Global Boarding Schools

GLOBAL BOARDING SCHOOLS A GULF NEWS SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT

SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2019

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Fostering the pursuit of excellence

A superlative British boarding school experience

Bringing confidence to the fore

Choose right to study right Recognising how daunting the experience of singling out a school for a child can be, Bishop’s Stortford College offers advice and tips you can use as a parent

inding the right school that works for your child and you as a parent is critical. Do they have the right balance of sport, music art and drama with academic studies that will challenge and engage your child and allow them to flourish? Are they able to offer you a continuous education through to A Levels or will you need to start this process again at 7, 11, 13 or 16? While you may just be at the start of your child’s independent school journey a nod to the future may not be amiss and expertise and support in options beyond school may considered as well.

There is obviously a great deal

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of information already available on the Internet for pupils and parents to use but, before embarking on this research, it certainly helps to have an idea about the most effective approaches to take. The most important first step is for a pupil to understand their skills and interests as without this the sheer volume of information can be unmanageable.

Not only is this key to identifying areas of interest but it is also a critical factor for a career path which could well involve jobs which do not exist yet!

Higher Education and Careers departments, like that found at Bishop’s Stortford College in Hertfordshire, provide a knowledgeable and useful resource. It is the go-to place for college pupils who wish to find out about apprenticeships, taster courses, internships and work placement opportunities.

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Choose right to study right

The Bishop’s Stortford College Careers service also hosts external speakers and visiting professionals who talk to pupils about their careers and their experiences - hopefully inspiring them to learn more about particular skill sets or industries.

Another opportunity facilitated by the College HE and Careers Department is work experience. At Bishops’ Stortford College this happens towards the end of Year 11. Working closely with lots of local and Londonbased businesses, some of which have connections with parents or alumni, pupils are able to spend a working week within an industry they are interested in. It’s not only a useful opportunity to find out if it really is a career that they wish to pursue but also a first introduction to the working world, and is therefore an effective and useful experience whether or not the pupil decides to follow that career path.

Mentoring is also a key part of the offering with Sixth Form students being regularly invited to share with younger pupils the knowledge and experience they have gained as they moved through the school.

Sharing first-hand accounts of the

trials and tribulations of choosing GCSE and A Level subjects, combined with degree choices and career aspirations can be both motivating and reassuring.

National Careers Week is an annual nationwide event (in the UK) which encourages all schools to promote good careers advice to their pupils. During this week, many schools will put on additional events, from guest speakers to competitions, such as who can write the most effective and convincing job application.

Bishop’s Stortford College is keen to develop young people who will make a successful transition to the next phase of their life and with this in mind they also offer pupils advice on budget management, cookery for those going into self-catering accommodation as well as extensive personal support.

Those pupils who leave school understanding how to manage change and make the most of their skills and interests will be the ones who have exciting and fulfilling careers.

Deborah Hearne leads the Higher Education and Careers Department at Bishop’s Stortford College, a full-time team of three who offer dedicated programmes of information, advice and guidance to senior school pupils at the College.

For more information on Bishop’s Stortford visit www.bishopsstortfordcollege.org or email admissions@bishopsstortfordcollege.org

MERCHISTON

ANDERSON EDUCATION

A leading Adding value UK school erchiston is an independent boarding school in Scotland that offers the English curriculum, but with a global and outward-facing dimension.

“A balanced curriculum, excellent pastoral care and a high A-level pass rate make Merchiston one of the UK’s leading independent schools,” is how ukboardingschools.com rated the school.

Off the field, it has an impressive record of helping boys excel beyond their expected results. The 2017 results at every level offer clear evidence of the value added by the school. Merchiston provides excellent university preparation and SAT-support clinics for applicants to American universities. Furthermore, 64 per cent of students have gained places at Russell Group universities and Ivy League universities.

On the field, the school has representation in all of the 2018-19 Scottish National Rugby Teams and the specialist academies are at the top of their game: the ISGA‘s No 2 UK Golf School, 2018-19 and the ISF’s No 2 World Tennis School, 2017-19.

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he quality of a British education is recognised and respected worldwide, producing many of today’s leaders in politics, finance or sport the arts.

