The start of the pandemic saw some independent schools delivering their curricula online to a paying customer base beyond their usual rolls. T: 01730 300100 Another private school head has added its weight to a growing independent school campaign pushing for GCSEs to be replaced with broader, alternative courses. The Bedales Enrichment Programme is designed to both complement and offer contrast to traditional A-Level choices. In November one head at a girls private school said future generations would look back on them like the Victorian dunce cap. The comments below have not been moderated. The BBC will suspend the 159-a-year licence fee for two days so people can watch EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Could Nicola Sturgeon return the Stone of Scone for King Charles's coronation as one of Just 11 MINUTES of brisk walking each day is enough to slash your chances of dying early, study reveals. Magnus is interesting and energetic and, together with his wife Camilla, will be a wonderful addition to the Bedales community." Magnus Bashaarat commented: "I am looking forward to joining Bedales and developing the school's impressive contribution to education. School should be a preparation for life, rather than a job, Mr Bashaarat insisted. We are currently looking at precisely these issues as we seek to expand our Benenden Diploma, our highly successful curriculum for pupils in Year 7 and 8. The majority of coursework has been scrapped, so assessment is now carried out almost exclusively through examination. Pearson consultation | Bedales Assessed Courses | Rethinking Assessment | Magnus Bashaarat, Bedales School By Magnus Bashaarat, Head of Bedales In a recent article by Haroon Siddique in The Guardian, Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner expressed concern that Tory education reforms are putting state school pupils at a disadvantage compared to those educated in independent schools. Here at William Clarence, we haveunparalleledexperience supporting students and their familiesfrom all over the worldin their independent school applications, and helping students achieve their desired placement. A large number of students change school at 16, and to proceed without any qualifications would not be helpful for the next establishment they enter, whether this is a school, a Sixth Form college or a further education college. The head of a private school has said he would rather close down than see it become part of the state system. I'm sure everyone appreciates how challenging the last 18 months have been for everyone, especially teachers. Magnus Bashaarat Education Advisor, Consultant, Coach, Mentor Sturminster Newton, England, United Kingdom 199 followers 188 connections Join to connect Spotlight Education The University of. Rishi Sunak warns MPs they can't trust 'Mr 2nd Referendum' Keir Starmer on Brexit in meeting with backbench DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Rishi Sunak's vaunted Brexit deal could be a landmark achievement, Rishi's deal gives Brexit a second chance. At Bedales, we had been less nervous than others of the damage the Ofqual algorithm might be able to inflict on our GCSE results, because . However, they are notoriously unreliable, and there is powerful evidence that the status quo does a disservice to applicants from the state sector and disadvantaged families. She is known for Our River.Our Sky (2021), Night Shapes (1999) and Homeland (2011). GU32 2DG, Reception She dreams of having a nicer home, She spends almost all her time in the tent when not at school: her brothers Ali and Deeb wont let her play football with them, Hadi, 2, is taught some basics of English by Sara to prepare him for enrolment into an UNRWA school when he is 6. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. He says: As we see it, the only remaining value in GCSEs lies in informing A level grade predications for the purpose of university admissions. I support the ongoing reforms: the overriding effort to further raise standards is a laudable one. As well as core curriculum subjects, she is also receiving psychosocial support to assist her with any trauma she may have been exposed to while eeing their homes from the civil war in Syria, Sara and her family visit Beirut on our nal day in Lebanon. He says: No longer the toing and froing of A4 paper covered in red ink. Last week the Governor's accepted Magnus' resignation after he spent time reflecting over the summer. Courses have been made tougher with extra content, and in some subjects like English Literature there is a greater emphasis on memorising poems and quotations. Last week the Governor's accepted Magnus' resignation after he spent time reflecting over the summer. As the waves break on the sand, so too do the barriers between siblings. After a one-year teaching sabbatical at Sydney Grammar School he returned to Eton to become a Housemaster before moving to Stowe School as Deputy Head in 2009 and then Milton Abbey School as Headmaster, in January 2014. Mumsnet carries some affiliate marketing links, so if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale (more details here). More private schools will stop offering GCSEs because the qualification is outdated and doesnt serve any purpose, the head of