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Poet in residence at school
The vogue at private schools for lessons that feed the heart as well as the head has scaled new heights, with the appointment of a "poet in residence" at one of the highest-performing schools.
- By David Turner, Financial Times
- Published: 00:15 June 29, 2008
London: The vogue at private schools for lessons that feed the heart as well as the head has scaled new heights, with the appointment of a "poet in residence" at one of the highest-performing schools.
Colette Bryce, an award-winning Irish poet, this week completed a two-week stint at St Paul's Girls' School in London, helping pupils with their literary creations and giving some readings of her own.
Pundits draw comparisons with "happiness lessons" announced by Wellington College in 2006 and Brighton College's recent decision to teach etiquette. But the Good Schools Guide has unearthed a wealth of other intriguing examples of what it calls "lifestyle" lessons.
Susan Hamlyn, editor, said: "The schools are all working to the same end - to show parents they can turn out happier and more civilised human beings."
St James Senior Girls School teaches the art of hospitality, at its London premises and on stays at Nanpantan Hall, a rented country house. Pupils learn a staggering range of arts, including cooking, interior design, Zen calligraphy, flower-arranging and conversation.
Rutland boarding school Uppingham has developed a system where pupils sit with teachers and even visiting parents. Richard Harman, headmaster, said: "It's a daily part of their development and fantastic for their social skills. This replicates the family meal time, which has declined."
Words
But such seemingly soft activities can have serious applications. Leonie Rushforth, head of English at St Paul's Girls' and the poet project's mastermind, said it could aid those "who have the makings of being professionals". More generally, during life, "poetry can help in all kinds of ways. That's why so many people turn to it". Bryce said the students "have benefited a lot. They are at a wonderful stage in their lives", when they are "very open imaginatively".
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