ISM+Oct+2014+LowRes

“Finding a Voice”......was the theme chosen by HMC Chairman, Richard Harman for the2014 Conference, which took place, appropriately, in the beautifulsurroundings of Wales’ Usk Valley.Ruth Mercer, Head Mistress of The Godolphin and Latymer School,London, reflects on the event...HMC members may nothave required the extensivesecurity arrangements of ourpredecessors in residence at TheCeltic Manor- NATO’s MessrsObama, Cameron et al- but wewere just as well looked after.Did we “find a voice”?Proceedings began in apromising fashion with theChairman’s apposite speech,followed immediately by aninvigorating session led by thedynamic and inspiring musicianand conductor, DominicPeckham. He spoke barely aword to the assembled delegatesbut immediately had us on ourfeet exercising our vocal chordsin a variety of ways, culminating30 minutes later with somequite tuneful singing! Eachmorning began with a similarlystimulating vocal session led bythe inimitable Peckham, thoughnot all of the delegates seemedto appreciate this particular timeto find their voices! The musicaltheme followed us throughoutour time in Wales- we weretreated to some wonderfulperformances from, amongstothers, Only Boys Aloud! ,Fflur Wyn and our very ownPeckham –led Heads’ Choir! Theclosure of conference with anWorld Record achievedHMC Eisteddfod, celebrating thestudent winners of the variousannual Arts’ prizes was a fittingend to our visit to Wales.But singing was certainly notthe only way in which RichardHarman envisaged we wouldfind a voice. He hoped that wewould have the opportunityto strengthen our own voicesas leaders, as well as reflectingupon how we help young peopleto find a voice, and finally,deciding upon how best to“speak” as the Headmasters’ andHeadmistresses’ Conference, theranks of which are being swelledby increasing numbers of Headsof GSA schools.We benefitted from hearinga range of speakers frommany areas of life offeringus a variety of viewpoints. SirHoward Stringer, speaking on“Technology and you: fromadolescence to obsolescence”and Dame Julia Cleverdon whoexhorted us to devote time,“In the Service of Others”stood out for me; so too didthe sobering reflections of theReverend Nicholas Mercer andShami Chakrabarti discussing,“Speaking Truth to Power”.Perhaps the highlight for manyof us was the conversation1000 volunteers took part in the‘Big Picture’ event held in thegrounds of Hamilton College,South Lanarkshire. This majorfundraising event supported thework of the Mission AviationFellowship (MAF) and achieved aworld record in the process.Each of the volunteers tookpart in the Zip Slide Challenge,sliding 110m across HamiltonPark Racecourse at a height of 26between Anthony Seldon,David Blunkett and StephenDorrell which finished withquestions from delegates beinganswered most pertinently, notleast by Cosby, Mr Blunkett’sguide dog, who responded,through his owner, that thenew examination system and itsintroduction in England was “ adog’s dinner”! (No delegate washeard to disagree!)As ever, one of the mostimportant ways in which we“found a voice” was in theseminar sessions. These covereda diverse range of topical issuesand those which are everpresentin the mind of a schoolleader. “Engaging positivelywith Social Media”, “Findinga Voice… then Walking theTalk: Top Tips for a MentallyHealthy School”, “Growing greatteachers”, “Managing Change:key principles for schoolleaders” and “Performance–Related Pay; Giving yourCommon Room a Voice”, shouldgive you a flavour of the varietyof seminars available to us. Ledby fellow Heads and others,specialists in their fields, thesesmall groups provide one ofthe most effective ways ofexchanging views. As too, dothe opportunities during breaksfeet and carrying a piece of the‘Big Picture’. The mosaic picture,designed by well-known artistGraeme Hewitson, was completedonce all 1000 people had crossedthe slide.Hamilton College Principal, MissMargaret Clarke, pictured takingpart on the day, was delightedthat the event was held in thecollege’s grounds. She said: “This isa wonderful way to raise funds forand meals to participate in themany and varied conversationsand discussions with fellowHeads that took place. Ahot topic was how individualschools might respond to theaforementioned “dog’s dinner”of the English examinationsystem, about which we nevertired of talking but for which awide range of suggestions andsolutions are being found. Eachschool has to consider the needsof its own students in reachingtheir decision about how totackle this pressing concern butit is always invaluable to be ableto compare notes with othersfacing the same challenges.Was it a successful conference?Without a doubt! We not onlyfound our voices but we alsoenjoyed the opportunities tostrengthen them as leaders. Weappreciated the time to be ableto reflect on the work that ourschools are doing to help youngpeople to find their voices andI hope that as our numbersswell, we will continue to beheard, and be listened to, bythose who exercise power andinfluence within our nationaleducation system. We havemuch to contribute as thosewho attended this conferencecan confirm.the life-saving work of MAF, whichis an amazing organisation.”MAF is an internationaldevelopment charity, establishedin 1946, which uses light aircraftto bring help and hope to someof the most isolated people in theworld. The event involved MAFworking closely with HamiltonCollege, with many staff andpupils now world record holders.Over £36,000 was raised.Advertorial FeatureGetting ready for Christmasshows with portable stagingNot all schools enjoy the benefitof a permanent stage for theirproductions, but portable stagingsolutions can quickly transforma hall into a theatre, or a smallerspace into a rehearsal facility.Another scenario is the need forrisers for choral performances. Forboth staging and risers there aresome essential requirements whichinclude simplicity of assembly anddisassembly, ease of transport,convenient storage when not in useand of course safety. With Christmasshows and concerts at the end ofthis term it is an opportune time totake a look at some staging options.When it comes to portablestaging, then Wenger StageTek,supplied by Black Cat Music is wellworth consideration. 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Plus it is easy tohandle, lighter to lift and with nicesmooth edges for safety it is reallyeasy to set up too. Configurationsinclude single or multi-level stages,thrust stages and runways. Whenit is time to dismantle, legs can bestored on the underside of the deckand panels quickly loaded on toa storage and transport cart thatfits through standard door sizes.Designed to save as much as 50%in storage space compared to othersystems, StageTek can be wheeledto a storage place or transported toanother venue.From the same supplier comeSignature Choral Risers. Assembly ismostly a job for one person with afew basic tools, the Signature Risersare lightweight and easy to movearound yet offer excellent stability.A back rail gives added safety forperformers and it all folds down toa compact 1.8m wide x 0.7m deepx 1.7m high for storage. Available in3-step and 4-step versions puttingthe choir on show for performances.And thinking about Christmas showscoming up, how about equippingthe choir or choral groups withmatching folders for their sheetmusic. These can be customised withgold blocking with the name andcrest of the choir.For rehearsal and early readthroughstake a look at FlipFormstaging, which is a flexibleclassroom seating, standing riser andperformance platform in one unit.Designed to turn classrooms intoexciting educational environments,FlipForms flip into whatever shapeyou need and go wherever you needthem. Their moulded, high-densitypolyethylene design makes themnearly indestructible.For all yourmusic education& performance equipmentFREEPHONE0800 072 7799to join theeducation discountprogramme andsave money onyour purchases!www.blackcatmusic.co.ukMusic Stands,Lights & AccessoriesMusic FoldersMusic Chairs &AccessoriesInstrument & SheetMusic StorageConductor’sEquipmentStaging & RisersTheatre ProductsAcoustic Products26 Independent Schools Magazine Music & Drama 27independent schools mag Ad 90x135mm MAY11.indd 1 6/5/11 13:08:41