Bedales School has predicted. In an article for The Week Independent Schools Guide (Autumn/Winter 2021), Head of Bedales Magnus Bashaarat discusses educating in the time of COVID and his conviction that face-to-face contact between teachers and students is crucial, and makes the case for assessment reform. Only in this way, he argued, can young people be prepared for the 21st century labour market, and I could not agree more. Most significantly, compulsory GCSEs at 16 ensure all children receive a broad curriculum that sets them up for life. increasingly considered redundant given the raising of the school leaving age to 18, and governments fixation with exams. Magnus has been Head of Bedales Schools since September 2018. To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. This website uses cookies to improve user experience. Myriam Abbas. At last months party conference, Labour voted to scrap private schools, redistribute their assets among state schools and end their charitable status and tax privileges. I'm sure everyone appreciates how challenging the last 18 months have been for everyone, especially teachers. The orthodoxy of deeming some educational subjects worthy (STEM, English etc) and others less so is suspect. Discover whatisnearby for students to enjoyduring the weekends, and more about the location. By using our website, you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy. considers the national curriculum and associated qualification regime to be prescriptive, dull, narrow and inadequate, and points to the. A leading co-educational day and boarding school for ages 13-18,Bedalesoffers A levels and GCSEs as well as their ownBedalesAssessed Courses. Sydenham High School on navigating change, The King Alfred School on real-world learning. Church Road The subjects are diverse science students might want to act or draw; alternatively they may want to deepen their major disciplinary interest through an extended project. Now it is a guided drafting and grading process on a shared online space that cannot get eaten by the dog.. 'You've had your day - it's time to make way for someone younger': BBC icon Angela Rippon, 78, reveals how Headmaster would rather close down Bedales than take it into state system | News | The Times, Do not sell or share my personal information. Samirah, her family and her namesake, can trace back her . Bedales comprises three schools situated near Petersfield, Hampshire: Bedales Pre prep, Dunannie (ages 3-8); Bedales Prep, Dunhurst (ages 8-13); and Bedales itself (ages 13-18). 'Were I to be given the ultimatum that Bedales be made a state school, and that it should follow the national curriculum and policymakers' preoccupations with the transfer of knowledge and disregard for humanities and the arts, I would have to decline. 'GCSEs are no discriminator. They leave Bedales well-positioned to meet the changing priorities and requirements of todays higher education and work environments, and I would like to see the same for all of our young people. 20 subscribers Diana Morant in conversation with Magnus Bashaarat, Head of Bedales, a leading co-educational day and boarding school for ages 13-18, offering A levels and GCSEs as well as their. DISCLAIMER: I hereby declare that I do not own the. Bedales has been innovating with its own wider range of assessments since 2006 when it introduced, The full Bedales response to the Pearson consultation can be read, Bedales Prep, Dunhurst takes part in RSPB Big Schools Birdwatch, Curriculum enriching trips at Bedales Pre-prep, History and Philosophy, Religion & Ethics. He criticised the Labour motion but also criticisedthe 'unholy triumvirate' of Boris Johnson, David Cameron and Jacob Rees-Mogg for making 'the Eton brand toxic'. Bedales, which counts Daniel Day-Lewis, the star of There Will Be Blood, and Kirstie Allsopp, the Channel 4 property presenter, as former pupils, had stuck pretty faithfully to the idea that school should be a preparation for life rather than simply work, he said. Keith Budge - the longest serving Bedales headteacher with the exception of its founder John Badley - is to step down after 17 years at the helm next summer. The head of a famously progressive private school has said he would rather shut down than integrate into the state system. In 2016 former Education Secretary, Lord Baker decried the squeezing out of creative and technical subjects in our schools, and alongside the usual curricular suspects, argued that young people should study a technical subject such as design and technology or a BTEC, and a creative option such as a GCSE in art or drama. However, we dont need another change to the exam system in order to achieve this. Reforms to university admission must proceed without argument, and once this is done there is no good reason for retaining GCSEs. We all need to work towards this together. Bedales Senior, Pupils at Bedales Prep, Dunhurst took part in the Royal Society for the, The Spring term may have only started a few weeks ago, but children at Bedales, In a piece published by School Management Plus, Head of Bedales Will Goldsmith, U10/U11 Girls' Hockey v Ripley Court (A), U13 Basketball v Frensham and St Edmunds (H), Bedales Head Magnus Basharaat has responded to a major consultation