Are you looking towards your child’s next steps in education?
Are you trying to work out which secondary school will be the best fit for your youngster? There are so many options and things to consider.
Have you thought about an independent school and wondered what the benefits of going independent would be for your youngster?
Anna Burns, admissions and marketing manager at Austin Friars in Carlisle, has put together a quick guide for parents to help you consider what an independent school could offer your child.
Your child is at the centre of your decision.
Are you looking principally for a rigorous academic setting? Is your child more creative and would benefit from somewhere with impressive arts opportunities?
Is sport their raison d’être and they’d flourish being somewhere with an extensive fixtures list?
Or is there somewhere that could offer them all three and educate the whole person?
Anna has a quick checklist for parents making their decisions. While no means exhaustive, Anna hopes it will help answer questions about why an independent school could be the best decision you ever make for your child’s future.
Small class sizes
Particularly at senior school age, the pupil-teacher ratio is much smaller than in state schools. Some exam classes at A’-level age can run as one-to-one ratio with completely bespoke teaching.
Smaller class sizes mean teachers can get to know the individual children far better, and tailor their approach to suit them – giving attention when it’s needed in a quicker more proactive way to ensure the best possible outcomes are achieved and no pupil goes under the radar.
The academics
Whilst the aim of Austin Friars is to educate the whole person and not confuse ‘education’ with ‘assessment’, it goes without saying that due to the benefits listed above of independent education, achieving impressive exam results is par for the course despite not always looking as such in official Department for Education league tables as not all the qualifications offered by independent schools (eg iGCSE) are included in the data.
A bespoke curriculum and freedom to innovate
One of the most prominent benefits of independent education is that schools are able to teach freely of the National Curriculum, and they can be broader in their educational provision.
You can find subjects like classical civilisation and Mandarin on pupils’ timetables at Austin Friars alongside the traditional core subjects of maths, English and science.
Independent schools receive no state funding and it is this self-reliance which lies at their heart. It is what keeps school leaders grounded in what parents want and value for their children’s education.
With no shareholders demanding financial returns, not-for-profit schools – like Austin Friars – operate to break-even and reinvest any annual surplus in the school.
Extracurricular activities
These are potentially misnamed at independent schools as opportunities beyond the classroom are not viewed as ‘extra’. Rather it is regarded as an integral part of school life in order to educate the whole person.
A wide variety of different clubs and activities give all pupils the chance to find something new to try almost weekly.
At Austin Friars, there are after-school clubs available from age four up to age 18 ranging from arts and crafts, languages, sports clubs, chess, board games, mountain adventure, music ensembles, fencing, engineering, climbing, gardening, archaeology, gymnastics, badminton, Lego and debating to name just a sample!
This approach gives children the foundations they need to develop into well-rounded, healthy individuals arming them with the education and life skills needed in order for them to reach their full potential.
Outstanding pastoral care
In smaller schools, like a lot of independent schools, the level of pastoral care and attention available is one of the most reassuring facets for parents.
Pastoral care or the wellbeing of pupils is well embedded in independent schools and plays a crucial part in supporting children’s mental, social, physical and intellectual development.
In schools where every teacher knows every pupil, changes in behaviour and close monitoring of any potential issues means that interventions can be proactive instead of reactive and often prevent situations escalating at all.
At Austin Friars, a dedicated hierarchy of pastoral leads work with an in-house full time mental health nurse to ensure the well bring of all pupils is promoted and protected at all levels of schooling.
Campus and history
Many independent schools have a long heritage or are housed in historic buildings with a rich history, breathing new life and acting as guardians of architecturally significant places.
For example, the striking sandstone building of Austin Friars (which still stands as the highest building in the city of Carlisle) was originally commissioned to be built in 1889 by the Order of the Sacred Heart as an all-girls convent school.
Since then it was seen variations as an Industrial Memorial School, an auxiliary military hospital, and an orphanage before becoming Austin Friars.
Alumni services
Most independent schools have a strong an active alumni and former pupil network, often with dedicated staff at the school to enable former pupils and parents to keep in touch with each other and stay up-to-date with achievements and school news.
Reunions and former pupils balls are common and the lasting lifelong friendships and networks are facilitated.
