Hi Everyone,

As the end of the academic year approaches, many staff and school leaders will be reflecting on their professional progress and considering the next steps in their career development. As always, we will be running our highly acclaimed online course in November and December for Senior Leaders who are considering Headship (more information about this in future weeks) - but I also want to draw your attention to a superb talk from our video archive on moving to an international school. This was written and delivered by Ian Walker, who moved to Dulwich College (Singapore) to become Head of Physics. Unusually for a talk of this type, he is not attempting to recruit anyone - it is simply his unvarnished experience of moving to, working in and returning from an international school. If you are interested in working abroad in this way, this is highly recommended viewing - see below.

Also, if you have an interest in assessment, Atom Learning are seeking Prep School Leaders (in schools that aren't part of part of a larger group) or British International Schools to take part and feed back on a 1:1 demo with their assessment product, Quest. In return for your feedback, a £25 Amazon voucher will be shared with you. Again, see below for more information.

As ever, I hope that you find this of use and have a great week,

David
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David Winfield
Founder, Independent Schools Portal.

This is an opportunity to take part in a 30 minute demo of
Quest Progress (by Atom Learning), that is setting a new standard in progress testing and attainment tracking for independent schools.

Designed for Years 1-8, Quest Progress covers English, Maths, Science, Cognitive Abilities, Wellbeing & Attitudes, offering both digital (with instant marking) and paper-based assessments (with simple marking tools). Every assessment delivers detailed, diagnostic reports, giving you valuable insights at the pupil, class, and year group level.

They’re looking to speak with senior leaders in prep schools (not part of larger education groups e.g. Dukes, ILG), who are open to trialling a new approachto progress assessments and attainment tracking.

In return for a 30-minute 1:1 demonstration, you’ll receive a free trial of Quest Progress for your school - and a £25 Amazon voucher upon attending the session and completing a short feedback form.

If you’re interested, book your demonstration here.

Menopause in Schools. Online. Wednesday 11th June 2025 at 1230.
How do perimenopause and menopause cause particular challenges for those who work in our schools? How can they help themselves and how can we support them through this transition so that they can keep on doing the jobs they love without a cost to their health and we don't lose their talents and experience?

Delivered by Helen Clare. Helen helps schools and teachers deal with challenges that arise due to perimenopause and menopause. She does this through talks, workshops, support groups, 1 to 1 and group mentoring, manager and menopause champion training, courses and policy and strategy support. An ex-biology teacher and life-long biology geek, she has also worked in schools as a poet and artist and as part of her work for Creative Partnerships and Arts Council England. Helen is also an ICF trained coach and an associate of the British Menopause Society. Book your place.

​The ISP has a huge selection of videos to support school leaders on the ISP YouTube Channel. This week's featured video from the archive discusses what it is like to move to an international school. This webinar is written and presented by Ian Walker, former Head of Physics at Dulwich College (Singapore).  This is a rare opportunity to gain an insight from someone who has been through the process - and isn't trying to recruit you! If moving to an International School is something that is of vague interest we really would recommend you watch this session. Watch Now.

Hi Everyone,

Having successfully navigated the half-term break, we've once again reached the crescendo of the school year; long golden days of school sport, school plays, overheating classrooms, speech days, reports, residential trips and staff and pupil farewells... a glorious time before we all can relax and wait for the heavens to open for the best part of 6 weeks!

Aside for the inclement weather, the Summer is of course famous for pupils' academic regression, or summer slide, so I wanted to let you know about the Sunshine Squad that is being delivered by Edsidera. Their summer programme of learning brings together some of the leading education companies including White Rose Education, Pobble, Monster Phonics to name but a few. If your parents are looking for a way to keep their children learning over the Summer, they could do worse than get some support from the Sunshine Squad. You can download the flyer here for your parents - a great way to stop the Summer slide!

Also, I came across a brilliant white paper last week about building strong maths foundations in the early years and beyond. It explores why early numeracy deserves strategic focus and how the right digital tools can help close gaps, build confidence and set children up for lifelong learning. Designed for MAT leaders and primary school Headteachers, it’s packed with practical insights and evidence-based recommendations. You can access it here.

As ever, I hope that you find all of this of use and that you have a good week.

David
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David Winfield
Founder, Independent Schools Portal

Menopause in Schools. Online. Wednesday 11th June 2025 at 1230.
How do perimenopause and menopause cause particular challenges for those who work in our schools? How can they help themselves and how can we support them through this transition so that they can keep on doing the jobs they love without a cost to their health and we don't lose their talents and experience?

Delivered by Helen Clare. Helen helps schools and teachers deal with challenges that arise due to perimenopause and menopause. She does this through talks, workshops, support groups, 1 to 1 and group mentoring, manager and menopause champion training, courses and policy and strategy support. An ex-biology teacher and life-long biology geek, she has also worked in schools as a poet and artist and as part of her work for Creative Partnerships and Arts Council England. Helen is also an ICF trained coach and an associate of the British Menopause Society. Book your place.

​The ISP has a huge selection of videos to support school leaders on the ISP YouTube Channel. This week's featured video from the archive helps school leaders keep up to date with the current laws pertinent to UK Schools. This webinar is written and presented by Alice Reeve, Partner at VWV.  In this talk, she focuses on: • April 2025 Changes • Neonatal Care Leave and Pay • Sexual Harassment - 6 Months Since Preventative Duty • Employment Rights Bill. Watch Now.

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