The quality of teaching in small class sizes produces top grades. 92 per cent of pupils in independent schools in the UK progress to higher education, including 56 per cent to Russell Group universities.

By choosing a boarding school education for your child you are adding value by providing the opportunity to gain independence, confidence and compassion from living in a diverse and international environment.

As Education Consultants, Anderson Education provide free impartial advice and guidance and help you through the process from recommending schools to arranging school visits.

They have visited over 350 UK boarding schools and worked with families in the Gulf for over 15 years.

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Twitter: @An_Education; Instagram: @Anderson_Education; Facebook: Anderson Education; LinkedIn: Anderson Education; Website: www.andersoneducation.co.uk; www.ukboardingschoolexhibition.com

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March 16, 2019

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WOODBRIDGE SCHOOL

AIGLON COLLEGE

Inculcating the value of hard work in students

Embrace the mountains

have been Headmaster of Woodbridge School for six months and I have had time to consider the unique hallmarks of this remarkable school!

What has struck me about Woodbridge is that the journey the pupils experience throughout their time at the school is just as important as the academic outcome; that GCSE and A Level examination grades are only part of the story. Last year, the school achieved its best GCSE results ever.

This triumph demonstrates that academic success will always emanate from children that know the value of working hard, and who have the confidence to get things wrong and learn from their mistakes.

To get good grades is only valuable if young people have the disposition to bring them to life.

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Woodbridge’s aim is to provide for its pupils a foundation for life.

This means helping to develop the essential life attributes such as confidence, communication skills, taking the initiative and resilience to ensure examination results do not remain on the page but they are brought to life.

Each and every pupil is given such a plethora of opportunities inside and outside of the classroom to discover the multiple intelligences that they have. The relationships they build with each other, and with the superb staff, enable each and every pupil to be more aspirational, to challenge themselves and to become completely fulfilled.

This gem of a school, on a beautiful hillside in the heart of Woodbridge, is a remarkable place to learn and achieve.

— Dr Richard Robson, Headmaster, Woodbridge School

ichard McDonald, Headmaster, Aiglon College, talks about embracing the ethos of this mountain school.

In this way, the dominant culture of the school becomes the value set of the school rather than the value set of a particular national identity.

Aiglon College is located at 1,200m in a small, alpine village. How does embracing this “mountain school” environment make Aiglon a strong education destination?

A school like Aiglon that is situated in an inspiring place of natural beauty creates a framework for people to escape some of the restless pressures of highly urbanised life. There is a need for freedom, for expression, for exercise, and Aiglon gives children the opportunity to group in an environment that is not dominated by some of the issues of urbanised life.

What would you call the best thing about Aiglon’s work in this ethos?

If you ask a student what they value most, probably the most common answer I get is their friends. Children and humans are highly societal and highly dependent to create a persona in the lives of others. The art to building enduring friendships and human relationships is a really significant art of the boarding school environment, and one that is repeatedly referred to here at Aiglon as one of the highlights of the Aiglon experience.

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What do families like about your location and this approach to education?

Switzerland remains an extremely attractive destination in terms of its physical geography, its international character, safety, political stability, easy accessibility and that it has a long tradition of excellence in education. This is certainly an attraction. Aiglon also holds the advantage that everybody is in a minority.

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March 16, 2019

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ROSSALL SCHOOL

JR SCHOOL SEARCH

British boarding at its best

The growing intricacy of British education

stablished in 1844, Rossall is a leading British boarding school that has now become the first choice for parents worldwide seeking a traditional British education for their sons and daughters. Whilst our students are mainly British, we welcome on to our extensive private campus, boys and girls from over 20 different countries. These students come to Rossall with the goal of gaining entry to a prestigious top-ranked university in the UK, Europe or North America.

Located on the Lancashire coast, our beautiful campus has a range of first-class facilities for both study and recreation and is less than one hour

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away from Manchester Airport. The campus has extensive sports fields, a swimming pool, a state of the art Golf Academy and direct access to the seashore. Our seven boarding houses are all located on our private campus and provide a comfortable, safe, and secure living environment with 24-hour supervision by resident staff.

