Grammar School Heads

Association

Annual Conference

2021

Conference Programme: Monday 4th October

10.30-12.00 Steering Committee Meeting

Sovereign’s Room

12.15-13.15 Buffet Lunch for Steering Committee and New Grammar School Heads

13.30-14.00

Registration, Tea & Coffee

14.00-14.05

Welcome and Introduction

Mark Fenton, GSHA Chief Executive

14.05-14.50 VESPA Mindset - using cognitive psychology to improve sixth form outcomes: a case study from the

Lincolnshire grammar schools

Suzanne Ingram, Deputy Head, Spalding Grammar School,

Martin Griffin (VESPA)

14.50-15.10 Challenges ahead – Using the right data to support your school

improvement priorities

Jevon Hirst, Alps Education

15.10-15.30 Tea/Coffee

15.30-16.15 High Performance Learning – creating world class grammar

schools

Deborah Eyre, Founder & Chair, High Performance

Learning

16.15-16.45

Annual Report and AGM

Mark Fenton, GSHA Chief Executive

18.45 Champagne Reception

Musicians from Wallington County Grammar School

19.15 Dinner

After Dinner Speaker:

Philip Collins, journalist, and former speech writer for Tony Blair

Conference Programme: Tuesday 5th October

08.30 GSHA/GL Assessment Strategy Group

09.30

Registration, Tea and Coffee

10.00-10.05 Welcome and introduction Riffat Wall, GSHA Chair

10.05-10.50 Current trends in university admissions

Mike Nicholson, Director of Recruitment, Admissions and

Participation, University of Cambridge

10.50-11.15 Coffee/Tea

11.15-12.00 Put staff first – how to improve wellbeing systematically

Mark Solomons, Founder & CEO Welbee

12.00-13.00 Creating a climate for challenge – making space for able learners

Amy Whittall, Chair, NACE and Headteacher, King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls

Dr Ann McCarthy, NACE Research & Development Director

13.00 Lunch

13.45 How to make your Admissions Policy fireproof

Roger Inman, Stone King LLP

14.30 Fundraising: Why would you not? A long-term strategy for your school’s

survival

Alison Cox, Development Director, Aylesbury

Grammar School, Mark Sturgeon, Headmaster, Aylesbury

Grammar School and Louise Bennett, CEO, IDPE

15.15 Closing Remarks Riffat Wall, GSHA Chair

Contributors to the Conference

We are pleased to have in attendance the following speakers:

Lou Bennett

Lou is CEO of the Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE), which supports schools to develop successful fundraising and engagement programmes, through providing training, guidance, support, benchmarking and partnership work across the schools’ sector. Lou has over 20 years’ experience of working across fundraising disciplines and has previously held senior fundraising roles at The Stroke Association and Shelter Cymru. Philip Collins

Philip Collins is a contributing editor at the New Statesman and columnist at the Evening Standard. He was, between 2004 and 2007, the chief speech writer to the PM Tony Blair in Downing Street and is now the founder and writer-in-chief of a communications agency, The Draft.

Deborah Eyre

Professor Deborah Eyre is Founder and Chair at High Performance Learning Services (HPL). A globally acclaimed education leader, academic researcher, writer and influencer who specialises in the learning sciences with the goal of using cognition to ensure every student performs highly academically and learns the skills that will enable them to thrive in their future lives. Deborah’s career has included a variety of senior leadership posts in UK and globally as well as providing advice to governments, schools, universities and educational foundations in

UK, UAE, Hong Kong, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, USA and Singapore. Prior to founding HPL she was Global Education Director for Nord Anglia Education (2010-14). Deborah is a Liveryman of the City of London, a Trustee of two MATs - AET and River Learning Trust, Fellow of the Girls School Association, Chartered College of Teachers and the Royal Society of Arts and is attached to St Hugh’s College, Oxford University. A widely published author, her most recent books are High Performance Learning: How to Become a World Class School and Great Minds and How to Grow Them. High Performance Learning: How To Become A World Class School:

Martin Griffin

Martin Griffin has 20 years’ experience teaching GCSE and post-16 students in colleges as a teacher, head of faculty, assistant head teacher and deputy head teacher. He was the director of sixth form at The Blue Coat School for eight years, a twice Ofsted-outstanding comprehensive sixth form where student progress is among the top 10 per cent in the country. He spent much of his time teaching A levels and re-take GCSEs, supporting learners with difficulties and building and testing tools for non-cognitive skill development. Over the last five years has worked with more than a hundred colleges and schools to develop effective non-cognitive skill development systems. He is the co-author of The A Level Mindset (Crown House, 2016) The GCSE

Mindset (Crown House, 2017) and The Student Mindset (Crown House, 2018) Jevon Hirst

Dr Jevon Hirst is Training Director for Alps and has over 20 years’ experience working in education. Prior to joining Alps Education in 2020, Jevon has worked in a number of senior leadership roles within schools with responsibilities for teaching and learning, curriculum, strategic planning, self-evaluation and student achievement. Central to these roles has been the intelligent use of data to inform school improvement and maximise outcomes for students. Suzanne Ingram Suzanne Ingram is the Deputy Headteacher at Spalding Grammar School where she has served on the Senior Leadership Team since 2008. She led the Lincolnshire Grammar Schools Senior Leadership Group from its establishment in 2018, from where the VESPA collaborative project was born.

