The
Main Course – Academic life
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The
International College aims to provide the best possible academic
start for your child in the British education system. Students
join the International College from many different educational
systems around the world. At whatever age they come they have
differing standards of academic development. From these different
starting points the College has a simple aim: that each student
should be at a high level of achievement compared with English
boys and girls of the same age by the time they leave the
International College. Each student should acquire as good
a command of English as is possible in the time available.
Not only is fluent English important for success in their
studies in England, it is also important for making friends
in England and understanding what is going on around them.
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This section of the website
aims to provide information about the academic structure in
British Independent schools and explain the role of the International
College within that structure. We feel it is of value to overseas
parents to read all of this information but we have provided
links to various areas should you wish to read specific parts
(or read it in smaller portions!):
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How does the International College succeed?
- By having average class sizes of six,
with a normal maximum class size of eight. This allows
more individual attention and we believe helps students
to study better and progress more quickly.
- Teachers of all subjects are either
EFL trained or EFL qualified so they can communicate with
your child at a level, and in a way, they understand.
We believe it is not just the English teachers who need
to be aware of linguistic difficulties.
- Through regular monitoring of progress
including at least half-termly meetings with the Vice-Principal.
- Making students work hard –
but with a sense of achievement.
- By ensuring students settle well and
quickly into the British boarding school system so as
to feel able to understand the world around them allowing
them sufficient confidence to concentrate on studying
hard and with purpose. This demands a real understanding
of the needs, issues and problems experienced by overseas
students. The College works hard to ensure such understanding
is in place.
After the International College:
The aim of the International College is
success for each student. This can be seen in the excellent
examination results at the end of each course, and the placement
of each student in the best school for that individual.
The College’s Future Schooling Officer provides help
for each individual in choosing the right school out of
the hundreds of good independent boarding schools in the
United Kingdom.
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The Schooling System
in England
The way schooling is organised in England
can be confusing for non-English students and their parents.
For example, in England the year of study for each child
is decided by his or her age, not by ability. Also, some
examinations are taught over two complete academic years
– which means that students should stay at the same
school for those two years. Because of this, most good schools
will not accept new students, for example, half way through
the two-year General Certificate of Secondary Education
(GCSE) programme – at the end of Year 10, when students
are normally 15 years old.
The chart which follows is a guide to
the education arrangements for young people in England.
The chart also shows the special arrangements that are made
at the International College for new students joining the
English educational system.
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ENGLISH
SCHOOLING SYSTEM (11-18) |
Ages of Children* |
National Curriculum
Years of Study |
State Education |
National Examinations |
Independent Education |
International College |
12 |
7 |
Start Secondary School
Finish Compulsory Education
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Key Stage 3 |
Upper Preparatory School
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J |
13 |
8 |
J |
14 |
9 |
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9 |
15 |
10 |
Key Stage 4 GCSE
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10 |
16 |
11 |
11 or Express |
17 |
12 |
Courses undertaken by
students who wish to continue their education and have
passed GCSEs. (Usually 5+ at grades A*-C) |
A/S – Advanced Level |
A/S –
Advanced Level
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18 |
13 |
A2 (‘A’ Level)
Advanced Level Year 2
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A2 (‘A’ Level)
Advanced
Level Year 2
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* Students become this age during the
academic year which runs from 1st September to 31st August.
NOTES: Students in Independent Schools are not be required
by Government to sit Key Stage 3 at the end of Year 9 but
Independent Schools have a national examination at the end
of Year 8 (Common Entrance) which many senior schools use
as an entry examination.
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Courses Offered
College entrants
aged 11 or 12 years old (by 1 September)
Students at this age follow a course based upon the
English “Common Entrance” examination. This is
the main entry examination for good independent senior schools.
The subjects presently studied include English, Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography and History. Some students
may study French, and some may also study Art. This course
will be for one year (students who are12 years old) or two
years (students who are 11 years old). Students who are 11
years old may be able to leave after one academic year and
join a British Public School. This will depend on their progress
and choice of future school.
