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The Wilderness The Wilderness Outdoor Education Centre was marketed by Bruton Knowles. I think we first saw the article on the Bruton Knowles website which is included below (It can no longer be found on their website). Then Sophie went to visit and fell in love with it. Then we saw the brochure , which is very underwhelming for such a beautiful property. The Wilderness comes to market April 2014 Sunshine gives would-be country squires chance to see manor house at its very best. Boasting fantastic panoramas over the Severn Valley and Gloucester, the Wilderness manor house near Mitcheldean is being marketed by Bruton Knowles. And agents are hoping the Bank Holiday weekend will encourage would be country squires to flock to the hilltop location to make the most of its breath-taking views. The Gloucester-based property specialists have been called in by the county council to identify new uses for the unique site – which has already seen service as a family seat, a school, isolation hospital and even an asylum. The Wilderness is made up of the ten-bedroom main house with six large reception rooms and numerous ancilliary rooms along with a range of outbuildings on some 32 acres of land. The property is for sale in two lots, the buildings, land and woodland on just over 11 acres along with 20 acres of grazing land. ​ Bids are invited by Friday May 16 for the unique site, which has dominated Plump Hill in the Forest of Dean for more than 300 years. ​ Julian Capewell from Bruton Knowles said: “We have had quite a bit of interest already through adverts and our website. But the Wilderness has to be seen to be fully appreciated and we are confident the Bank Holiday weekend will trigger further interest with formal viewing days arranged for 25th April and 9th May. ​ He said the property could be converted into a sumptuous family home or a small spa hotel. ​ “Given its location in the heart of the Forest it would also lend itself to a number of outdoor pursuits such as outward bound courses, triathlon training, abseiling, mountain biking, kayak and canoeing as well as walking. “Another potential use could be an equestrian or trekking centre as it is ideally located to explore the local forest and the main outbuildings offer significant potential for conversion (or reversion) to this role.” Julian said the handsome property boasted a bewildering array of outbuildings including barns, cottages and workshops capable of being converted into holiday homes. There is also a reproduction Saxon-style farm building and a miniature chapel. ​ Situated on the main Ross on Wye to Gloucester road, the Wilderness was built in the late 17th century-early 18th century for the Colchester-Wemyss family who were well known across Gloucestershire and beyond. The handsome house includes dining room, large kitchens, meeting rooms and two workrooms / laboratories. There are also ten large bedrooms and extensive cellars. Julian said: “The main house is something of a treasure trove – with many window offering a breathtaking view over the Forest of Dean, Severn Vale and Gloucestershire. The rooftop views are simply stunning.” There are also several additional farm and outbuildings on site which could be converted into holiday accommodation, along with a replica Anglo-Saxon House used for living history programmes and events. The house also has its own small chapel. ​ In all, the property includes 15,664 sq ft of floor space. None of the buildings are listed. Julian said: “The 32-acre site includes meadows which are home to over 80 species of wild plants. There is also a five-acre semi-wild wood which has been used for woodland study and woodland craft courses.” The site is just 30 minutes from the M5 and the M4 and is highly accessible from Bristol, Cardiff, Newport, Mid-Wales, Birmingham, Oxford and the Thames Valley. ​ Julian said: “The Wilderness is a unique location which would make an ideal project for the well-heeled and enthusiastic renovator. The premises are in need of TLC rather than JCB.” For further details contact Julian Capewell on 01452 880000 or email julian.capewell@brutonknowles.co.uk

GCSE 10 PROBLEMS OTHER FRAMEWORKS NVQ & IGCSE NEW FRAMEWORKS RSA & IMYC MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME PART OF THE IB Alternatives to GCSEs - what and why It is commonly assumed that all pupils needs to pass GCSEs at 16. This is not true, for many reasons. This section of our website looks at those reasons. It also outlines the main reasons why the MYP is a better qualification than GCSEs. Please let us know of any errors or any further information which you require. Qualifications are an overgrown thicket of acronyms and technical jargon and can be bewildering. Even the framework of levels is no longer agreed between the countries of the UK, let alone with Europe. ​ The latest framework in England is the RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework). It distinguishes nine levels: ​ 0. Entry level 1. Level 1: GCSE grades 1-3 2. Level 2: GCSE grades 4-9, MYP, Level 2 Certificates etc 3. Level 3: A level, IB Diploma 4. Level 4: Higher National Certificate 5. Level 5: Foundation Degree 6. Level 6: Bachelor's Degree 7. Level 7: Master's Degree, PGCE 8. Level 8: Ph.D / D.Phil ​ Typically a qualification called an "Award" means less than 120 hours total qualification time (TQT); a Certificate is 120- 370 hours and a Diploma is over 370 hours. Total qualification time for most GCSEs is 120 hours and they are usually studied over 2 years in Years 10 and 11 of secondary school. Details for every qualification can be found on the Ofqual Register . ​ GCSEs: Ten Problems BACK TO TOP “We absolutely need to move from a curriculum that is “knowledge-rich” to one that is “knowledge-engaged” – not learning facts for their own sake but understanding how to put them to use to build and communicate a rich argument or solve a problem. It is now time for education policy to catch up…. That means quietly putting to sleep the GCSE exams that I introduced and that have now had their day.” – Kenneth Baker, former Secretary of State for Education, 2019 Much of the material presented in schools strikes students as alien, if not pointless.” – Howard Gardner “Schools have not necessarily much to do with education…they are mainly institutions of control where certain basic habits must be inculcated in the young. Education is quite different and has little place in school.” – Winston Churchill Who does not recall school at least in part as endless dreary hours of boredom punctuated by moments of high anxiety?” – Daniel Goleman “I believe that school makes complete fools of our young men, because they see and hear nothing of ordinary life there.” – Petronius, Satyricon “What’s the difference between a bright, inquisitive five-year-old, and a dull, stupid nineteen-year-old? Fourteen years of the