Conference & Common Room magazine turns 50 May 21, 2013
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Independent Education, John Catt Educational news, Magazines.Tags: conference and common room magazine, independent education, independent schools
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The new issue of Conference & Common Room (C&CR) brings up a landmark anniversary for the magazine.
C&CR (then titled Conference) was first published in 1963, and the summer issue celebrates 50 years of the publication.
This retrospective issue looks back at five decades of the magazine, and also takes the opportunity to speculate on what the future may hold.
It provides fascinating insights into how the educational landscape has changed over the decades; while celebrating the values and good practice that remain as true today as they did in 1963.
In his introduction, editor Tom Wheare writes: “One of the salutary things about being editor of C&CR is the lesson that there is nothing new under the sun. Whatever whizzo scheme one may think of, look back through enough previous numbers and there it will be, the topic you thought that only your fertile mind had generated, marmorealised in cold print.
“Fortunately, being editor of C&CR is rather like being Beatrix Potter’s Taylor of Gloucester. A steady supply of well-crafted pieces of work appear on my computer screen at regular intervals, each with a buttonhole or two at the most remaining to be completed by a few final stitches in the editorial twist. Thus it was that two articles on school archives spontaneously appeared for inclusion in this distinctly retrospective issue.
“There are, however, quite a few commissioned articles here too, by way of birthday cards. Ian Beer was a Head before C&CR was born and is the senior Honorary Associate member of HMC, whilst John Blatchly, Jonty Driver, Nigel Richardson and Andrew Cunningham have all been editors of the magazine. The landscapes and portraits they paint fill in at least some of the back stories of the scene Conference & Common Room has sought to cover.”
You can read the new issue online at: www.candcr.co.uk
C&CR is published three times a year, at the start of each school term. If you are interested in contributing to the magazine, you can contact Editor Tom Wheare at tom@dunbry.plus.com. Potential advertisers can contact Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
To subscribe to the magazine, visit our bookshop by clicking here.
Summer issue of Academy magazine out now – in print and online April 30, 2013
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Magazines, New releases.Tags: academies, academy magazine, free schools, John Catt Educational news
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The summer 2013 issue of Academy magazine is out now and will be sent to schools and subscribers this week.
You can also read the e-zine by visiting www.academymag.co.uk.
The magazine, produced in partnership with FASNA, is sent to every academy and free school in the UK.
The new issue comes with a free copy of John Catt’s School Suppliers Guide 2013/14 – a directory of nearly 3,000 companies offering products and services to schools. You can read more about the guide by visiting this earlier blog post.
As ever, Academy is packed with articles on key topics affecting schools who have achieved academy status or who are in the process of conversion. Editor Peter Beaven has assembled a great mix of contributors to write on issues including: training, induction and pay; curriculum and teaching; leadership and conversion; and funding.
There is also the latest news from FASNA, including a report of the Spring Conference, and chairman Tom Clark delivers a damning critique of the Academies Commission report.
Academy is published three times a year. To contribute to upcoming issues, contact Peter Beaven at editor@academymag.co.uk. Potential advertisers can contact Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
For subscriptions to Academy magazine, visit our bookshop.
New issue of Academy Magazine – available online and in print January 16, 2013
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Magazines.Tags: academies, fasna
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We’re pleased to announce the new issue of Academy Magazine is now available.
Printed copies have been sent to FASNA members and the e-zine is available to read at www.academymag.co.uk
We’re thrilled with the growing influence and respect the magazine has gained since it was launched in the autumn of 2011 – and editor Peter Beaven has put together another excellent issue.
It includes a focus on finance and funding and has articles covering autonomy and structure, training and professional development, progression at 16+ and curriculum and attainment. There is also a report of FASNA’s autumn conference.
In dispatches from Westminster, Schools minister David Laws outlines how the government is committed to giving academies greater autonomy, while Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg gives an update on Labour’s policy review and calls for innovative partnerships between local authorities and schools.
Academy Magazine is published three times a year. To contribute to upcoming issues, contact Peter Beaven at editor@academymag.co.uk. Potential advertisers can contact Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
For subscriptions to Academy Magazine, visit our bookshop.
Conference & Common Room magazine – new issue available online and in print January 15, 2013
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Independent Education, Magazines.Tags: independent education, magazines
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The new issue of Conference & Common Room is arriving with schools and subscribers this week – and you can also read it online.
The magazine, approaching its 50th birthday in September, carries the latest news, opinion and initiatives at the UK’s leading independent schools.
Articles in the new issue include a look back at the impact and legacy of the London Olympics; an explanation of why pupils at Oundle School decided to spend a night living in cardboard boxes on the streets of Birmingham; and a report of Eltham College’s trip to Borneo.
