The London Parents' Forum is Bonas MacFarlane's programme of talks, lectures and workshops.

The Forum gives parents unique access to the leading thinkers and most respected heads in British and US education.

Recent and upcoming London Parents' Forum events are listed here:

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Leading heads discuss the future prospects for their schools

Online Event - Tuesday 8 June,
10:30am - 11:30am

This week an extraordinary panel of leading figures from the sector gather to discuss the prospects for their schools in the 21st century.
This is a great opportunity to meet the heads of some of Britain’s most well-known schools – St Paul's, Winchester and Westminster, plus Barnaby Lenon, former Head of Harrow and now Chairman of the ISC.

Our panel:

  • Dr Tim Hands, Headmaster, Winchester College
  • Sally-Anne Huang, High Master, St Paul's School
  • Dr Gary Savage, Head Master, Westminster School
  • Barnaby Lenon, Chairman, Independent Schools Council

REGISTER NOW >>

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

INTO Central London Prep Schools

Online Event - Tuesday 11 May,
10:30am - 11:30am

Choosing the right school and deciding where to live are two of the biggest decisions parents make.

This TUESDAY'S Parent Forum provides a unique opportunity for parents living in (or moving to) London to get an overview of the capital's most sought after prep schools. 

In an hour we visit nine schools that are popular with Central London parents, We meet heads, teachers and pupils, see them in action and gain exclusive insights.

  • Schools taking part include:
  • Princes Gardens
  • North Bridge House Prep
  • Durston House
  • Notting Hill Prep
  • Falkner House School 
  • Falcons Girls
  • Falcons Boys
  • Redcliffe School
  • Francis Holland School

Knight Frank will then give an overview of the market for family homes in Central London, looking at hotspots, dream homes, and areas you might not have considered.
This is a highly efficient way to focus your search and find the school and home that is the right fit for your family.

REGISTER NOW >>

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

The great outdoors - learning outside the classroom

Online Event - Tuesday 27 April,
10:30am - 11:30am

This Tuesday's Parents Forum explores the educational opportunities of outdoor learning with Gordonstoun, Camp Bonas and Liberty Woodlands School.

Post-lockdown children need to rediscover the outdoors. It is full of resources for open-ended play, adventure training and learning, providing huge educational benefits.

On Tuesday morning we will be visiting an inspiring group of outdoor education specialists:

  • Richard Devey, Head of Gordonstoun, will be speaking with pupils live from the school's fire station. They will be discussing the profound educational impact of outdoor learning, service and challenge.
  • Leanna Barrett, Founder & Head of Liberty Woodlands School, will be showing us the remarkable outdoor learning that takes place in her London school 
  • Harry Cobb, Bonas MacFarlane Director, will be talking about Camp Bonas, Bonas MacFarlane's residential summer camp, which allows children aged 8-13 to re-wild their minds whilst they learn through new, hands-on experiences.

Catch Up - Watch the Recording

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

INTO the Cotswolds

Online Event - Tuesday 16 March,
10:30am - 11:30am

With beautiful countryside, great schools, plus excellent road and rail connections to London, Oxford, Birmingham and Bristol, it’s easy to see why the Cotswolds is a dream location for many London families. 

We are delighted to welcome the heads of five of the best schools in the Cotswolds: Kitebrook, Dean Close, Kingham Hill, Stonar and Royal High School Bath, who will give a brief overview of their schools.

Each head will be joined by a parent to share with us their experience of making the move out of London. 

Afterwards Charlie Taylor, Partner and Head of Knight Frank’s Bath office, will give a brief overview of the Cotswolds property market, which will be followed by a short Q&A.
Whether you fancy a grand rural property, or would like to live in an idyllic village, or in a townhouse in the middle of Bath, Charlie will give you the ultimate insider’s overview of what’s available and how much it costs.

CATCH UP - Watch the recording

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

Support your child's home learning - Part 1

Online Event - Tuesday 26 January,
10:30am - 11:15am

Facing an extended period of lockdown and cancelled exams it can be hard to motivate your child. Bonas MacFarlane, the UK's leading tuition and home learning experts have put this session together to help you keep your child on track.

Bonas MacFarlane speakers:

  • Harry Cobb, Director of Tuition
  • James Bonas, Lead Assessor
  • James Frome, Tutor

Topics Covered:

  • Structure & Tips, 
  • Support & Resource opportunities
  • After school activities

CATCH UP - Watch the recording

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

Part 2 - Struggling with home learning?

Online Event - Tuesday 2 February,
10:30am - 11:15am

Home learning in lockdown is making many parents aware that their child is not reaching their full academic potential or exhibiting difficult, perhaps even defiant, behaviours when learning. 

This Parent Forum will help parents with children with learning, behaviour and socialisation differences. It will discuss how to understand your child’s learning style, providing strategies and tips to help. 

We are delighted to welcome one of the UK’s behaviour and learning specialist experts, Fintan O'Regan, an international/national Neurodiversity consultant and trainer for schools and school support systems. He specialises in providing behaviour management strategies for children and families struggling with SEND and behaviour issues and has authored several books and scholarly articles on the subject.

Fintan will be in conversation with Will Petty of Bonas MacFarlane. They will discuss developmental differences in children and adolescents, outlining approaches to support learning, behaviour and socialisation, and answering your questions.   

CATCH UP - Watch the recording

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

How to Choose an Independent School

Online Event - Tuesday 1 December,
10:30am - 11:30am

For this Parents Forum we are delighted to welcome one of the UK’s leading education experts, Barnaby Lenon, Chairman of the Independent Schools Council. Head Master of Harrow from 1999 to 2011, he taught at Eton for twelve years, and was Deputy Head Master of Highgate School from 1990-95.