British educational system.” – Bertrand Russell "I cringe to look at a GCSE curriculum" - Simon Jenkins, The Guardian Feb 2022 The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) were introduced in 1986 to establish a qualification for those leaving education at 16. THIS IS PROBLEM ONE ​ Reforms Between 2005 and 2010 most of the coursework elements (modular) were lessened and the final-exam (linear) became more important. Further reforms between 2015 and 2018 replaced the old letter grades with numerical grades and removed all coursework elements completely. THIS IS PROBLEM TWO ​ JCQ GCSEs are examined by three different awarding organisations in England: AQA, OCR and Pearson Edexcel. There are also boards for Wales and Northern Ireland. All five boards are overseen by the JCQ which inspects exam centres, and sets the regulations for administering exams (delivery of papers, invigilation, collection and marking). THIS IS PROBLEM THREE ​ EBacc From around 2011 governments have been pushing the idea of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) as an ideal balanced curriculum which state schools SHOULD aim for. The subjects included are: ​ 1. M aths [1 qualification] 2. E nglish Language and English Literature [2] 3. S cience (Combined) or 3 of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computing. [2 or 3] 4. H umanities (History or Geography) [1] 5. Foreign Language (either Modern or Ancient) [1] ​ (We use the acronym MESH to remember the first four, core, subjects). The total number of qualifications taken in the EBacc is thus 7 or 8. One immediate criticism was that all the creative and vocational subjects were excluded. THIS IS PROBLEM FOUR ​ Results The traditional benchmark for passing level at GCSE level used to be a C grade and is now a 4. Good data exists showing the percentage of all entries which are pass marks or higher for every year since 1988. This is summarised below: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In thirty years the number of entries at pass level or above has increased by almost 60%. It is hard to see how this does not classify as the dreaded grade inflation. THIS IS PROBLEM FIVE ​ Stress According to a report in the Independent students in 2019 were subjected to more exams and spent longer in the exam hall than their 2016 counterparts. While a GCSE student in 2016 had an average of 18 exams to prepare for, totalling 24.5 hours, the average examinee in 2019 sat 22 exams – for a total of 33 hours. ​ The impact this is having on students' mental health is beginning to be revealed. The TES reported that 76% of headteachers who were asked about this reported students suffering panic attacks, 65% reported students suffering from depression, and 56% reported that students were self-harming. This is a shocking finding: in over half of all schools some students are self-harming because of the pressure of GCSEs. THIS IS PROBLEM SIX ​ Reliability There are two measures of how well a test measures what it is supposed to test. The first is Reliability, which refers to the consistency of a measure - whether the same results can be reproduced under the same conditions. Because exams are one-time only events we don't have much data to go on, but the simple fact that they are one-time events must mitigate against their reliability. Performance on a single day, with all the variables of sleep, anxiety, actual questions, revision practice, motivation and so on must surely mean that as a measure it is less reliable than data collected over multiple events at multiple times. THIS IS PROBLEM SEVEN ​ Validity The second measure of a test is validity, which refers to the accuracy of a measure - whether the results do represent what they are supposed to measure. Here we do have some data to work with because we can compare results at GCSE with results at A level. If GCSE outcomes are measuring some underlying degree of knowledge and interest in a subject then there should be strong correlations between scores at GCSE and scores at A levels, only two years later. Ofqual did this analysis in 2017 looking at all A level candidates in every subject in 2013. Correlations varied between subjects from a low of 0.54 to a high of 0.64 which are all moderate correlations ​. This means that only about 25% of the variability of the A level grades is accounted for by the GCSE grades! This surely raises some doubt about the validity of GCSE grades as a measure of aptitude ? THIS IS PROBLEM EIGHT ​ Relevance This is becoming increasingly talked about but is hard to pin down. Students (and parents and journalists ) regularly complain of the boredom and the pointlessness of their study but this is hardly scientific. Within the IB approach there is an explicit definition of the areas (or dimensions) of learning which should be measured: Knowledge, Understanding, Skills and Attributes (KUSA). The best criticism of GCSEs is that they concentrate almost exclusively on the first of these dimensions, which happens to be the one which is becoming most easily replaced by technology. THIS IS PROBLEM NINE ​ Cross-border Recognition The GCSE qualification is recognised in England and Wales, but not Scotland. It is also officially recognised in some former Commonwealth territories, such as Gibraltar and Nigeria. Otherwise it is only transferred to other countries with difficulty. THIS IS PROBLEM TEN ​ 1990 47.7 1995 53.0 2000 56.6 2005 61.2 2010 69.1 2015 69.0 2020 75.9 Anchor 1 Other Frameworks: Vocational Qualifications Vocational qualifications (VQs) in general are work-related qualifications, which means they concentrate on the Knowledge and Skills needed for specific workplaces. Because of this, the range and variety of vocational qualifications at Levels 1 and 2 is enormous. They are a good option for students who know early on in their education what type of career they want to follow. The better known frameworks include: ​ BTECs (Business and Technology Education Council) Cambridge Nationals and Technicals: 2 year course for 14-16 year olds. Functional Skills: essentially literacy and numeracy (used to be called Key Skills) City and Guilds, eg the new TechBac NVQ (National Vocational Qualifications): awarded by a plethora of very career-specific awarding bodies ​ There are too many subjects to list but some of the better known ones are: ​ Accounting, Animal care, Beauty therapy, Construction, Child Development, Food technology, Hairdressing, Hospitality, Journalism, Plumbing, Retail. ​ Snobbery about vocational qualifications appears to be widely entrenched (sample articles here , here , here , and here ); but there are counter-movements, such as the rise of 'artisans' in all areas, such as the butcher , the baker , the candle maker (all local companies), and the appearance of books such as Head, Hand and Heart by David Goodhart and the wonderful, austere "Truck" by John Jerome (full title "On