Independent Schools Show 2021
Please note that this is an evolving programme - speakers, talk times and topics are subject to change. Please check back here for latest information.
Click on the TALK'S TITLE to find out more details. Focus on a DAY or use the FILTER to focus on particular theatres.
How to manage the intense competition at 11+
What's going on with Pre-tests and Common Entrance? Every parent needs to be up-to-date. Bonas MacFarlane's Will Petty will discuss the latest tips, tricks and insights; Catriona Sutherland-Hawes provides the senior school perspective.
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Catriona Sutherland-Hawes
Director of Admissions, Wycombe Abbey
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Will Petty
Director, Bonas MacFarlane
What is the value of an independent school education
Is it worth paying school fees? There are many ways to assess the benefits from academic excellence, to social confidence, to sports and extra-curricular facilities, to value-added. What's important is to know what matters to you and your child.
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Julie Robinson
Chief Executive Officer, Independent Schools Council (ISC)
Starting out in South London - choices, decisions, application, preparation
From Battersea to Wimbledon to Dulwich, South London has more independent schools than any other area of Britain. A leading prep school head talks about the nuts and bolts: how to choose and when to begin looking, the application process and what preparations you should make.
Next steps - deciding between boarding and day
How do you choose? Senior school heads answer parents questions.
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Caroline Townshend
Head, Eaton Square Senior
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Bradley Salisbury
Headmaster, Dean Close School
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Kate Reynolds
Head, Royal High School Bath
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Chris Wheeler
Principal, Monkton Combe School
How to apply for bursaries and scholarships
The Good Schools Guide's Camilla Smiley is a specialist in the scholarship and bursary provision offered by UK independent schools. Camilla tackles the issues of affordability and value in the fee-paying school sector and how to access the considerable financial assistance.
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Camilla Smiley
Scholarship & Bursary Consultant, The Good Schools Guide
Giving your child the best possible start: why go private at this age?
With state primaries so much improved, especially in London, what is it that pre-prep and prep schools offer, besides Latin?
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Christopher King
Chief Executive, IAPS , Independent Association of Prep Schools
Finding a good school in London (North & South)
London is the most competitive schools market in the world. Get your London school search questions answered by a Good Schools Guide expert.
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Dr Millan Sachania
Head, Streatham & Clapham High School
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Grace Moody-Stuart
Director, The Good Schools Guide
Scholarships and bursaries - widening access
What can the independent school system do better to widen the diversity of their intake? And how should you as a parent prepare your child to maximise their chances?
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Elaine Cunningham-Walker
Founder , Everythings Education
The boarding advantage
No commute, green space, activities and clubs to hand, friends on tap - urban children can benefit from a boarding education outside the city. But will it suit your child?
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Alastair Chirnside
Warden, St Edward's Oxford
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Henry Price
Headmaster , Oakham School
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Phillip Evitt
Headmaster, Highfield School
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Emma Goldsmith
Head, Dragon School
Single sex or co-ed?
The South East is still dominated by single sex schools. Why? And does it matter? The forum discusses one of the oldest dilemmas faced by parents, in a Q&A led by one of the Good Schools Guide's leading experts.
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Eve Jardine-Young
Principal, Cheltenham Ladies’ College
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Dr Dominic Luckett
Headmaster, Sherborne School
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Mary Pegler
Education Consultant, The Good Schools Guide
Starting out in Central London - choices, decisions, application, preparation
From Knightsbridge to Baker Street to the Barbican, this Forum explores what's involved when your child is starting school in the centre of the city. A central London prep school head talks about the nuts and bolts: how to choose and when to begin looking, the application process and what preparations you should make.
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Magoo Giles
Founder & Principal, Knightsbridge School
Relocation, relocation, relocation - a country or city childhood??
Move or stay put? Our panel of parents brings together families who have relocated from London or decided to stay put. They are joined by Hero Brown, Editor-in-Chief of Muddy Stilettos and relocation guru. The panel will discuss the thinking behind each family's choices to help you decide where yours would thrive best.
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Hero Brown
Founder, Editor-in-Chief, Muddy Stilettos
What makes a good head and how to spot one?
It is right that this theatre should discuss leadership. How can you tell when a school is well-run? Is improving better than coasting? And what are the warning signs to watch out for?
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Sally-Anne Huang
High Master, St Paul's School
Scholarships & Bursaries clinic
A breakout clinic for parents wanting to discuss scholarships and bursaries, and start to plan out the next steps of the journey.
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Camilla Smiley
Scholarship & Bursary Consultant, The Good Schools Guide
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Gavin Horgan
Headmaster, Millfield
Next steps - exciting choices you might not have considered
From international curriculum schools to art and design specialists, the independent sector has a wide range of senior schools to suit every child. Heads discuss what's on offer with parents.
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Andrew Rattue
Principal, St Clare's Oxford
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Candida Cave
Principal, Fine Arts College
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Hugh Viney
Founder and CEO , Minerva's Virtual Academy
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David Laird
Head of School, ICS London
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Simon McNaught
Deputy Headmaster & Head of the British Section, Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle
Change is good? How to identify if a school move would help your child
Changes of school at 7 and 11 or 13 were a standard rite of passage for most children. Now with many schools going right through, parents have to decide whether 14 plus years in one school is a good idea for their child.
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Ben Evans
Head, Windlesham House School
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Lucy Elphinstone
Headmistress, Francis Holland School, Sloane Square
Flexible & Monday - Friday boarding - supporting family life
Is Saturday morning school dying out? And does the rise of flexi-boarding and Monday-Friday boarding threaten full boarding? What are the price differences between the different options,
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Aileen Kane
COO, BSA, Boarding Schools' Association
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Robin Fletcher
CEO, BSA, Boarding Schools' Association
SEN: choosing the right school Q&A
The Parent Practice Workshop
Why girls thrive in single sex schools
This is one of the most debated subjects in education. Does single-sex education really benefit girls more than boys?