There is debate and discussion of topics such as curriculum, university admissions, exam reform and e-learning; and reviews of Haileybury – a 150th Anniversary Portrait, Physical Education and Sport in Independent Schools, edited by Malcolm Tozer, and John Catt’s Leading Schools in the 21st Century series.
You can read it online by visiting www.candcr.co.uk
C&CR is published three times a year, at the start of each school term. If you are interested in contributing to the magazine, you can contact Editor Tom Wheare at tom@dunbry.plus.com. Potential advertisers can contact Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
To subscribe to the magazine, visit our bookshop by clicking here.
New look for Prep School magazine – read it online now January 14, 2013
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Magazines.Tags: preparatory schools
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The spring issue of Prep School magazine is out now – and available to read as an e-zine.
We’ve given the magazine a fresh look for its 76th issue, which we think does justice to the lively and innovative feel of this popular and enduring publication.
Printed copies should be arriving in staff rooms and with subscribers this week.
This term the focus is on the future of boarding in the 21st century. Jonty Butler, House Master at Cheam School, looks at how boarding will continue to survive – and what the future might hold for pupils, parents, staff and facilities. The spotlight also falls on Sedbergh Junior School, where Headmaster Scott Carnochan outlines the benefits of a boarding education.
The new issue also looks at what ‘value added’ actually means, and features a look at the provision of sport and physical education in prep schools.
To read the issue online, go to www.prepschoolmag.co.uk
Prep School is published three times a year. Potential contributors can contact editor Michèle Kitto at editor@prepschoolmag.co.uk while advertisers can get in touch with Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
To subscribe to Prep School magazine, please visit our bookshop.
Winners of Prep School magazine photography competition revealed October 23, 2012
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Magazines.Tags: photography, prep school
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Our magazine Prep School recently revealed the winners of its Photographer of the Year 2012 competition – and we thought we would share those results on this blog.
We had almost 250 entries from dozens of prep and junior schools up and down the country, including a number of first-time entrants.
The high quality of the photographs ensured that the judging process was a tough one and the editor and design team were impressed with the range of subjects and imagination demonstrated by entrants.
After several days of deliberation, we finally settled on an entry by Sherali Sharifov, of Duke of Kent School in Ewhurst, Surrey. Sherali submitted two excellent photos, but we thought this image of a lively class reading session truly captured the essence of life in the classroom.
Our second-placed photo came from Molly D’Arcy Rice of Beaudesert Park School in Stroud, a nice example of a close-up portrait with a twist.
Evie Fanthom, from Piper’s Corner in High Wycombe, was chosen in third-place, with the Prep School team impressed with the depth in her photograph of three friends resting in the school grounds.
All three will receive digital cameras courtesy of John Catt Educational. Details of how to enter next year’s competition will feature in the Spring and Summer issues. Once again, thank you to all the schools and pupils who sent in entries and helped contribute to another wonderful competition.
Prep School’s latest issue was the 75th in its 25-year history. The magazine is published three times a year. Potential contributors can contact Michèle at editor@prepschoolmag.co.uk while advertisers can get in touch with Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
To read the latest edition online, go to www.prepschoolmag.co.uk
To subscribe to Prep School magazine, please visit our bookshop.
New issue of International School magazine – read it online now October 1, 2012
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in International education, Magazines.Tags: autumn issue, ECIS, international schools
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The autumn issue of International School (IS) magazine is now available in print and online.
The publication is the official magazine for European Council of International School (ECIS) members and copies of the new issue have been sent to schools and subscribers.
You can also read the magazine online at www.is-mag.co.uk.
The new issue previews the 2012 ECIS annual conference, which is taking place in Nice from November 21-25 with the theme Forming The Future.
The magazine carries the latest ECIS news, features and comment, including a section on curriculum and a particular focus on business studies.
There is also a cover feature on ECIS’s ongoing work with Water Aid in Nepal.
The magazine, edited by Caroline Ellwood, is published three times a year. To get involved in the magazine, you can email Caroline at CarolineEllwood@ecis.org. For advertising enquiries, contact Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
For subscription enquiries, click here.
New issue and new editor of Academy Magazine September 25, 2012
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Magazines.Tags: academies, academy magazine, free schools
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The new issue of Academy Magazine is out now – with a new editor at the helm.
Peter Beaven has taken on the editorship of this increasingly popular title, which is produced in partnership with FASNA (Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National Association).
Peter retired as headteacher of Norton Hill and Somervale Schools in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, in August 2012.
“As the new editor of Academy Magazine I am working outside my comfort zone which is always exhilarating!” he said.
“I believe Academy Magazine must rise to the challenge of bringing the most up-to-date and relevant news on cutting edge issues in education to our readers.