Rebuilding a Worn-Out Pickup and Other Post-Technological Adventures"), not to be confused with the whimsical "Truck" by Michael Perry (full title "A Love Story"). ​ ​ “Joinery, it now occurs to me, must be the foundation of all craft. You put two things together to make something else, to accomplish some purpose; the better they fit, or work together, the greater the pleasure from the making.” (John Jerome, Stone Work, 1989) BACK TO TOP Anchor 2 Other Frameworks: Other National and International Qualifications BACK TO TOP 1. IGCSE ​ The International GCSE is simply an internationalised version of the UK GCSEs. For each subject the syllabus is essentially the same but the examples and scenarios are all global rather than UK-based. Two exam boards now offer IGCSES, Cambridge and Pearson, and they are very widely used across the world. ​ Ofqual In the UK Ofqual does not currently recognise IGCSEs and so, even though all universities recognise them, state schools are not permitted to teach them. This has led to suggestions that private schools cheat the system by doing 'easier' GCSEs but there is no evidence to support this and many teachers feel that ICGSEs are actually harder than GCSEs. ​ History The IGCSE was originally developed by the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), now rebranded as Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE). Please bear with me as the next bit is complicated. CAIE is part of Cambridge Assessment, the trading name of UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate) which is a non-teaching department of Cambridge University. Rather bizarrely in 2021 Cambridge Assessment merged with Cambridge University Press (the oldest university press in the world) and is now called Cambridge University Press & Assessment. ​ Even more confusingly Cambridge Assessment includes the GCSE board OCR as one of its examination boards. These relationships are as complex as you would expect from an ancient University! ​ UCLES: trading name was Cambridge Assessment, now rebranded as Cambridge University Press and Assessment subsidiaries include: OCR (does GCSEs) Cambridge Assessment International Education (does IGCSEs) ​ The Cambridge IGCSE is currently taught in more than 4500 schools in over 140 countries and over 70 subjects. The Pearson IGCSE is much smaller: it is currently taught in more than 80 countries and is available in 37 subjects. A very recent entrant to the field is the OxfordAQA IGCSE which is a partnership between Oxford University Press and AQA. But it is not clear if there is room in the marketplace for another competitor - they have their work cut out. ​ Cambridge Pathway At Wotton House we use the Cambridge Primary Curriculum in our Prep department. We discuss this in more detail here. This is the first stage of the 'Cambridge Pathway' which offers the Cambridge Lower Secondary (11-14) before the Cambridge Upper Secondary (the IGCSEs we have been discussing) and then Cambridge Advanced for 16-19 year olds. ​ Cambridge International Certificate of Education (ICE) One final aspect of the Cambridge IGCSE is worth discussing. The Cambridge ICE is a certificate which can be gained by passing seven subjects from five different subject Groups: The seven subjects are made up by taking two Languages (ie normally English and another language), one from each of the next four Groups and a seventh from any of the Groups. As a model this is far more balanced than the EBacc, with the inclusion of vocational and creative subjects - and very similar to the MYP approach, as we outline below. Unfortunately it is almost completely unknown in the UK - no schools offer it at all! Cambridge claim that it is popular in the USA and South America but not many schools appear on a google search. ​ 2. USA In the USA secondary education covers the years 11-18 (grade 6 to grade 12). The first three years are often at Middle School, or Junior High; the final four years are at High School, or Senior High. In general, secondary education ends with the award of a High School Diploma at the age of 17 or 18 - normally in at least 6 subjects but this varies from state to state. There are no high stakes exams at 16 or any equivalent to GCSEs. However, universities in the UK tend to treat High School Diplomas as academically equivalent to GCSEs and not A levels. ​ 3. Ireland In Ireland the systems is similar to the UK with one big difference. The Junior Certificate is taken at 16 after a three year course in 9-11 subjects. The Leaving Certificate is taken at 18 after a two year course, normally covering 6-8 subjects. ​ The difference in this (courtesy of Wikipedia ): "There is an optional year in many secondary schools in Ireland known as Transition Year , which some students choose to take after completing the Junior Certificate, and before starting the Leaving Certificate. Focusing on broadening horizons, the year is often structured around student projects such as producing a magazine, charity work, or running a small business. Regular classes may be mixed with classes on music, drama, public speaking, and with work experience". This seems like an inspired idea and I am surprised it is not better known, nor more widely copied. ​ 4. Italy This is a different model from any of the others we have considered. Secondary education lasts 8 years from 11 to 19, divided into two stages. The first ends at 14 with a final exam which awards a diploma. Students are then assigned to one of three streams, Humanities, Science or Vocational, for the next 5 years but covering the full range of subjects. ​ I. Languages II. Humanities III. Sciences IV. Mathematics V. Professional and Creative Anchor 3 New Frameworks BACK TO TOP Many schools, in the UK and overseas, are exploring alternatives to GCSEs. Some have been going for years and some are very speculative. The main forum for discussing alternatives is Rethinking Assessment . According to this Guardian article even Gavin Baker who devised GCSEs now thinks they need replacing. Articles such as this , regularly appear with titles like "GCSEs are a waste of time " but they usually turn out to be frustratingly short on detail, if long on similar quotes: ​ “I think many heads would say that in thirty years time, maybe sooner, we’ll look back and say what we were doing now with young people is the equivalent of what the Victorians did with building their school rooms with windows high up so they couldn’t look out, and putting people in dunce caps,” Rose Hardy, head of the Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls told a conference earlier in November (2019) . This section looks at three published frameworks intended for widespread use and four individual school's curricula. Please send details of others if you feel they should be added. ​ International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) Fieldwork Education was founded in 1984 by two