What Makes the British School the First Choice for Families in Beijing? How old is the school? BSB is the oldest established British school in Beijing, having started in 2003. Do you have qualified teaching staff? BSB hires only highly qualified, motivated and trained staff who are able to develop young minds and help ensure our students become skilled and creative thinkers. How do you ensure good behaviour and manners at BSB? We have a school culture that promotes respect for others, good manners and promotes self-expression and selfesteem. We accomplish this through the teaching of BSG (behaviour and social graces). In the Primary School, we actively reward children for demonstrating respect for others with Marbles and teach about these values at Assemblies and in PSHE lessons. In the Secondary School, children earn Merits for respectful and good behaviour. At lunch times, the teachers sit with the children ensuring good table manners. Do you teach a broad curriculum? Our broad and balanced curriculum soundly develops children’s skills and knowledge across 10 subject areas in Primary School. In Secondary, a range of over 18 courses are available with IGCSE and A level offered. These are enriched with music, arts and sports programs. Do you have Teaching Assistants? We are the only school in Beijing which has native English speaking teaching assistants, many of whom are graduates, and all of whom have art, music and sports skills and expertise that enrich the School. The TAs teach ability groups in the class under the teacher’s guidance, help individuals who need support or extension and, in this way, our students have increased contact with native speaking adults every day to ensure their reach and exceed their potential. What about individual target setting? Students set their own academic targets and actively monitor their own development across the subjects. Just stop any child on the corridor and ask them their targets! In the Secondary School, students are set challenging targets at the start of the year for all subjects. These are reviewed throughout the year. How do you differentiate or group the children? We have differentiated literacy and numeracy ability groups in all Reception to Year 6 classes which ensure all students are working to reach their fullest potential. In the Secondary School, students are arranged into ability groups for mathematics, English, science and Chinese. Why do you do entry assessments? Our entry assessments provide for a fast start, which ensures your child goes into the right class and correct ability groups from day one. Also, this is a simple and quick check that we can meet an individual’s needs and helps us spot talents or weaknesses that we will give special attention once the child joins BSB – we want all students at BSB to thrive and blossom!
How will BSB ensure my child settles in quickly to their new school? Our transitions policy allows children and their families to make a seamless and smooth start at BSB. For example, where possible, we aim to have older students meet or email their future classmates before starting at BSB, we provide lots of information on the class and school prior to your arrival and then we are ready for you from day one. Your child will be placed in the ability group/class that will give them the support and challenge their need so they feel secure in class and they will have ‘buddy’ to look after them in the early days. Do you have a pastoral care system? There is a superb pastoral care system to ensure a smooth transition into BSB for your child from Pre-nursery to Year 13. In Primary, the class teacher assumes this role, leading assemblies, Circle Time lessons and being on hand for all students and watchful of the class’s social development. In Secondary School each child has a form teacher who is also responsible for delivering the citizenship and PHSE programme. Additionally, our counsellors and advisors provide support for careers and University entrance. Do you have any support programs or gifted and talented programs? There are many superb enrichment programmes in maths and art for gifted students, and extensive support programmes for children who need extra practice in basic skills in maths, English language, reading and phonics. Students with strong literacy and science skills will be challenged academically in their differentiated literacy groups. In Secondary School, we offer a fast track IGCSE programme for our more able students. Additionally, it is possible to take AS levels during Year 10 and 11. My child loves music. Can my child learn an instrument at BSB? BSB is the ABRSM Music centre and this reflects our world class music programme, where every student over 4 years old learns an instrument and develops as a musician. As a part of our program we offer 30 different musical courses, in addition to the weekly class music lessons that all children have from age 1. Private tuition is also available in all classes. It would be great if my child could join a club after school what do you offer? We offer over 100 after school activities and lunch clubs each year, which ensure our students are well rounded and active. How do you encourage future leaders? Leadership programmes in the PS which include House Captains, Student Council, Playground Prefects and others to give students as young as 6 years a voice and responsibility for their school. In Secondary School, there is Student Voices Parliament, International Award, Model United Nations and many other opportunities for our children to develop their leadership skills. My child needs to improve their confidence in public speaking. Twice a week our children participate in year group or whole school assemblies. Children who are natural performers have the opportunity to be in the spotlight whilst other less confident children can practise in smaller groups. We have 3 whole school musicals each year in the School, as well as 3 or 4 other special concerts and shows in which all students participate.