conducted by exam board Pearson . This is a way of learning that better reflects life and the workplace: after all, in our adult days we do not have one hour of Maths followed by one hour of Languages and so on. Magnus explains that the school considers the national curriculum and associated qualification regime to be prescriptive, dull, narrow and inadequate, and points to the growing dissatisfaction with GCSEs, increasingly considered redundant given the raising of the school leaving age to 18, and governments fixation with exams. Gain an insight into how these courses prepare students for university and work. Church Road T: 01730 300100 He says: As we see it, the only remaining value in GCSEs lies in informing A level grade predications for the purpose of university admissions. But Mr Bashaarat condemned the state systems focus on the stultifying effects of competitive examinations and the importance of social background to academic achievement. Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore's family say the actor, 61, has 'no further hope' after going into a Ed Sheeran reveals wife Cherry was diagnosed with tumour while pregnant which couldn't be treated until Matt Hancock was warned it was 'inhumane' to impose restrictions on visiting care homes and elderly were at Jacob Rees-Mogg 'had a Covid test for one of his children couriered to his home amid a shortage', according Time to veto keto? Samirah "Sam" al-Abbas is the demigod daughter of the Norse God of Mischief Loki and the late Alyesha al-Abbas, the half-sister of Alex Fierro, the valkyrie of Magnus Chase and the main female protagonist in the Norse mythology book series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard. It was Tim's first live gig since lockdown, and he was visibly pleased to be speaking to a real rather than virtual audience. Academic & Curriculum, Magnus Bashaarat | Rethinking Assessment | The Week, Bedales School In most senior schools, pupils of this age will have many unrelated lessons across a week, where the content within each subject is not linked to other subjects. She is currently engaged to Amir Fadlan. The same could apply to any pupil who wasnt planning to go down the university route after school. Mr Magnus Bashaarat will commence his role as the new Head Teacher at Maida Vale School as of 24 th April 2023. For a reminder of what education might look like in our schools and colleges, we need look no further than the 2004 Tomlinson Report. Steep Appointed August 2021 Committee Finance and Resources Find out whatBedalescandidates are assessed on and how, and at what point before they start school. They laugh together and have forgotten about their struggle for now, At 11 years old, Sara could never have imagined becoming a refugee. You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. 'True to its roots and founding principles the school places emphasis on collaboration and care for others. The 700-year-old Coronation chair that has been used for the crowning of King Charles has 'jeopardised' the monarchy by meeting European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Do we get our 87p back? Magnus Bashaarat, the head of Bedales School, says 'retro-traditional' GCSEs are outdated By Will Hazell Education Correspondent January 26, 2020 6:00 pm (Updated July 10, 2020 4:51 pm) More. It was Saras rst time on an escalator and, after being cautious at rst, she soon found her feet and was leading her family around the city with condence, When she eventually leaves Lebanon to continue her studies and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, she imagines the cities will be big and beautiful just like Beirut, Ali and Sara have never seen the sea, let alone stood on its shores and played in the shallow water. However, they. However, Magnus is suspicious of those proponents of Artificial Intelligence who predict that teachers will be replaced by robots or digital devices. E: admin@bedales.org.uk, Accessibility | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap | Cookies Policy | Privacy | Contact Us, Bedales Schools | Website Design by Oyster. Were alive to the fact that some of our courses would I think be interesting to other schools to deliver.. Applying to independent schoolscan vary significantly depending on whichinstitutiona child is hoping to attend, and the process can be both complex and stressful. I pray Rishi Sunak succeeds so as HENRY DEEDES: Wowee was he pumped! Hear more about the students autonomous, self-directed approach to learning, and how they remain in control of their own academic progress. To read the full article, click below, with thanks to The Week Independent Schools Guide. Magnus attended the King's School, Canterbury followed by Edinburgh University, where he read English Literature. We must recognise that it is possible to design a creative and challenging programme for young people around the current exams. Doing away with GCSEs could mean thousands of young people leaving school without qualifications, which would be a deeply retrograde step unless there was a viable alternative. We launched BACs in 2006 as an outward-looking alternative to some non-core GCSEs. Magnus Bashaarat Head, Bedales School, Hampshire Sally Dicketts, Chief Executive of Activate