Roger Inman

Roger Inman leads Stone King’s national Education Sector Group of over 80 lawyers. He specialises in school governance and re-organisation (notably multi academy trusts or “MATs”), school finance, admissions and also all pupil provision issues, notably special educational needs (SEN). As a recognised national specialist regarding SEN and disability law, Roger also works as a Judge in the SEN Tribunal in addition to his role in Stone King.

Ann McCarthy

Dr Ann McCarthy leads on research initiatives at the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE) - an independent charity working with schools, education leaders and practitioners to develop high-quality provision for the more able, driving whole-school improvement and raising achievement for all. Until recently she was the Education Director for a multi-academy trust, working with primary and secondary school leaders to raise standards; to identify opportunities for innovation, development and training; and to raise aspirations and develop inter-academy collaboration. With over 40 years of experience, her career has included teaching and leadership in both primary and secondary schools, including selective and

comprehensive education. Her doctorate in educational research and development focused on leadership development and its impact on teaching and learning. She maintains research interests in the provision of high-quality learning experiences including all aspects of curriculum, leadership and provision for more able pupils.

Mike Nicholson

Mike Nicholson took up the post of Deputy Head of Education Services (Admissions and Participation) at the University of Cambridge on 1 October 2021. He was previously the Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach at the University of Bath where he headed the team responsible for managing undergraduate student admissions, student recruitment (UK and international), undergraduate bursaries and scholarships, widening access and participation, learning partnerships, and student immigration. In addition to his role at Bath, Mike has frequently been asked to comment on issues relating to admission to university and widening access to higher education for national and international bodies and in the media.

Mark Solomons

Mark Solomons, Founder and CEO of Welbee, is a highly acclaimed expert whose mission is to help school leaders keep more teachers in the classroom, reduce recruitment and absence costs and improve pupil outcomes by systematically building staff wellbeing into the school culture. Mark has over 12 years’ experience developing leadership and culture in UK schools, runs leadership, coaching and wellbeing workshops for ASCL, and was a programme lead for Ambition Institute. He has also written and delivered DfE funded equality and diversity programmes for women leaders in education, authored a character education curriculum recommended by The PHSE Association, and is the author of “Building Resilience; Seven steps to a Highly Successful Life”. Mark is grammar school educated and has been a school Governor in both the primary and secondary sectors for over 20 years, 12 of which continue to be spent at Westcliff High School for Boys.

Mark Sturgeon

Mark Sturgeon has been Headmaster of Aylesbury Grammar School since September 2014 having previously held roles as Geography teacher at Burnham Upper School (1996-98), Head of Geography at AGS (1998-05) and Head of Year 13 at AGS (2000-2005). He went on to be Assistant Headteacher – Learning Development (2005-2009) and Deputy Headteacher (2009-2014) at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School. Vice-Chair for UK & Europe for the International Boys’ School Coalition (IBSC). Chair of The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools, Consultant Headteacher for The Prince’s Teaching Institute and Member of the Steering Committee for the Grammar School Heads Association. Chair of Buckinghamshire Schools’ Football

Association and Hon. Secretary of the South-East of England Football Association.

A sincere thank you to Alps for supporting the GSHA in strategic partnership:

Alps delivers end-of-year and in-year analysis to over 1,200 schools and groups globally via our cloud-based student tracking platform, Alps Connect. Track your students from Y7-Y13 and delve into your data at whole school, subject and student level. Created by teachers for teachers, we believe that the right analytical tools have the power to help every student achieve their full potential. Website

A sincere thank you to all our generous sponsors:

Based in Leamington Spa, Hutt & Co was established in 2012 by its founder, Caroline Hutt, who is the

product of a girls’ grammar school herself.

The core work of Hutt & Co is CAPITAL fundraising for specific projects in grammar schools such as

Sixth Form Centres, Teaching Blocks, Sports Halls and Artificial Grass Pitches. However, they also

have the expertise to advice on annual/operational fundraising strategies, legacy campaigns and the

development of short, medium and long-term development plans.

The team is diverse in its expertise and talents, bringing together a mix of retired Heads and former

directors of marketing and fundraising companies. Above all, they have the expertise, experience and

understanding of grammar schools that has ensured they continue to be market leaders in the UK.

