and extra-curricular activities. Some are religious founda­ tions, many have long-established tra­ ditions, and all strive to offer a high quality of education within a frame­ work where the focus is on the develop­ ment and care of the individual. Pupils are encouraged to develop their talents and to pursue new interests through clubs and societies, spor t, outdoor activities and community service. Many schools provide help for chil­


dren whose first language is not Eng­ lish, and special tuition is available. Guardianship arrangements are avail­ able for those whose families live out­ side the United Kingdom. If parents do not think their children


are being educated properly they will take them away and send them else­ where. Because-of this, independent


Jools have to have very high stan­ In surveys carried out for ISC by


ds. ,


MORI (Market & Opinion Research International), the main reasons stat­ ed by parents for choosing independent schools include: small classes with indi­ vidual attention, high standards of education and examination results, good discipline, encouragement of a responsible attitude to school work, development of social responsibility, and extra-curricular activities.


ship of one of the five ISC Heads' Associations. So what sort of children attend


independent schools? Children from every sort of background. I t is cer­ tainly not true th a t only rich and privately-educated people send their children to independent schools. The socio-economic background of fami­ lies is varied and the pupils come from mixed and wide catchment


www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk


areas; Many of the parents have not a t ten d ed an independent school themselves. Independent schools do not have


to follow the national curriculum. They are aware of it, but for most it will represent only a basic minimum standard. They are n o t required e i th e r to employ th e Key Stage assessment tests though some prep (jimior) Schools do use Key Stage 1


Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, September 18f h, 2008 21


and 2 tests as a benchmarking exer- cise. Independent schools are not com­


pletely separate from mainstream education. Children regularly move between


independent and state-maintained sectors. For example, about a third of the children entering independent senior (secondary) schools come from state primary schools. Pupils


are, in most cases, prepared for the same final examinations (GCSE, A- level arid International Baccalaure­ ate) as at state schools, though some independent schools are using the International GCSE (IGCSE) qual­ ification, which is not currently available in state schools. There are many examples of schools in both sectors working together on projects of mutual benefit.


Take a closer look at Stonyhurst


STONYHURST is one of the country’s leading independent schools. It provides co-education for day pupils and boarders from the age of three to 18.


We are a Catholic


School in the Jesuit Charism. In addition to young Catholics, we have young people who belong to other Christian tradi­ tions, and other faiths, and we encourage all of them to play a full part in the spiritual life of the school. At the heart of the Jesuit


educational philosophy is knowing each individual pupil in our care so we can


■ help them to achieve their ful l potential in all th a t they do. ■This means having the


highest possible expecta­ tions of our pupils' academ­ ic achievements, encourag­ ing them to develop a range of sporting and a r t is t ic . interests, and urging them to accept leadership respon­ sibilities as a way of serving others. Stonyhurst was founded


in 1593 and is one of the oldest Jesuit colleges in the . world. We offer excellent facili­


ties, an enormous range of activities and opportunities, unrivalled pastoral care, a stunning environment, and a fascinating heritage, which have inspired pride and loyalty in generations of pupils. Stonyhurst is an historic building se t in a


ADVERTISING FEATURE Advertising co-ordinated by ZOE REYNOLDS


................... iiiiiirnTimrimrinniiirT^


beautiful 2,500-acre rural hurst provides a tranquil estate in Lancashire's Rib-- and spacious living and ble 'Valley. There is a strong learning environment, sense of history, and Stony- We are surrounded by


Saturday, 18th October (3+to 12+entry) Open Days


Saturday, 15th November (13+, 14+ ^ d Sixth Form entry) Trial Boarding Weekend


(Try boarding for free - for boys and girls aged 7+ to 12+) Saturday/Sunday, 11th & 12th October


For more information, please contact the Stonyhurst Admissions Office - ^ Tel: 01254 827 073, email: admissions@stonyhurst.ac.uk or complete and return the form below.


breathtaking countryside. A sense of f ami ly'a nd shared purpose is a strong fea tu re of life a t S to n y ­ hurst. Most new pupils join


Stonyhurst a t 3•^ and 4-1- (into our purpose-built Hodder House), 11-f, 13-e


and Sixth Form. We have scholarships available for 11-I-, 13-1- and Sixth Form entry.


, S to n y h u rs t is more


affordable than you think. Come and speak to us about our Bursary and Scholarship provision.


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