College entrants aged 13 years
old (by 1 September)
Students at this age join the College’s Year 9. Students
study a wide range of subjects before making their choices
for their GCSE examinations for Year 10 and 11 at their next
schools.
College entrants aged 14 or 15
years old (by 1 September)
Students aged 14 are placed in the College’s Year 10.
Students aged 15, who do not have at least lower intermediate
standard of English, are also placed in Year 10 which is the
first year of the two-year GCSE programme. Students joining
Year 10 should stay at the International College for Year
11 as well. As well as the Year 10 classes formed in September
(the start of the British educational system) each year, additional
classes are formed in January and in April respectively following
a full two year programme, a shortened five term programme
and shortened four term programme, all leading to GCSE examinations
in the summer of the following academic year. All students
study English, Mathematics and all three Sciences. One or
two additional subjects can be chosen from French, Geography,
History and Additional Mathematics. Sometimes ICT and Business
Studies are also offered. Students can be entered for their
native language GCSE (eg, French, Chinese, German, Russian,
Japanese). Students sit an average of seven GCSE subjects
each.
College entrants
aged 15 or 16 years old (by 1 September)
As long as these students have at least lower intermediate
standard in English, they can join the College’s special
one-year GCSE programme. This covers, in about nine months,
examination material that British boys and girls take nearly
two years to cover in Year 10 and 11. For the students on
this course there is additional teaching on Mondays, Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Fridays. A small supplementary fee is payable
each term to cover the cost of this extra teaching.
All students study English, Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry and Biology plus one or two “optional”
subjects chosen from a list offered from year to year. They
have included, in recent years, Business Studies, French,
History, Geography, and Art. Students on this one-year programme
again usually take seven GCSE examinations, since students
are also entered for their own language (should it be available).
All students also follow a course of Personal, Social and
Health Education (PSHE). Each week each student meets with
his or her Head of Year for a tutorial period at which basic
PSHE topics are discussed.
Music lessons are also available at the
College on request.
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EFL
examinations
All students of all ages study English
and are entered for examinations from the Cambridge
Board. Older students are prepared for the IGCSE in
English for speakers of other languages, unless they
qualify as native speakers of the English language.
The College offers a full range of Cambridge Examinations
including: Young Learners, Key English Test, Preliminary
English Test and Cambridge First Certificate. More advanced
examinations as alternatives to IGCSE English are also
sometimes available.
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The British “School
Year”
The school year in England starts near the
beginning of September and finishes in late June or early
July.The school year is divided into three ‘terms’
as shown below.
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TYPICAL
SCHOOL YEAR IN ENGLAND |
Term One:
(Autumn or Michaelmas) |
September – mid
December
(with one week half-term) |
Term Two:
(Spring or Lent) |
Early January – mid March
(with one week half-term) |
Term Three:
(Summer or Trinity) |
Mid April – end of June/early
July
(usually with one week half-term;
not at International College) |
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College ADMISSIONS POLICY
The International College is open to all
boys and girls aged between 11 and 16 years old on entry from
non-British, non-English speaking backgrounds who wish to
join or experience the British educational system. There are
no formal academic entry requirements except
a) Candidates who have no English at all
may be referred to a specialist language development unit
for a short period.
b) Candidates joining the one-year GCSE course must have at
least lower intermediate standard English (approximately 4+
on the IELTS score or 75% on the College’s own test).
Candidates who arrive for this course without this level of
English may either be referred to the two-year GCSE programme
(if they are young enough), or to a limited GCSE programme
concentrating on less linguistically based examination subjects
plus additional English tuition (if they are already aged
16).
The International College is open to all
regardless of ethnicity language or religion. The College
is working towards being accessible to all regardless of physical
handicap.
Care has been taken to ensure the accuracy
of the information at the time of going to print. However,
International College is a living institution and changes
may be introduced, sometimes at short notice. This prospectus
does not, therefore, constitute in whole or in part any kind
of contract between International College and students, parents,
guardians or agents.
Hopefully this will have helped you understand
what we believe makes the International College so special
as well as giving you more information about the British Education
System. If there are any other questions you wish us to answer,
please do not hesitate to contact us.
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