headteachers as a consultancy to help schools; backed by Shell it launched the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in 2000 and the IMYC in 2011. In 2013 it became part of Nord Anglia Education which owns a 'family' of 78 international schools. Its only UK presence is in Oxford where it bought Oxford International College, Oxford Sixth Form College and d'Overbroecks College in March 2021. ​ The IPC is used in over 1,000 schools in over 90 countries. It is based around thematic units of learning and aims to develop eight personal goals which are very reminiscent of the IB Learner Profile: Adaptable, Communicator, Collaborator, Empathetic, Ethical, Resilient, Respectful, Thinker. We used it at Cambridge International School and it is a lot of fun. ​ The IMYC is a curriculum developed for 11-14 year olds and is built around the idea of conceptual Big Ideas which link different subjects together. Again this looks like a straight borrow from the IB. Fieldwork do not disclose how many schools use the IMYC but Forest International School in Paris say on their website that it is used by 103 schools in 50 countries. ​ Universal Learning Programme (ULP) In the world of international education Ecolint (the International School of Geneva) is one of the most revered names - one of the largest international schools and probably the oldest. Many of the pioneers of the IB worked there, which makes this new development rather surprising. Ecolint's Grande Boissière campus has worked with Unesco's International Bureau of Education to produce a new programme for secondary education, called the Universal Learning Programme (ULP). This has been written up in glowing terms in the TES here and here . ​ The claim seems to be that " modern education should be based on four developmental cornerstones, or competencies: character, passion, mastery and collaboration." An approach that flows from these will lead to authentic "deep understanding". There is not enough detail here, or on the Ecolint website to really examine these claims or to see how it works in practice. ​ RSA Opening Minds The RSA (Royal Society of Arts) launched a new framework called Open Minds in the early 2000s. The idea is a competency-based framework covering five broad domains: Citizenship, Learning, Managing Information, Relating to People, Managing Solutions (CLIPS). However, these are very much a close relative of the MYP's Approaches to Learning (ATL) which has been central to the MYP since its inception. ​ The RSA website makes some strong claims: ​ "A competence based approach enables students not just to acquire subject knowledge but to understand, use and apply it in the within the context of their wider learning and life. It also offers students a more holistic and coherent way of learning which allows them to make connections and apply knowledge across different subject areas. Opening Minds was developed and supported by the RSA and is now being used in over 200 schools across the country." ​ The RSA set up RSA Academies in 2011 to sponsor schools. It grew to become a family of 9 schools in the West Midlands but is closing down on March 31, 2022, having, apparently, " accomplished its purposes ". ​ The impression is that it is fading away, to paraphrase Eliot, not with a bang or even a whimper. ​ Bedales This famously progressive school developed its own qualification called Bedales Assessed Courses (BACs) were born, with a heavy emphasis on research, extended writing, discussion and – above all – the development of “inquisitiveness and independent thought ”. ​ Sevenoaks As a response to frustration with traditional syllabuses, Sevenoaks School Certificates (SSCs) focus on developing independent investigation skills, and are now offered in seven subjects, including a pioneering technology and robotics. ​ St Edwards School, Oxford The St Edward’s School Certificate (SESC) is an integrated programme that respects the direct relationships between the way young people are taught, what they learn and how they learn. St Edwards assesses students work within a textured final folio. The folios are examined against 4 equally weighted criteria: Knowledge; Creativity; Communication; and Self-Management. This looks to me like a direct copy from the MYP. ​ Acorn School, Nailsworth One of the articles on Ecolint referenced above points out that Acorn School has successfully avoided all public examinations yet still managed to have students accepted at universities worldwide. ​ The article ends with a hopeful call to arms: " An Association of School and College Leaders survey in the UK found that 86 per cent of leaders supported the reform or scrapping of GCSEs as they stand. Perhaps, hopefully, possibly, a silver lining of the horrors of Covid-19 will be the raising of yet more trumpets, Joshua-style, to bring the wretched walls of GCSEs finally tumbling down." ​ Alternative Schools Rather oddly all of the well-known alternative schools, such as those listed in this article in Green Parent (2018), offer mainstream GCSEs or A levels: eg Sands School, Steiner Academy Exeter, New Forest Small School, Brockwood Park, Brighton Steiner, Michael Hall and Elmfield. ​ Anchor 4 Acerca del Programa de los Años Intermedios del Bachillerato Internacional BACK TO TOP En Wotton House International School, estamos orgullosos de ser solo una de las 15 escuelas a las que se les ha otorgado autorización para enseñar el Programa de los Años Intermedios del Bachillerato Internacional (PAI), un programa educativo altamente respetado y reconocido internacionalmente para niños de 11 a 16 años. Conduce naturalmente al Diploma de Bachillerato Internacional y Programas de Carrera para aplicaciones universitarias en todo el mundo. Anchor 5 Summary The table below summarises what we think are the main differences between the GCSE programme and the MYP, with reference also to the other main international curricula which we know about. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In an article I wrote for Independent Education Today in 2020 I outlined some of the reasons why we believe that the MYP is a better preparation for adult life than GCSEs. There have also been a series of articles in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) outlining the benefits of the MYP, such as this one by Ian Thurston and this one by Emily Hardwicke . The TES also published my piece called "We're a UK school teaching the IB's MYP - here's why." ​ This seems not to be available on the TES website any longer but surprisingly is referenced in the Wikipedia article on the MYP. ​ The TES also published an article outlining four ways teachers want GCSEs changed: Over 80 % of FE and secondary teachers thought that it was better to award GCSEs and A levels based on continuous assessment throughout the course "rather than rely on final high-stakes exams alone". Nearly two-thirds of teachers – 65 % – said that the range of subjects they feel they can offer at key stages 4 and 5 is limited by funding and accountability pressures. Teachers also felt strongly that they should be given more responsibility for assessments."78 % of teachers said they wanted more autonomy for conducting summative assessment." ​ So the question has to be, if the MYP is so good, why has it not been more widely adopted in the UK? There are obviously many factors at work but one of them seems to be the widely-held belief that GCSEs are essential for our children's future. I hope that the rest of this website will go some way to convincing you that the MYP is more than sufficient as preparation for the future, and in practice, is richer, longer-lasting and more stimulating. ​ BACK TO TOP

