Anyone have a view on how UCS has changed since arrival of M Beard?

[Alsoflamingo]

Wondering about UCS for DS and wanted to know if anyone can give some input on how the school has changed since the arrival of the new head last year. Some suggestions that he has tightened discipline/compliance with uniform rules up a bit, but keen for any more info from someone in the know. Really just want to get a flavour of the school as v. tempted by sound of its liberal, laid-back but still academic qualities.

It's tough to answer that to someone who didn't know the school before. I'm not sure that Mr. Beard has his priorities right. Uniform is about the lowest on the list of things that parents wanted to see tightened up. Mr. Beard is getting a very fast education in the culture of NW London. He is from a more trad school in a very White/English/Christian place. UCS is the antithesis. UCS parents have no interest in reproducing that ethos- if we did, we'd be paying Highgate to educate our sons. I think that Mr.Beard will figure it out. He does need to understand that 'Liberal' in the UCS context respects it's heritage as the 1st and only desenting school and it's rejection of petty rules and rigid discipline.
Parent priorities for improvement-
Get rid of stale teachers (happening! Yay!)
Improve communication with parents (Some signs. Hmmm.)
New online system gives parents access to attendance, unfinished assignments and teachers comments. Some things still come as a surprise that shouldn't.
See Above- Laid back shouldn't mean showing no interest in the quiet boys (no improvement yet). If your son isn't the boy with his hand up first, always on the A team, confident bordering on cocky or just very, very naughty, they can be ignored. The teachers really can leave these boys to rub along with no input or encouragement. It's nice that no boy is forced to participate in activities but the result can be that they aren't encouraged either. The quiet boy may not have a particular talent or academic strength brought out if he doesn't arrive with it or tell everyone within a five Km radius about. The boy who doesn't blow his own trumpet or play it at Grade 8 can be left in a corner to gather cobwebs until they realise that a whole section of his UCAS form is blank.
However, pastoral care (already very good on an emotional level) will improve further as some key staff appointments have been made this year.
I think that Mr. Beard will begin to understand the tone of the school and I hope that he figures out that what made Mr. Durham so good (not perfect) was that boys actually liked him. Mr. Beard needs to work on this.

Hugely helpful, Horsemad. Thank you for giving such detailed comments. I worry if Mr Beard is 'missing' the ethos of the school. Its liberal heritage, lack of religious denomination, avoidance of petty rules etc is precisely what attracted us to it. Do hope he works it out soon and embraces what is so special about UCS. Interested in what you said about quiet less confident boys maybe being overlooked; could apply to us so worth thinking hard about. Once again - many thanks for such a thorough post. Encourage any others who might have observations to come forward too.

Thanks for the observations. This school is our only hope in a few years time for my boys. Will be keeping a close eye.

Horsemad - we just visit UCS this morning (for 13+ entry) and were impressed by what we saw. My only concern from reading your review (and others) is that our DS is a quieter boy so would benefit from more rather than less encouragement. Do you above views still stand or has there been more change since October? Thanks