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Samantha Price
Headmistress, Benenden
Find the right school for your child
Choosing the right school for your child is always tricky, but in the state system the choice is restricted by catchment area rules. In the independent system the choice is much broader. There are hundreds of schools to look at, so how do you find the right one for your child? Leading heads discuss how you match child to school.
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James Wilton
Deputy Head (Admissions and Marketing), Repton School
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Will Goldsmith
Acting Head, Bedales
Boarding in the 21st century
The days of big dorms, bare floorboards and spartan early morning swims are long gone. But boarding keeps changing. Now British boarding schools are world-beating, hugely international in outlook and recognised for the outstanding quality of their 24/7 education. But how well are they meeting the needs of UK families? Q&A with a GSG expert.
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Janita Gray
Senior Editor, The Good Schools Guide
SEN: from getting a diagnosis to choosing the right school
Selecting the right school for a child with learning difficulties can seem an overwhelming task. From the biggest school to the smallest, to the ultra-selective to totally inclusive, all schools have a policy devoted to learning needs. So, if your child has an identified need, how do you work out which is right for them?
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Charlotte Phillips
SEN Education Consultant, Good Schools Guide
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Tanya Moran
Headteacher, Abingdon House School and College
Starting out in North & East London - choices, decisions, applications, preparation
From Camden to Highgate to Stoke Newington this Forum discusses options for children starting out in North and East London. A leading prep school head talks about the nuts and bolts: how to choose and when to begin looking, the application process and what preparations you should make.
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Stephanie Piper
Headmistress, Devonshire House School
Next steps - deciding between boarding and day
How do you choose? Senior school heads answer parents questions.
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Dr Adrian Rainbow
Headmaster, Hampton Court House School
Busting the myths of the independent schools admissions process
What independent schools are really looking for and what you should be too!
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Vicky Bingham
Headmistress, South Hampstead High School
Business issues facing independent schools
Independent schools are businesses that vary in kind enormously. From large chains, to small family-run businesses, some are far more robust than others. How resilient is your chosen school, and does it matter whether it is a for profit or a charitable trust?
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David Woodgate
Chief Executive, ISBA, Independent Schools' Bursars Association
Finding a good school in London (North & South)
London is the most competitive schools market in the world. Get your London school search questions answered by a Good Schools Guide expert.
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Grace Moody-Stuart
Director, The Good Schools Guide
How to assess and then support your child's educational needs
What is an educational assessment? How should you interpret the results? And having undertaken one what should be your action plan?
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Sarah Warley
Founder, The Key Clinic
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Desmond O'Connor
Educational Psychologist , Bonas MacFarlane / O'Connor Assessments
How to pay for your children & grandchildren’s education
Whether a grandparent, new parent, high earner or international parent, our experts will help you consider all of your options.
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David Quintrell
Director, Brewin Dolphin
Why head North?
Scottish schools, like Scottish universities, are different. They offer new perspectives, extraordinary facilities and highly distinctive cultures, yet many are just a short flight from London.
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Gemma Gray
Director, Gray Consulting, Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)
SEN: choosing the right school Q&A
A breakout session for parents wanting to discuss their child's educational needs and plan out the next steps of the journey.
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Charlotte Phillips
SEN Education Consultant, Good Schools Guide
Starting out in West London - choices, decisions, applications, preparation
From Notting Hill to Ealing and Wembley, what do parents need to know if their children are starting out in West London? A leading West London prep school head talks about the nuts and bolts: how to choose and when to begin looking, the application process and what preparations you should make.
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Giles Entwisle
Headmaster , Durston House School
How to choose a school for your child
There are hundreds of schools to look at, so how do you find the right one for your child? For this talk, we are delighted to welcome one of the UK’s leading education experts, Barnaby Lenon, Chairman of the Independent Schools Council.
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Barnaby Lenon
Chairman, Independent Schools Council
What makes a good head, and how to spot one?
It is right that this theatre should discuss leadership. How can you tell when a school is well-run? Is improving better than coasting? And what are the warning signs to watch out for?
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Sarah Raffray
Headteacher, St. Augustine's Priory
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Roland Martin
Headmaster , City of London Freemen’s School
Boarding in the 21st Century
The days of big dorms, bare floorboards and spartan early morning swims are long gone. But boarding keeps changing. Now British boarding schools are world-beating, hugely international in outlook and recognised for the outstanding quality of their 24/7 education. But how well are they meeting the needs of UK families? Q&A with a GSG expert.
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Melanie Sanderson
Managing Editor, Good Schools Guide
Next steps - single sex or co-ed
How do you choose? Senior school heads answer parents questions.
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Libby Nicholas
Managing Director at Dukes Education, Dukes Education
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Natasha Dangerfield
Headmistress, Westonbirt School
What's next for your child? How senior schools see the future in 5, 10 & 15 years time
What does your child have to look forward to? And what should worry you? What will senior schools look like for the coming generations of pupils, and how will independent schools face the challenges of issues such as climate change, affordability, contextual admissions?
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Jane Lunnon
Head, Alleyn's
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Jesse R Elzinga
Headmaster, Sevenoaks School
What makes a good school?
From league tables to review websites to playground chat, there are many ways parents hear about schools. So when you look at a prospectus, make a school visit or attend an open day, how do you spot a good one?
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Helen Stanton-Tonner
Director of Education and Inclusion, The Independent Schools Association (ISA)
How to focus your school search
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Lucinda Lafferty
Managing Director, The Good Schools Guide
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Grace Moody-Stuart
Director, The Good Schools Guide
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Ralph Lucas
Editor in Chief , Good Schools Guide