Fechas de mandato para 2021/22 Término de verano 2021 Martes 20 de abril - Viernes 9 de julio de 2021 Medio trimestre: lunes 31 de mayo - viernes 4 de junio Término de otoño 2021 Staff INSET: miércoles 1 de septiembre Inicio de las clases: jueves 2 de septiembre Medio trimestre: viernes 22 de octubre (15.40 horas para Prep y 16.20 horas para Escuela principal) al domingo 7 de noviembre Termina el período: miércoles 15 de diciembre (15.00 horas para Pre-Prep y 16.00 horas para la escuela principal) Término de primavera de 2022 Staff INSET: martes 4 de enero Inicio de clases: miércoles 5 de enero Medio trimestre: viernes 18 de febrero (15.40 horas para Prep y 16.20 horas para Escuela Principal) hasta el domingo 27 de febrero Termina el período: viernes 1 de abril (15.40 horas para la preparación y 16.20 horas para la escuela principal) Término de verano 2022 Staff INSET: Lunes 25 de abril Inicio de las clases: martes 26 de abril Medio trimestre: viernes 27 de mayo (15.40 horas para la preparación y 16.20 horas para la escuela principal) al domingo 5 de junio Semana del proyecto: del lunes 4 de julio al jueves 7 de julio Termina el período: jueves 7 de julio (15.40 hrs para Prep y 16.20 hrs para Main School) Estas son fechas provisionales a partir del 26/04/2021

MYP Arts (Visual and Performing) INTRODUCTION Our art lessons will give pupils the chance to make connections and try their hand at all sorts of creative processes. We’ll cover drawing… painting… pottery… still life… sculpture… 3D… pastels, and more. Output from our art lessons will fill our walls, classrooms and grounds with vibrant life and colour and show just how creative children can be with the right encouragement. We’ll also help develop our pupils’ critical appreciation, exploring the work of artists, designers and crafts from different cultures and times, observing differences and similarities. Local artists, illustrators and craftspeople will be invited into school to talk about their work and what inspires them. ​ Students develop through creating, performing and presenting arts in ways that engage and convey feelings, experiences and ideas. It is through this practice that students acquire new skills and master those skills developed in prior learning. ​ Students have opportunities to function as artists, as well as learners of the arts. ​ AIMS The aims of the teaching and study of MYP arts are for students to: create and present art develop skills specific to the discipline engage in a process of creative exploration and (self-)discovery make purposeful connections between investigation and practice understand the relationship between art and its contexts respond to and reflect on art deepen their understanding of the world ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Criterion A: Knowing and understanding Criterion B: Developing skills Criterion C: Thinking creatively Criterion D: Responding ​ ​​ IB SUBJECT GUIDES 1. Subject Brief 2. Subject Guide ​ WOTTON HOUSE CURRICULUM OUTLINES Visual Arts 2021-22 Drama 2021-22 Visual Arts 2019-20 Drama 2019-20 Visual Arts 2018-19 Drama 2018-19 Visual Arts 2017-18 Drama 2017-18 ​ TEACHING DEPARTMENT ​ Head of Department: Kay Rambaud ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Head of Drama: Nathan Hutchings ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Back to MYP Page

1. Distances from Gloucester 2. Distances from London 200 miles to Paris 300 miles to Edinburgh 700 miles to Barcelona 900 miles to Rome 1,500 miles to Istanbul or Moscow 3,000 miles to Accra 3,500 miles to New York 4000 miles to Delhi 5,000 miles to Beijing 6,000 miles to Tokyo or Cape Town 7,000 miles to Buenos Aires 8,000 miles is the diameter of the Earth (ie through the middle) 10,000 miles to Sydney But the circumference of the earth is 25,000 miles (π * diameter) Surface area of the earth is 4πr2 or approximately 200 million. 3. Interesting School Groups in the UK School Groups in the UK - originally 2017 - updated 2019 - updated 2022 Broadway Education Buckswood Education Group Cambridge Education Group Carfax Education Group David Game College Group (DGC) Dukes Education Group Education Development Trust Elite Education Group Oxford International Education Group The Woodard Corporation Prospects Education Chatsworth Schools Broadway Education (family owned) Talbot House Prep School, Bournemouth Moyles Court School, Hampshire St Michael's School, South Wales Bosworth Independent College, Northampton (But this is also under David Game!) Buckswood Education Group (ad vitam paramus – we are preparing for life) Buckswood School (Hastings 11-18, 450 pupils) Owned by Giles Sutton (Head) For a while they also ran St Mary in the Castle, Hastings art centre/ cafe! Not clear if they still do … Buckswood Sports Academies Buckswood, St George's College (16+ 35 pupils for pre-U) BOS: Buckswood Overseas Schools (Buckswood Worldwide): Nigeria, Georgia, Swaziland Buckswood Overseas Summer School (BOSS) (8-17, 15 max) Buckswood Lions Group Centre (Hastings, 10-16, 28 pupils) BGE: Buckswood Global Education – consultancy BEAT Buckswood Education, Adventure and Travel Cambridge Education Group Academic colleges: CATS College University pathways: ONCAMPUS Creative Arts: Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts English Language: Stafford House International Activity courses: Stafford Summer Digital: CEG Digital Carfax Education Group (Alexander Nikitich, Founder) - offices in London, Oxford, Dubai, Monaco, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Baku, Kiev, and Tokyo Carfax Consultants Carfax Recruitment Carfax Tutors Carfax Projects Carfax College (plus Phileas Fox Nursery, London & Maysville Academy, Kentucky) Carfax Guardians ​ David Game College Group (DCG) 1. London Albemarle College, London David Game College, Notting Hill Kensington Academy of English London School of Dramatic Art Notting Hill Tutors Westminster Tutors David Game Higher Education London Film Academy London School of Publishing London School of Public Relations UK Abacus College, Oxford Oxford Language Centre Bath Academy, Bath Bosworth Independent College, Northampton Overseas