Let’s Start This Journey Together
While admission to our school is selective, our admissions procedure is straightforward and the majority of the information requested can be provided online. Entry assessments are required and can be organised either at our school campus or remotely if you are applying from abroad. Parents typically receive a response from the school within 5 to 10 workings days of applying.
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Talk To Us
If you have any general enquiries or require any other information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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A warm welcome
Families are welcome to come and visit our facilities and get to know our excellent school.
Frequently asked questions
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British education, at both the school and university level, has achieved a worldwide reputation for quality.
The reputation of the British educational tradition is due in part to the reputation and academic excellence of institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge, and at the school level, renowned independent schools such as Eton, Harrow, and Winchester. British education is focused on processes and outcomes - what should a child know and be able to do at any given age - as opposed to emphasising the acquisition of specific knowledge. The National Curriculum for England and Wales takes a progressive approach; from 0 to 18-plus, each stage builds upon what has come before. Certain key principles, starting from the early years, run through the whole of the education system: the notion that each child is unique and that this is important; an emphasis on developing positive relationships (with teachers, parents, peers); a focus on enabling environments (learning does not happen exclusively in the classroom); and finally, learning and development - looking at outcomes and results, but only as one facet of a child's education.
A British education emphasises the development of the whole student, and particularly at the primary level there is a great deal of scope for creativity and individuality in the classroom. When all of this is considered alongside the continuity and transferability offered by a British education around the world, and the fact that British institutions offer qualifications that are recognised internationally, it is little wonder that the industry of British schools abroad continues to flourish and expand.
The popularity of British education can be seen in the huge number of British schools outside of the UK. There are more than 2000 schools outside of Britain teaching elements of the UK National Curriculum, and more are opening every year. Students from these schools account for a significant percentage of the overseas students doing undergraduate degrees at UK universities. Choosing a British international school not only gives students the benefit of a British education, it is also eminently transferrable. The structure and consistency of the National Curriculum allows students to move easily, between British schools in various countries including the UK, and facilitates progression to university in the UK or elsewhere in the world.
At the school we provide an enhanced British style education that takes the best of the UK curriculum and reinforces it with enhanced extra curricular and instrumental programmes. Our students sit the same public tests and examinations that are administered in England and will typically perform well above the UK average. We recognise that academic achievement is central to school life, but rather than focus on preparing for tests we believe that a broad and vibrant curriculum creates the enthusiasm for learning that will lead to success. Good examination results simply follow.
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The school delivers the English National Curriculum, as it would be delivered by any top independent school in the UK (with small curriculum adaptations to cater for our international setting). Students attending our school, will have their studies accepted by other reputable British and international schools as well as universities in the UK and worldwide.
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All our classroom lead teachers are not only fully UK qualified and experienced. The school devotes great time and resources to recruit top candidates who are mostly interviewed in the UK or through our network of schools. Obvious exceptions to this rule are language teachers and some specialist teachers, who might have qualifications from other countries.
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For Pre-Nursery and Nursery the maximum is 16. For Lower School classrooms the maximum is 20. For Middle School the maximum is also 20. School policy allows for these maximums to be extended by 2 students, to accommodate native English speakers who display exceptional academic ability.
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Parents who are applying from overseas will be required to submit copies of the latest academic transcripts of the child(ren), this is usually only for children aged 4 or above. Depending on the information provided, the school will reply with 3 possible outcomes:
In very exceptional circumstances the child is accepted unconditionally. This is mainly limited to native English speakers, with exceptional academic transcripts/references normally from an English National Curriculum school.
The school sends an assessment for the child to sit under a controlled environment. An unconditional admission may be granted on the basis of the result of the test. Alternatively a conditional admission is made, pending a further assessment upon arrival to the school (see below)
A conditional admission is granted, pending an assessment upon the child’s arrival. The school will provide an opinion as to the chances of success, to indicate a level of certainty to parents.
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The school delivers its curriculum in English, and in order for students to be academically successful they must have a high level of both written and spoken English. The demands on the level of English increase depending on the age of the child, typically being less demanding on early years and more demanding in our Middle school. The school is able to provide language support, but only for a very limited number of students and always with the confidence this support is only required for a limited time. Typically a child with no English ability above the age of 10 will not gain admissions to the school.
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Yes, the school is open to receiving students throughout the academic year and special attention is given to ensure new arrivals feel welcome and integrated into the class. The fact that our students are used to interacting with children from all types nationalities and backgrounds, makes the process of creating new friends and bonds all that much easier.
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School runs from Monday to Friday, starting at 8.30am and ending at 3.30pm. On three days a week (on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays), school finishes an hour later, at 4.30pm, to account for after school activities. Children enjoy a 20min break/play time at 10.30am and have their lunch from 12 to 1pm (Pre-Nursery morning children go home at 12). Depending on the year group a further break of 15min is allowed at 2.30pm.
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The school offers a bus service, and strives to ensure children spend the least amount of time possible travelling to and from school. Our routes cover various residential areas of the city, and routes are often created or adapted to provide the maximum flexibility possible. However, parents living in remote or untypical residential areas with no other students living in the vicinity might find that we are unable to provide a bus service. Please contact us for more details.
Guide to year groups
The school follows the English National Curriculum, and allocates children to year groups in the same way any school in the UK would. The table below provides the age to year group placement as well as an equivalent to the IB/American System.
Age as of 1st of September |
Year Group |
Grade Equivalent |
Key Stage |
2 |
Pre-Nursery |
Toddler |
Foundation/Early Years |
3 |
Nursery |
Pre-K |
|
4 |
Reception |
Pre-K |
|
5 |
Year 1 |
Kindergarten |
Key Stage 1 |
6 |
Year 2 |
Grade 1 |
|
7 |
Year 3 |
Grade 2 |
Key Stage 2 |
8 |
Year 4 |
Grade 3 |
|
9 |
Year 5 |
Grade 4 |
|
10 |
Year 6 |
Grade 5 |
|
11 |
Year 7 |
Grade 6 |
Key Stage 3 |
12 |
Year 8 |
Grade 7 |