Website

We offer bespoke admissions tests for schools, local authorities and school groups which can

cover all or a combination of verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning, English and

maths. We offer both digital and paper tests, all tests contain our extensively trialled questions and

vary in length from 30 minutes upwards.

Why GL Assessment?

• We are the largest provider of 11+ tests to grammar and independent schools in England, working

with the biggest groups and authorities in the country including Kent, Buckinghamshire and

Lincolnshire. We deliver over 300,000 test papers each year

• We pride ourselves on the reliability and accuracy of our assessments, and we are constantly adding new rigorously tested questions to make sure our tests are up to date. Importantly, this large, constantly evolving bank of questions also reduces the possibility of the tests becoming predictable. Test results are aged-standardised and robustly analysed by our statistical team

• We provide 10 hours of free familiarisation materials so all candidates can practise a range of

question types and become familiar with test appearance

• We provide you with unrivalled individual account manager support so your testing period runs smoothly and a scoring service or our new custom-built Quartz software (which enables you to

quickly and accurately mark at your own school)

• Working with the RNIB we have developed guidelines on the production and administration of 11+

tests for children with vision impairment and we work with schools to provide extra time versions

of tests to support children with SEND.

Website

Gillman & Soame are the pre-eminent, brand leading school photographers operating in the UK and overseas. In existence since 1856, we work with the country’s top schools and are proud to count many leading grammar schools as customers. We take more large Complete School groups than any other company in the UK. We have British Design Council award winning staging with method statement, risk assessment, public liability insurance and data protection policy all in place. We offer the complete photographic service to schools nationwide:

• School Name and crest on school portraits - Parents are really proud of the fact that their children go to your school so we offer a very special product that includes your school name. This is unique to Gillman & Soame. We also offer the normal portraiture options as standard to all customers.

• Groups of up to 1,800 staff and pupils - Complete School and House Groups. Not just letter

box format but featuring the school building too if desired. Taken as one photograph not stitched together!

• Sports Groups - As part of a planned programme of photography, we will undertake seasonal Sports Group photography.

• Imagebank - A unique service whereby your images are archived and stored by Gillman &

Soame off your servers thereby freeing up valuable space.

• SIMS / iSAMS compatible - Names to Faces database, which enables images to be automatically dropped into your pupil database system. Compatible with other systems too.

• Creative services - Photography and video for websites and brochures a speciality.

• Variety of ordering methods - Online / phone / post / into school.

Gillman & Soame - one point of contact with everything under one roof! Website

Schools Attending:

Alcester Grammar School

Altrincham Grammar School for Boys

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls

Aylesbury Grammar School

Aylesbury High School

Beths Grammar School

Bexley Grammar School

Bishop Wordsworth's School

Borden Grammar School

Boston High School

Bourne Grammar School

Burnham Grammar School

Calday Grange Grammar School

Chelmsford County High School for Girls

Chesham Grammar School

Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School

Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

Colchester Royal Grammar School

Colyton Grammar School

Cranbrook School

Dartford Grammar School

Denmark Road High School

Dover Grammar School for Girls

Dr Challoner's Grammar School

Ermysted's Grammar School

Gravesend Grammar School

Haberdashers' Adams

Highsted Grammar School

Highworth Grammar School

Ilford County High School

Kendrick School

Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School

King Edward VI Aston School

King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

King Edward VI Five Ways School

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford

King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls

King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon

Lancaster Girls' Grammar School

Lancaster Royal Grammar School

Langley Grammar School

Maidstone Grammar School

Maidstone Grammar School for Girls

Marling School

Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend

Newport Girls' High School

Newstead Wood School

Parkstone Grammar School

Pate's Grammar School

Poole Grammar School

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar, Alford

Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough

Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet

Queen Mary's Grammar School

Rainham Mark Grammar School

Reading School

Ribston Hall High School

Ripon Grammar School

Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe

Sale Grammar School

Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School

Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School

Sir Roger Manwood's School

Sir Thomas Rich's School

Sir William Borlase's Grammar School

Skinners' School

Skipton Girls’ High School

South Wilts Grammar School

Spalding Grammar School

St Anselm's College

St Olave's Grammar School

Stratford Girls' Grammar School

Stroud High School

Sutton Grammar School

The Blue Coat School

The Crossley Heath School

The Crypt School

The Henrietta Barnett School

The Judd School

The King's School

The Latymer School

The North Halifax Grammar School

The Skinners' School

Tiffin School

Torquay Boys' Grammar School

Torquay Girls' Grammar School

Townley Grammar School

Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School

Urmston Grammar

Wallington County Grammar

Wallington High School for Girls

West Kirby Grammar School

Wilson's School

Wirral Grammar School for Boys

Wirral Grammar School for Girls

Woodford County High School

Wycombe High School