Cavendish Africa University Group David Game Management School, Thailand International School Mandalay Westminster School & College, Karachi Dukes Education Group (Glenn Hawkins MD, Aatif Hassan, Founder) Three schools: Fine Arts College, Acorn House College, Rochester Independent College Summer Schools Consultancy Education Development Trust (formerly CfBT Education Trust) CfBT Schools Trust – 16 school multi-academy Private schools (4) St Andrews, Rochester (prep) Oakfields Prep, Dulwich Danesfield Manor School, Surrey (prep) International School of Cape Town School inspection, English language teaching, school system reform, careers service provider. Elite Education Group Consultancy, tutoring, concierge Oxford International Education Group Academic Studies: Oxford Tutorial College (OTC), d'Overbroeck's, Pathways, Oxbridge Advanced Studies Programme Language Education Educational Tours (was ISIS Education & Travel) The Woodard Corporation: Schools WOODARD INCORPORATED SCHOOLS (independent) Abbots Bromley School, Staffordshire including Abbots Bromley Preparatory School Abbots Bromley International College, Staffordshire (opened in September 2015) Ardingly College, West Sussex including Ardingly College Prep School Bloxham School, Oxfordshire The Cathedral School, Llandaff, South Glamorgan Denstone College, Staffordshire Denstone College Preparatory School at Smallwood Manor, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire Ellesmere College, Shropshire Hurstpierpoint College, West Sussex including Hurstpierpoint College Preparatory School King’s College, Taunton, Somerset King’s Hall School, Taunton, Somerset Lancing College, West Sussex including Lancing College Preparatory School at Hove and Lancing College Preparatory School at Worthing The Peterborough School, Cambridgeshire Prestfelde School, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Queen Mary’s School, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire St James’ School, Great Grimsby, NE Lincolnshire Worksop College, Nottinghamshire including Worksop College Preparatory School, Retford WOODARD ACADEMIES Kings Priory School, Tyne & Wear The Littlehampton Academy, West Sussex St Augustine Academy, Kent St Peter’s Academy, Staffordshire The Sir Robert Woodard Academy, West Sussex AFFILIATED SCHOOLS (maintained sector) The Bishop of Hereford’s Bluecoat School, Herefordshire Bishop Stopford School, NorthamptonshireBishop Stopford’s School, London The Bishops’ Blue Coat Church of England High School, Cheshire Crompton House Church of England School, Lancashire Dyson Perrins Church of England Academy, Worcestershire King Solomon International Business School, Birmingham (opened in September 2015) St Andrew’s CE School and Sixth Form, Surrey St Marylebone CE School, London St Olave’s Grammar School, Kent St Peter’s Church of England Aided School, Devon S Peter’s Collegiate School, West Midlands St Saviour’s and St Olave’s Church of England School, London St Wilfrid’s Church of England Academy, Lancashire Trinity Church of England School, Kent Trinity Lewisham, London Wren Academy, London ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS (independent sector) Alderley Edge School for Girls, Cheshire Exeter Cathedral School, Devon King’s School, Rochester, Kent OVERSEAS SCHOOLS Woodard Langalanga Secondary School, Gilgil, Kenya ​ Prospects Education School Improvement Careers and Skills Back office support Education Resources Outdoor Education (South Cerney) Independent Education (Gabbitas) Chatsworth Schools: Backed by Synova; run by Anita Gleave, formerly with ISP. Established 2018. Benedict House Preparatory School. Crown House School. Duchess Nursery Parsons Green. Hall School Wimbledon. Highfield Preparatory School. Griffin House School. Pattison College. Swinbrook House Nursery School Marylebone. The Village Prep School Duchess Nursery Abingdon Duchess Nursery Steventon Duchess Nursery Wallingford Beech Hall School Riverston School 4. Gloucestershire Parliamentary Constituencies Cheltenham Cotswolds Forest of Dean Gloucester Stroud Tewkesbury Useful Quotes ​ “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccesful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” — Calvin Coolidge A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. John Shedd “If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.” — Henry Ford Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." Churchill If a child can't learn the way we teach maybe we should teach the way they learn. Ignacio Estrada “What information consumes is the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” Herbert Simon "A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." David Brinkley “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all” — Aristotle “Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” ― African proverb An egg is possibly the greatest invention in the infinite history of everything. It is ergonomic, it is satisfying, it contains protein and fat in two colours. And if you don't want to eat it right away, it'll turn into a chicken. - AAGill. Painting the grass green and the coal black has been a feature of any organisation subject to external inspection. TES In theory, theory & practice are the same. In practice, they are not. -Einstein To have respect for ourselves guides our morals, to have a deference for others governs our manners. - Lawrence Sterne, Tristram Shandy. A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes -Gandhi ​ ​ I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

Our Model 1. Early Versions 2. Inspirations 3. Former Gloucestershire Schools 4. Dimensions and Domains Early Versions ​ It Takes a Village (2015) Admissions Aims (2018) IVE Curriculum Background (2018) Inspirations ​ Aarhus Academy for Global Education (AAGE), Denmark: The School of a Thousand Hearts "Pupils discover their own sense of who they are and what roles they would like to play in a complex and changing world." ​ Bedales "The school aims to develop inquisitive thinkers with a love of learning who cherish independent thought. It seeks to: enable talents to develop through doing and making; foster individuality and encourage initiative, creativity and the appreciation of the beautiful. It aims to enable all to take pride in the community and feel nourished and valued by it, and to foster interest beyond the school." Bedales was founded in 1893 as an alternative to the education regimes of the period, and moved to its Hampshire site in 1900. ​ Bradfield Diploma "The Bradfield Diploma is an exciting programme, which aims to increase the breadth and depth of our co-curricular programme by rewarding individual pupils for their participation and application. All pupils in the Shell (Year 10) and Fifth Form (Year 11) pursue the Diploma. The focus of the Diploma is on pupil-led initiatives where pupils take on the additional responsibilities of