Open Day thoughts

With Open Day coming up I thought it was perhaps a good thing to focus on why I see schools such as Huntley providing a link missing in main stream schooling these days. There has been a lot of exposure in the media about national standards and the academic tail concerning Maori and Pacific Islanders in New Zealand. There is also a lag of boys academically, especially in primary schools. Heightened in recent years with the introduction of new education programmes such as the numeracy project which has had in my opinion had an adverse effect on boys love of Mathematics. A few years ago Mathematics was the favourite subject of boys coming to Huntley (Up to 90% of boys stated this at interview) but now it has dropped in favour. (Maths is still the favoured subject generally but has steadily declined in popularity over he last few years.)

The primary school boys lag is probably more pronounced due to a range of factors such as absence of male role models, lack of single sex schools, the teaching styles employed at primary levels etc. Many schools are waking up to this and are looking to make changes. Unfortunately a lack of cohesive programmes sees many of these attempts fail to meet their well intentioned potential. Fortunately independent schools in New Zealand are well known for the innovative programmes they provide and many have worked for decades on providing specifically for boys. There are a number of independent schools in the primary area that do solely cater for boys. Many have been round for years and have an in-depth understanding of what makes boys tick. Most have a proven track record of preparing boys for their secondary education and beyond. So what are the main factors a parent should look for before sending their sons to an independent prep school?

Parents approaching a boys school should be looking at the culture that exists within the school. Does the school display a strong ethos to everything it does? If the boys within the school are proud of their achievements you will find that your son will very quickly start to set his own goals for the future. He may see himself as a future member of the first eleven, choir, debating team or drama club. It doesn’t really matter as long as he can feel the sense of pride the boys have in the school. He will naturally set about finding his own niche. Finding his niche is also an important part of boys’ education as their confidence will develop, and with that academic achievement tends to lift as well.

Another aspect is boundaries, boys love them. They need to be fair, consistently applied and with clear consequences should a boy fail to meet expectations. Fairness is the important aspect here; boys smell out inconsistency and will do all they can to circumnavigate any discipline they can if they feel unfairly treated. Routines are an important part of this as boys love knowing what they are doing where and when.

Many independent schools have fantastic peer and staff role models and mentoring programmes that positively reinforce these boundaries. Boys love something to aspire to such as leadership positions, recognition for their abilities etc.

Sporting and Cultural opportunities for boys are another vital aspect of boys schooling. Boys need to be part of a team or group to help them learn the vital lessons of working with others. Many boys are dying to try something different like learning a musical instrument but often get put off because of adverse peer pressure. Independent school boys are often immersed in an environment where it is cool to be seen as a member of a band or able to play and individual instrument.

Boys’ academic achievement is affected by a combination of the things above. There are also important aspects that boys naturally find appealing or challenging. Many boys are not confident orally so they need to be forced into situations where speaking confidently is an expectation. Many independent schools make speech making, sports reports, debating, and drama a compulsory part of their curriculum. Reading is another traditional area boys will shy away from if given the chance. Compulsory reading periods that offer high interest, action, adventure books with plenty of non-fiction being made available can turn a reluctant reader into a voracious reader. Once again its all about finding the area of interest for the particular boy and exploiting it. Reading mileage is another important aspect as is senior boys reading to junior boys. Ask a boy to write something about his summer holidays and he begrudgingly will, don’t expect him to proof read it! Ask him to write a manual about how to change the tire on his bike and he’s captured. Finding points of interest are vital for boys to buy in to the requirements.


The final ingredient in helping boys succeed at school is the relationship between Parent and School. Parents and teaching staff working together is another important aspect for boys’ education. Boys will invariably try and play the home off against the school if they get the opportunity. However, if the school and parents are on the same wave length and heading in the same direction it makes a huge difference. Sometimes believing in a school’s professional advice can be hard but parents need to acknowledge that the school is acting to help their son. Once again it comes down to consistency on both the parents’ and the school’s part. Read about what the school stands for and if this fits your general philosophy then it makes sense to get in and support it. Parents sometimes do irreparable damage to their son’s educational opportunities by not supporting decisions made by the school.In summary it is my view that there is nothing wrong with our boys in our education sector as long as they are exposed to the right elements listed above. There is no doubt that the right combination of ethos, boundaries, role models, sporting and cultural opportunities, tailored academic programme and supportive parents and schools working together will produce outstanding boys.


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Boarders, parents and staff -Making the triangle work.

Well here we are at the Bristol Marriott Hotel for the British Boarding Schools Conference. I have been doing some reflection on the three way relationship needed in a boarding school environment. Our first speaker was Libby Purvis a reporter who unlike most reporters is very pro-boarding. Let's start with her opening quote:

"If there is one thing crucial to making boarding work in a modern and emotionally literate society, it is the creation of a three-way partnership between the pupil, the parents, and the staff. Trust, openness, patience and goodwill are the key words: and the adults naturally bear the greatest responsibility for keeping it real." Libby Purvis

I think this statement is fundamentally true, boarding schools in the modern age musn't be content with being good we have to be great! Why, I hear you ask? It comes down to the fact that most prospective parents don't initially approve of boarding. These parents feel it is unnatural to send their son away to prep school, most have no experience of boarding themselves or in some cases had bad experiences when they boarded. In most professions good enough is good enough but in boarding schools you have to be better than good, you have to be great. The only excuse for boarding is when it is done exceptionally well. This is something we have to keep in the forefront of our minds at Huntley. Whatever we do for boarding has to be of an exceptional level being good is not good enough we must be great.

Done exceptionally boarding schools give a network of relationships for students to take up and explore independently. For most boys it is their first opportunity to grow, make decisions and test themselves in a safe environment. When done well this development in confidence and self awareness is the first thing parents notice about their sons. Boarding schools provide belonging, loyalty, and comradeship. But if it goes wrong or is not done well it can be terrible.

To be a great boarding school we must mesh with modern family life. At Huntley I believe we should be seen by parents as an extension of family. The school in essence is almost like a friendly uncle, not trying to intrude on the family but be a friendly, supportive addition to shaping their sons for the adventure of life. Staff must give huge support and listen and try to understand parents. Parents also have a role to play in supporting their son but equally supporting the staff in this equation. Parents and staff need to realise that boarders share everything, favourite teacher, same best friends, best subject, sports teams, play etc. parents are the only thing they don't share. Therefore boys will ring them about every grievance. This is not necessarily a bad thing but parents do need to realise this and temper it with the fact that they will at times get a jaundiced point of view from their son. They must therefore build good relationships with staff and trust that what their child is telling them is not necessarily the whole story. The Head plays a integral role in assuring these relationships develop well. If it is done well the boarding head will find his job easier. It is largely about trust. Staff and parents must agree never to undermine each other.
I guess one of my challenges as Headmaster is communicating this to all three groups.

I hope the term has started well. Warm regards from rainy Bristol. Brad

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