| Head's Blog
In the last two weeks, Sherborne House has hosted two senior school information evenings. The first was focused on how as a school we prepare your children for senior school entry; the second was a Senior Schools’ Fair where seven senior schools were invited to Sherborne House.
We wanted to run these events so parents have a better understanding of how, we as a school, prepare the pupils for senior school transition and to demonstrate the range of senior school destinations that are available.
At Sherborne House, we recognise that every child’s circumstances and needs are different, as are the range of senior schools available, and one our roles is to ensure that by recognising each child’s unique requirements, we find the Senior School that best suits them.
Parents are encouraged to have three choices – an ambitious choice, a safe bet and a school that is a fall back in case it doesn’t all go to plan on the day of the examination. When visiting a senior school, I would encourage parents to trust their instincts. Would your child be comfortable there? Is the school going to meet his or her individual needs?
I would encourage parents to listen to the views of their child allowing them to be their guide. I believe that it is important for a child to be part of the decision; it gives them a sense of ownership.
Entrance preparation can be stressful for pupils and parents alike and as a school, we must work together to ensure that exam stress does not become potentially harmful for the pupils. Indeed, we must work hard to ensure that a child’s stress is avoided as much as possible.
The curriculum at Sherborne House has been planned to ensure there is never the need for non-stop cramming and tutoring; instead, children are taught the ability to use and apply knowledge with well-honed exam technique through exposure to a variety of practice papers. Alongside the development of a growth mindset, this fosters a sense of resilience and confidence to approach the process with realism and composure.
In this week's newsletter, you can see it has been another very busy and successful two weeks at Sherborne House; with highlights from our Language Day celebrations, outdoor learning, school committees and a more in-depth news item on our senior school events.
If any parents have further questions about senior schools or preparation towards senior schools, please contact your child's form teacher and they will be more than happy to help in the first instance.