Rossall offers one of the broadest curriculum programmes available in the UK independent school market.

Rossall Junior School is authorised to offer the IB Primary Years Programme while the Senior School continues to follow the British National Curriculum.

At Rossall pupils enjoy learning and living in a friendly, busy and challenging atmosphere in the classroom, after school and at weekends.

For further information on Rossall visit www.rossall.org.uk.

Rossall School’s Director of Marketing, Admissions and Communications, Mrs Lucy Barnwell will be exhibiting at the British Boarding Schools Show at the Sheraton Hotel, Mall of the Emirates today, from 12 noon to 7pm. For more details please email Lucy on l.barnwell@rossall. org.uk

ritish Education: an established system characterised by tradition and driven by a quest to maintain excellence in academic results.

In recent years though, the system has been characterised by growing diversity and complexity with entry processes, admission testing, varying points of entry, each unique to a growing list of UK schools thus leaving parents to navigate a maze of options at every turn.

Pre-prep entry into prestigious independent schools requires children as young as three and four to demonstrate an eagerness to learn and a confidence to independently walk into assessment situations. If a place is secured, parents are often forced to quickly turn attention to preparing for the 7+ and 8+ assessments to achieve a place at selective schools.

Others will confront 11+ as an entry option, often perceived as academically challenging. Competition at this entry point throws up terrifying statistics of unrealistic demand for too few places.

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Finally, for boys aiming at top London day schools and competitive boarding institutions it is vital to understand pre-testing and 13+ entry.

Pre-testing allows an offer to be made but only on the condition of passing common entrance exams at a specified grade dictated by individual schools.

While the British education system is evolving at a frightening speed, it is reassuring to see that it continues to attract families from around the world. If parents are able to carefully navigate the maze of options, their children will reap the benefits that a long established system of education prides itself on.

Janie Richardson School Search offers bespoke and informed advice to parents and families relocating to the UK on all aspects of the British education system. For more information visit www.jrschoolsearch.com

GLOBAL BOARDING SCHOOLS

March 16, 2019 PARTNER CONTENT

DURHAM SCHOOL

Ensuring confidence for life

or more than 600 years, Durham School has been at the heart of education in the North East of England, giving its pupils the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed in the future.

One of the top schools in the UK, Durham School’s mission is to provide a complete education, instilling in its pupils an aspiration for achievement and a respect for others.

This leading independent coeducational school educates girls and boys from ages 3 to 18 in a caring and supportive atmosphere, where inspirational teaching and outstanding pastoral care combine to help each child achieve their full potential.

The School offers flexible board-

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ing for pupils aged 11-18 from the UK and abroad. The Houses are at the heart of pupils’ lives, and we aim for all boarders to experience a warm and supportive atmosphere, each run by an experienced and dedicated team. Boarders support each other’s achievements on the sports field, in concerts, on stage and in the examination hall. We also offer a wide range of extracurricular opportunities at the school including the CCF, Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes and World Challenge expeditions.

With direct flights from Dubai to Newcastle, Durham School is within easy reach. To find out more about the application process contact admissions@durhamschool.co.uk or visit our website www.durhamschool.co.uk

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GODOLPHIN SCHOOL

Empowering young women to excel resh from the success of winning the Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year for the South West of England, Godolphin School in Salisbury, Wiltshire, has a proud tradition of empowering young women by offering them the tools and experiences they need to excel, academically and personally.

At the forefront of contemporary education, Godolphin is a school for both boarding and day girls, with a proud heritage of highly successful students who benefit from studying a challenging and diverse curriculum.

Students study a wide range of STEM subjects alongside the humanities and arts, and all partici-

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pate in a thriving co-curricular programme. Up to 70 per cent of Sixth Form students study Mathematics at A-level, with Business and Science qualifications among the most popular. Results are outstanding right across the curriculum, with 53 per cent of students achieving A-A* grades at A-level in 2018 and 95 per cent achieving A-C. The school’s bespoke learning programmes, coupled with outstanding teaching and pastoral care allow every child to take the risks that ensure they thrive, while the Bright Futures Careers programme supports students right through school, ensuring that they leave the Sixth Form ready to successfully embrace the challenges of higher education.

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