“I hope to be able to attract items from those who are responsible for shaping education at a national level as well as highlighting innovative and successful practice from schools themselves. My first issue demonstrates just that balance.
“So if you have experience of good practice, innovative and exciting developments please get in touch and we may be able to showcase what you are doing. I am especially keen to hear more from primary schools.”
The 76-page new issue reports on FASNA’s 20th anniversary conference, which featured a speech by Education Secretary Michael Gove, and covers a range of topics in the areas of freedom, regulation and funding; leadership, teaching and classroom; conversion and free schools; and procurement and business servies.
You will also fund the latest news, advice, comment and opinion from educators working in the academy and free school sector.
You can read the e-zine online now (free of charge) at www.academymag.co.uk.
To get in touch with Peter about anything to do with Academy Magazine, contact editor@academymag.co.uk.
This magazine is published three times a year. If you’re interested in advertising you can contact Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
For subscriptions to Academy Magazine, visit our bookshop.
Prep School celebrates 75 issues – magazine available in print and online September 20, 2012
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Independent Education, Magazines.Tags: common entrance examination, curriculum model, preparatory schools
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It’s time to celebrate a landmark for Prep School magazine as we clock up 75 issues.
The magazine, produced in partnership with Satips, was launched nearly 25 years ago to celebrate the achievements, debate the issues and reflect upon the best of the prep and junior school world.
Issue no. 75 is now arriving in common rooms and with subscribers and is also available to read online by clicking here.
In her introduction to the autumn issue, editor Michèle Kitto writes: ‘This issue focuses on curriculum review and will help your school reflect on the features you want at the heart of your educational offering. What will your school look like at the end of the next 25 years? It is a reasonable assumption that strong teaching and learning will continue to be at the core of any successful school. Think carefully. If you get these wrong you could find yourself working your way out of a rather risky educational experiment. I always argue that the early years are the most important part of any child’s educational journey. We sow the seeds for the future and, if we fail, we are risking our pupils’ future life outcomes.
‘Entrance (or exit) exams often place the most significant restriction to our curricula. In this issue we look at a variety of exciting alternative models and we hope the experiences of other schools will help you reflect on your own practices and guide you towards ‘picking and mixing’ a truly flexible bespoke curriculum that fully covers the Common Entrance examination curriculum, whilst leaving time to ‘go off-piste’ in the interests of enrichment.
‘In this issue we also hear from schools that have moved away from CE to create their own baccalaureate. Or what about the independent curriculum, which promises to foster independent thinking, creativity and self-motivation within a curriculum that is compatible with CE? Or perhaps the Independent Primary Curriculum, another alternative curriculum model that is the gold standard in the international world of education. And if you really don’t like the Common Entrance exam, why not help reshape it? The examiners always canvas opinions, so if you think you could do better why not get involved?’
The issue also features a look at the past, present and future of Prep School by Jonathan Evans, managing director of John Catt Educational.
He describes the magazine as providing ‘good, clear writing… not camouflaged with over-elaborate design or smothered with advertorials’.
‘It is a magazine written, read and produced by people who understand primary education and hold it in the highest esteem,’ he concludes.
Prep School is published three times a year. Potential contributors can contact Michèle at editor@prepschoolmag.co.uk while advertisers can get in touch with Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
To subscribe to Prep School magazine, please visit our bookshop.
Autumn issue of Conference & Common Room magazine – read it online now September 18, 2012
Posted by Jonathan Barnes, editor in Independent Education, Magazines.Tags: independent education
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The autumn issue of Conference & Common Room (C&CR) magazine is now available – both in print and digital format.
The magazine is published in partnership with the Headmasters’ & Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) and copies are now arriving at HMC schools and with subscribers.
You can read it online by clicking here.
Articles in this issue include:
- Crispin Muir on how Culford School is reaping the rewards of switching to biomass energy.
- Jean Watson, of The King’s School, Canterbury, describes the movement towards education for positive values in Bhutan.
- The Rev’d Giles Dove on school management.
- Ian Walker reflects on 26 years at King’s Rochester.
- Alexander Mitchell, of Holmwood House School, Colchester, on the Common Entrance.
There is also much more to enjoy within the 56 pages, including latest HMC news, interviews, book reviews, comment and letters to the editor.
C&CR is published three times a year, at the start of each school term. If you are interested in contributing to the magazine, you can contact Editor Tom Wheare at tom@dunbry.plus.com. Potential advertisers can contact Madeleine Anderson at manderson@johncatt.com.
To subscribe to the magazine, visit our bookshop by clicking here.
Alex, Managing Director
Jonathan Barnes, editor