It is important that my child understands that they are very fortunate and I would like them to support less fortunate children and understand the difficulties they face. There are many projects each year for children to be involved with. We have an active Charity Council organising events, such as a ‘shoe box appeal’, gifts for Ayis, and other events raising money for surgery for orphans in Beijing. The Student Council, Student Voices Parliament, Charity Committee and individual classes run our fundraisers. Being a school for children from 1 to 18 years old, what opportunities are there for joint activities? There are many opportunities to work with students of other ages and across the school community at BSB. Sixth Form students complete community work in Primary School by reading with the children and taking part in joint projects (cookery classes, art days, hearing reading etc). Once a child reaches Year 6, we provide a comprehensive programme of transition opportunities as they approach the age for Secondary School. It is important for my child to feel safe and cared for. I want him to be a risk taker but in a secure environment. BSB provides a more intimate school experience due to our smaller campus size – students and staff know each other well, students can participate in all school events and a true sense of belonging is engendered. Bullying is unheard of at BSB, as we are watchful and take action swiftly and discretely should problems arise. Do you have an active Parent Association? We have wonderfully supportive parents at BSB. They work as class mums and dads, they help to organise events such as Halloween Discos, Easter egg hunts and International Day. They help to run our community Youth Centre, coach sporting clubs, read with our children in school and run our school coffee shop. Our recent ‘Doughnuts with Dads’ and ‘Muffins with Mums’ event in the coffee shop was a great success; we invited mums and dads to come to school and share ‘breakfast’ with their child and over 200 mums and dads came! How do you communicate with Parents? In Primary School, weekly email newsletters inform you of the focus and activities that week for your child. In the Foundation Stage, there is communication during the week with photos and notes in their Home-School Communication Books. In Secondary School, each parent receives an individual email every day informing them of the classes their child has taken and any homework requirements. We also have regular reporting and parent meetings throughout the year and at the start of each term curriculum information comes home too. We also use an SMS system to remind you about upcoming events and provide a whole school weekly Newsletter, BSB Vox!
How well do BSB children do in their exams? We’re very proud on behalf of our students who scored a total 71% A* to A (A Star marks exceptional performance) vs. a UK average of only 22.6%. Our total scores also included a very pleasing 89% A* to C grades vs. a UK average of 69%. In the Primary School, our standards for Foundation Stage to Year 6 are well above UK expectations, particularly in reading and mathematics. My child loves sports - will he be able to pursue them at BSB? Our sporting programme is second to none, with opportunities to join teams throughout the school. As members of FOBISSEA , EABBIS and ISAC our teams compete nationally and internationally. Our school aims to provide a very high standard of coaching and competition for the best sportsmen while enabling the less gifted to find something they can enjoy and develop. Students can play sport every day if they wish, and for the enthusiast there are outstanding opportunities to play and excel. What are the class sizes? In our Nursery classes the maximum class size is 15. From Reception up to Year 13 it is 20. Each class in the Primary School has a qualified teacher and at least one native English speaking TA. Where do the children go on residential trips? From Year 3 up to Year 13 all children go on residential trips across China, including Xi’an, Inner Mongolia, Guizhou and Sichuan. International trips are also offered to destinations in Europe and other parts of Asia. Year 2 have an overnight in school late in the year and all classes have a comprehensive programme of day trips to ensure learning also takes place out in our host country. How about Foreign languages? We have a variety of languages available including French, German, Spanish, Chinese, English, Japanese and Arabic. We also offer English classes for mum and dads! Which universities do your students apply to? Our students apply worldwide, with the most popular countries being the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong. The British School of Beijing is also an official SAT test centre, making university application to the US easier.