recording and reflecting on their achievements. The Diploma enables the pupils to develop many of the other personal attributes that the College feels are important in our pupils’ development. The Diploma, which has the support of national exam board WJEC, culminates in elite awards of Gold, Silver and Bronze, as well as a Pass Diploma." There are ten key components of the Diploma that each pupil needs to complete: Academic Research Cultural Physical Public speaking Responsibility Community service/charity Reading Current affairs Outward bound activity ​ Hollinsclough Academy We firmly believe and fully support a parent’s right to choose to home-educate their child or children. ​ Elves and Fairies Woodland Nursery, Dorset Its goal is to teach the importance of nature. Children show unusually high levels of confidence and independence as a result of them being left to enjoy the open air. Kirsteen Freer, 57, who started the nursery in 2007, said: ‘We believe that the closer to nature the children are the happier they will be and the more they will learn.' ​ Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School (LAB). The schools co-founders, Erin Mote and Eric Tucker, are constantly on a quest to innovate and welcome the opportunity to iterate as they grow. Toward the end of its first year, LAB was introduced to a draft of the MyWays Framework, developed by Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC), which outlines 20 competencies that students need for future success. The competencies are grouped into four quadrants: Content Knowledge, Creative Know-How, Habits of Success and Wayfinding Abilities. The framework came at the perfect time as Mote and Tucker were investigating how to incorporate essential non academic skills that supported their shifting vision of student success. ​ Ravensbourne School We pride ourselves on our innovative & progressive approach to education. Through our continuing development of how students are educated, the School has created the Outdoor Learning Initiative & Vocational Education, or, OLIVE. OLIVE consists of 4 learning zones within the School, comprising a Farm, Allotment & Orchard, Woodland and Wildlife Pond. At the centre of the OLIVE is the Cottage, complete with a dedicated Farm-Classroom, which is the central hub of how OLIVE operates within the School. The Farm is located in the heart of the school and is home to a pair of pigs, goats, sheep, a dozen free range egg laying chickens, ducks, brahma hens and their cockerel. We have a family of rabbits and guinea pigs who enjoy their own private patch of grass. ​ Big Picture Learning was established in 1995 with the sole mission of putting students directly at the center of their own learning. BPL co-founders Dennis Littky and Elliot Washor merged their thirty years of experience as teachers and principals and their distinct national reputations to launch this new innovation in education. With an intention to demonstrate that schooling and education can and should be radically changed, Big Picture Learning was born. ​ 4-H A network of youth organisations, based in the USA, with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development". Its original motto was "head, heart, hands and health" but is now "to make the best better". Originally based around farming, nowadays it focuses on citizenship, healthy living, science, engineering, and technology programs. It is similar to the DofE programmes in the UK but it is a shame that it has no UK counterpart (I have asked!). ​ Liberty Woodland School , Britain’s first fully outdoor school. "The private primary school in southwest London teaches all its lessons in the tree-lined grounds of Morden Lodge, a Georgian property owned by the National Trust. ... Secondary classes begin lessons in September and will follow the International Baccalaureate curriculum. Once that is established, Barrett plans to convert to a free school or academy." Source: The Times. February 05 2022. ​ ​ ​ Former Gloucestershire Schools ​ Upfield School, Stroud "In the immediate post-war years many parents were unable to find a satisfactory Boys’ School in the Stroud area. Upfield Boys’ Preparatory School was therefore opened at Stratford Lodge in September 1949 to meet this need." Upfield flourished for over twenty-four years under its founder, Mr John Buchanan Nelson (1912-89). The school was then given a new lease of life, under Mr Tony Smith, as ‘Nelsons School’. The school eventually closed its door in the summer of 1988. "The once-familiar (and sometimes disturbing) feature of Nelson’s life: the donkey, the peacock, the motor-bike, as well as the much used canoe and skis .. Stern, forbearing, courteous, light of touch; one of life’s beloved teachers; one of the life-givers. The motto: a shield divided into three segments displaying a book, a hand and an owl under the words ‘Mens et Manus’ – Mind and Hand." ​ Selwyn School, Matson House, Gloucester Matson House was a private school for girl's called Selwyn School (1958 to 1997); it is apparently haunted but is now a care home for adults. During the siege of Gloucester in the Civil War it was Charles I's headquarters. The Independent reported in 1993: "THE HEADMASTER of a girls' public school has resigned after pornography magazines were found in his study, it emerged yesterday. Customs investigators questioned Alan Beatson after a Dutch magazine was intercepted on its way to him in the post .... Earlier this month Mr Beatson left his £40,000-a-year post at the 380-pupil school, which takes girls from nursery age up to 19. The school governors say the headmaster, who held the job for three years, resigned on doctor's advice because of ill health." ​ It is extraordinary that more information about this school is not available on the internet. It was in existence for 39 years yet almost nothing remains. ​ Dimensions and Domains The Learning Record outlines 5 dimensions of learning: Confidence and independence Skills and strategies Knowledge and Understanding Use of prior and emerging experience Reflection ​ The Golden Future (ie Osho) divides education into 5 dimensions: Informative (history, languages) Sciences The Art of Living (including love and humour) Creativity The Art of Dying (including meditations) ​ The Dimensions of Learning Model (Marzano et al) also identifies 5 dimensions: Attitudes and Perceptions Acquire and Integrate Knowledge Extend and Refine Knowledge Use Knowledge Meaningfully Habits of Mind ​ 6D of Health Discover The 6 Domains Of Health: Hack Your Way To Unlimited Health & Successful Aging ​ ​