Barnaby Lenon will be in conversation with Charles Bonas, Founder of Bonas MacFarlane. They will be discussing how parents can find the school that will best suit their child and answering parents’ questions.

CATCH UP - Watch the recording

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

Into the GDST

Online Event - Tuesday 24 November,
10:30am - 11:30am

Introduced by Dr Kevin Stannard, Director of Innovation & Learning at the Girls Day School Trust (GDST), this Tuesday's Parents Forum webinar is vital viewing for all parents of girls.

In London we visit Notting Hill & Ealing, Putney, Croydon, Sutton, Streatham & Clapham and Wimbledon. Outside the capital, we explore Bath's GDST school with a boarding house, plus schools in re-location hotspots Norwich, Oxford and Shrewsbury.

CATCH UP - Watch the recording

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

Into the Home Counties

Online Event - Wednesday 18 November, 10:30am - 11:30am

A unique opportunity for parents to look around eight of the UK's leading independent senior schools in the Home Counties. In an hour we visit these leading schools, see them in action, meet pupils, heads and admissions directors and gain exclusive insights. This is a highly efficient way to focus your Home Counties search and find the school in the South East that is the right fit for your child.

CATCH UP - Watch the Recording

Participating schools:

  • Bedales
  • Berkhamsted
  • Bradfield
  • Haileybury
  • Heathfield
  • Sevenoaks
  • St George's Ascot
  • Shiplake

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

Into the West of England

Online Event - Tuesday 10 November, 10:30am 

A unique opportunity for parents to look around eight of the UK's leading independent schools in the West of England. In an hour we visit these eight leading schools, see them in action, meet pupils, heads and admissions directors and gain exclusive insights.

This is a highly efficient way to focus your West Country search and find the school that is the right fit for your child.

CATCH UP - watch the recording

Participating schools:

  • Cheltenham College
  • Marlborough
  • Millfield
  • Monkton Combe
  • Pangbourne
  • Queen Anne's
  • Sherborne School
  • Sherborne Girls

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

Applying to highly selective US universities

Online Event - Wednesday 14 October, 5:30pm - 6:30pm

With over one million international students applying to the US for university each year, competition for places at top universities is at an all time high. 

This online event is designed to help British and international students who are applying to US universities.

CATCH UP - watch the recording

We will be joined by admissions teams from Tufts University, Northeastern University and Tulane University to discuss each of their schools as well as what makes an application truly stand out from the crowd. 

  • Paul Burgess, Director of International Admission and Global Initiatives, Tulane University
  • Sayaka Smith, Assistant Director of Admissions, Tufts University  
  • Brendan Graham, Senior Assistant Director, Northeastern University
  • Jamie Boygo, Specialist US College Consultant, Bonas MacFarlane

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

Into Boarding Prep Schools

Online Event - Wednesday 7 October, 10:30am 

Choosing a school is one of the biggest decisions parents will make for their child. Bonas MacFarlane director, Will Petty, introduces eight leading boarding prep schools. In an hour you will visit see them in action, get exclusive insights and have the opportunity to ask questions. This is a highly efficient way to focus your search and find the school that is the right fit for your child.

CATCH UP - watch the recording

Participating schools:

  • Aldro
  • Beeston Hall School
  • Cottesmore School
  • Hanford School
  • Highfield & Brookham Schools
  • Lockers Park
  • Old Buckenham Hall
  • Orwell Park School

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

Into UK Senior Schools

Online Event - Tuesday 22 September, 10:30am 

Choosing a school is one of the biggest decisions parents will make for their child. Bonas MacFarlane director, Will Petty, introduces six leading schools within easy each of London. In an hour you will visit see them in action, get exclusive insights and have the opportunity to ask questions. This is a highly efficient way to focus your search and find the school that is the right fit for your child.

CATCH UP - watch the recording

Participating schools:

  • Felsted
  • Lancing College
  • New Hall School
  • The Royal Masonic School for Girls
  • Mayfield School
  • King's, Ely

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

How to apply to NYU

Online Event - Wednesday 22 July, 10:30am 

This online event was designed to help British and international students who are applying to or starting at US universities this autumn. Admissions Director Lisa Mortini, from NYU, one of the US universities most popular with international students, discussed in conversation with Charles Bonas, Director of Bonas MacFarlane, how to make a good application and stand out from the 85,000 other applicants.

CATCH UP - watch the recording

SPEAKER

  • Lisa Mortini, International Admissions, NYU

TOPICS:

Lisa also discussed the impact of lockdown on admissions:

  • How will COVID19 impact students at US universities this Fall?
  • Should 2020 entrants defer for a year?
  • How safe is it to study in the US?
  • Will admissions officers make allowances for lockdown when judging applications?
  • Will there be fewer international applicants this year?

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

SENIOR SCHOOL ADMISSIONS 

Online Event - Thursday 25 June 10:45am 

Schools are closed but admissions have not stopped. This online event for parents was an opportunity to understand how open days, school tours, interviews/assessments and registration are working under the current circumstances, and to remind parents that they need to be mindful of the fast approaching deadlines.

CATCH UP - watch the recording 

Speakers:

  • James Dahl, Master of Wellington College
  • Dr Andy Mayfield, Director of Admissions, St Paul's School
  • William Petty, Director, Bonas MacFarlane

Topics covered - the impact of lockdown on:

  • Admissions Deadlines
  • Open Days
  • School Visits
  • Interviews & Assessments
  • Intakes for 2020 and 2021

The London Parents Forum is organised by Bonas MacFarlane in partnership with the Independent Schools Show.

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