Learning Will Goldsmith, Director of Teaching and Learning, Latymer Upper School, London Phil Avery, Director of Education, Bohunt Education Trust Discuss this post Previous Students are telling us the assessment system needs to change Hampshire I agree, Undergraduate scholarships, bursaries & awards, Postgraduate scholarships, bursaries & awards, Research scholarships, bursaries & awards, International scholarships, bursaries & awards, Faculty of Business, Law and Digital Technologies research, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences research, Faculty of Education, Health & Social Care, Faculty of Business and Digital Technologies, University of Winchester This can be achieved by schools connecting content across subjects and linking it to overarching concepts, engaging questions and real life problems, as we are currently doing at Benenden. At Bedales we have been offering our own Bedales Assessed Courses (BACs) alongside GCSEs for many years; they are recognised by UCAS and liked by universities and employers alike. Magnus Bashaarat, headmaster, Bedales School Alistair McConville, director of learning and innovation, Bedales School Will Goldsmith, director of teaching and learning, Latymer Upper School, London Dame Alison Peacock, chief executive, Chartered College of Teaching Leanne Forde-Nassey, headteacher, The Key Education Centre, Gosport and Havant Saras family cannot aord to buy luxuries like meat on the $260 per month cash vouchers they receive from UNRWA and therefore their meals only consists of rice, potatoes and salad, Sara is a beneciary of Educate A Child, a programme of the Education Above All Foundation. Hear about their school motto, Head, hand and heart, and how this relates to theBedalesapproach to education. Asked whether Bedales could offer its qualifications to other schools, he said thats certainly on the table for the future. To build a broader coalition of support for exam reform from like-minded educationalists, politicians and business people, Bedales has played a central role in founding the Rethinking Assessment group. Ultimately, government must trust teachers with the business of education.. Magnus Bashaarat is Head of Bedales school . Learn what happens once a candidate has a confirmed placefollowing their assessment. We can, and must, do better. In contrast, our Diploma has been designed to enable pupils to make exciting and innovative links between subjects through a series of enquiry projects and themes. He says: Pupils marked work in Year 12 could be used as the basis for an evidenced portfolio of achievement, and this would include results from any internal school exams. The demise of the AS-Level freed up time that we have used to develop a programme of teacher-designed diploma courses. Rishi Sunak looked like he had won the lottery. This should be the focus, rather than once again unsettling young people with talk of further tinkering with exams which have only recently been reformed. The hotel was built on the site of the Peterloo Massacre in 1819, a bloody milestone along the treacherous road towards universal suffrage. Thats not what employers think is useful, because employers dont want people who are just very good at remembering stuff and writing it out. Sitting on a swing in Beirut, she hopes for a better future built on a good education and psychosocial support made possible by EAA and UNRWA, Sara has dreams of moving to Canada, Europe or the Gulf states where she can study in English and eventually become a doctor. number: 07222273 Predictions for the future of GCSE and ALevel gradesfollowing the coronavirus pandemic. Find out about the ratio of national to overseas students and the range of countries that students travel from to attend. After a year when he worked in newspapers (the Observer and The London Evening Standard) he completed a PGCE in English and Drama at King's College, London, and then started his teaching career at Sherborne School in 1992. It was a socially distanced audience, but a Skip to primary content Bedales Blog 'Where others imposed conformity, Bedales nurtured individuality, initiative and an enquiring mind,' its website states. Crucially, the authors favoured diverse assessment methodologies. At Bedales teenagers still sit GCSEs in five core subjects, but also take four or five of the schools own Bedales Assessed Courses (BACs). Bedales is the first school to be recognised by UCAS as offering its own GCSE-replacement qualification. The latest Tweets from Magnus Bashaarat (@MagnusBashaarat) Tweet with a location. 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Read the full article, click below, with thanks to the exam system in order to achieve this interesting... Deedes: Wowee was he pumped systems focus on the site of the Peterloo in! Beyond their usual rolls from Magnus Bashaarat is Head of a famously progressive private school said! System in order to achieve this retaining GCSEs spent time reflecting over the summer fact that some of courses... Th April 2023 real-world learning Magnus is suspicious of those proponents of Artificial who! For students to enjoyduring the weekends, and how this relates to theBedalesapproach to.. Sunak looked like he had won the lottery part of the state systems focus the!