External Candidates General Information We are an approved exam centre for AQA, Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge and we accept entries from private candidates. ​ Not all subjects are available to private candidates. Those subjects with coursework elements or practical assessments are not available at our centre. We can take entries for GCSEs, IGCSEs and A levels. We cannot take entries for Edexcel’s International A levels (IAL). The main subjects we do are English Language, English Literature and Maths, but we can accommodate other subjects. Entry forms can be downloaded here (for .docx) and here (for .pdf). We charge a centre administration fee which covers all our administration such as providing information prior to entry, making entries, our registration with the exam boards, invigilation and provision of results and appeals services. This fee is currently £345 per qualification. This fee is in addition to the exam board’s entry fees , details of which can be found by following the links below: ​ AQA: https://www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/entries/entry-fees Pearson Edexcel: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/centre-administration/fees.html#step1 Cambridge: Fees are not publicly available, please enquire Frequently Asked Questions ​ Which exam board should I enter with? Before considering taking an exam you should be familiar with the exam board’s syllabus; these are available on the exam boards’ websites: ​ AQA: https://www.aqa.org.uk/qualifications Pearson Edexcel: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications.html Cambridge: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/ Can I do BTECs? No, we don’t do BTECs only GCSEs, iGCSEs, A levels and Cambridge O levels. Can you arrange the spoken language endorsement for English Language? Yes, we have a close connection with a tutor who can arrange this at an additional charge . Can exams be taken remotely? No, they must be taken at our school. Can I do science practical experiments at the school? No, so unless you are retaking a science qualification, in which case you can carry forward your practical endorsement, we are unable to help you. An iGCSE may be an option for you. Which language GCSEs are available? French, Spanish and Polish. If you have a tutor in another language who can facilitate the spoken element, we may be able to offer these languages as well - please contact us with plenty of notice to discuss options. When do I need to enter for exams? The majority of exams take place in May & June and for this exam series, you must have made your entry with us and paid for it by the end of January. For the Autumn series entries can be made between 1 and 10 September. What date will my exams take place? Please look on the website of the relevant exam board, exam dates are publicly available well in advance. All qualifications require the sitting of more than one exam paper. Dates are set nationally and there is no flexibility. What is the centre number? Our centre number is 57142. This will be clearly displayed in every exam room. What is my candidate number? This will be issued to you in the exam room. Who will invigilate the exams? We have trained invigilators whose training is updated every year. All invigilators go through a rigorous safer recruitment process, and are DBS checked. If you have any issues in the exam room, please refer to the invigilator - they will be able to help you but will not be able to comment or give their opinion on anything within the exam paper. What time do exams start? If you have a morning exam it will start at 9:30 and afternoon exams start at 1:30. You should arrive at the centre at least 15 minutes before the start time. ​ For all other queries you can contact the exam boards direct: AQA: 0800 197 7162 Edexcel: 0344 463 2535 Cambridge: 01223 553554 ​

Fechas de mandato para 2021/22 Término de verano 2021 Martes 20 de abril - Viernes 9 de julio de 2021 Medio trimestre: lunes 31 de mayo - viernes 4 de junio Término de otoño 2021 Staff INSET: miércoles 1 de septiembre Inicio de las clases: jueves 2 de septiembre Medio trimestre: viernes 22 de octubre (15.40 horas para Prep y 16.20 horas para Escuela principal) al domingo 7 de noviembre Termina el período: miércoles 15 de diciembre (15.00 horas para Pre-Prep y 16.00 horas para la escuela principal) Término de primavera de 2022 Staff INSET: martes 4 de enero Inicio de clases: miércoles 5 de enero Medio trimestre: viernes 18 de febrero (15.40 horas para Prep y 16.20 horas para Escuela Principal) hasta el domingo 27 de febrero Termina el período: viernes 1 de abril (15.40 horas para la preparación y 16.20 horas para la escuela principal) Término de verano 2022 Staff INSET: Lunes 25 de abril Inicio de las clases: martes 26 de abril Medio trimestre: viernes 27 de mayo (15.40 horas para la preparación y 16.20 horas para la escuela principal) al domingo 5 de junio Semana del proyecto: del lunes 4 de julio al jueves 7 de julio Termina el período: jueves 7 de julio (15.40 hrs para Prep y 16.20 hrs para Main School) Estas son fechas provisionales a partir del 26/04/2021

Other Pathways GCSE and IGCSE Sometimes students find that the MYP is not right for them. Sometime families worry that their children will not progress in their chosen career without Maths and English GCSEs. ​ For these reasons we give students the chance to enter for GCSES or IGCSEs - normally in MYP5 (Year 11). The subjects we can offer will vary depending on the exact nature of the circumstances but will usually include: ​ English Literature English Language Mathematics Combined Sciences ​ Because we do so much work on sustainability we can also offer the Cambridge IGCSE in Environmental Management. The image below shows the syllabi of some IGCSEs. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ASDAN For some students the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness from Asdan is a good certificate to show their lifeskills. ​ ​ JOHN MUIR AWARDS "The Trust's John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme focused on wild places. It is inclusive, accessible and non-competitive, though should challenge each participant. The Award encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment through a structured yet adaptable scheme, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration." ​ Award Criteria To achieve a John Muir Award, each participant must: Meet our four Challenges Complete the required time commitment Show enthusiasm and commitment towards their involvement Have an awareness of John Muir Understand what the John Muir Award is and why they are participating Award levels There are three different levels. The four Challenges are met for each level, increasing in responsibility and ownership. Discovery Award – four days/25+ hours minimum time commitment Explorer Award – eight days/50+ hours Conserver Award – 20 days/125+ hours across at least six months ​ The John Muir Trust provide a very useful Information Handbook . ​ ​ ​ OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK With the staff at The Wilderness we have developed a framework for teaching and assessing leadership skills. You can read about this here . ​