Boarding schools in England – core features
The UK is a home to more than 500 prestigious boarding schools, offering high quality education. Boarding schools in the UK differ from other educational institutions in their approach to child development – they emphasize on studying academic subjects, and simultaneously on art, sports and personality formation. This integration of disciplines has long established itself as a successful model of education.
UK Boarding schools are usually located in very beautiful places, often have a large territory, where all facilities are. All buildings are regularly restored and repaired. There are classrooms for science, art, music, dance, information technology, as well as state-of-the-art sports centers, theaters and concert halls.
Foreign students are provided with the opportunity to choose educational programs for studying: GCSE, A-Level, BTEC, International Baccalaureate, Foundation, semester courses, academic English, etc. Moreover, the educational process stipulates studying of compulsory (mathematics, English, etc.) and elective subjects (design, business, philosophy, etc.).
Specialized boarding schools in England – what opportunities are provided?
In specialized boarding schools, besides studying, focus is made on developing student’s abilities. Thus, academic boarding schools can specialize in advanced study of languages, natural science subjects, STEM, humanities and other fields.
Sports boarding schools in the UK provide professional sports training. Students who are seriously engaged in football, basketball, tennis, swimming and other sports, train under the guidance of experienced coaches, participate in competitions, winning awards. Studying at such a school increases the chances of receiving a sports scholarship at the university, giving a good start for a future career.
Art boarding schools are designed for creative children who have talents in the music, dance, visual and theatrical arts. In addition to studying general subjects, students actively develop creative skills. For example, Giggleswick School has its own art school and several art studios, a real professional theater, an orchestra, and various ensembles. Almost all students practice vocals or play musical instruments.
Ranking of the best boarding schools in the United Kingdom
Many rankings of educational institutions are based on exam results. According to the Top School Guide, which used GCSE results, top 10 UK boarding schools include:
- Wycombe Abbey School: 97.50% (percentage of students received grade 7 to 9)
- Westminster School: 96.30%
- St Paul’s School: 96.00%
- Brighton College: 94.00%
- Tonbridge School: 93.55%
- Dulwich College: 92.00%
- Concord College: 90.00%
- Winchester College: 88.41%
- Whitgift School: 88.00%
- St Catherine’s, Bramley: 88.00%
The Top School Guide also prepared a ranking of British boarding schools, based on A-levels results. Below the percentage of pupils achieving A* and A in last year’s A Level exams is provided.
- Cardiff Sixth Form College: 94.85%
- Oxford International College: 90.49%
- Queen Ethelburga’s College: 84.30%
- St Paul’s School: 84.00%
- Westminster School: 83.50%
- Brighton College: 82.27%
- Eton College: 80.10%
- Tonbridge School: 80.00%
- Winchester College: 79.63%
- St Michael’s School Llanelli: 79.11%
If you decide on boarding school in London, you should be prepared for a high tuition fee, given the prestige of studying in the British capital, ranking educational institutions, and quality education.
Why choose boarding school in the UK for studying?
The advantages of pursuing education at boarding schools concern high quality education, international academic standard, development of communication and adaptation skills. Also students get preparation for entering the world’s best universities. Upon completing studies, graduates become more independent and responsible.
In the UK, boarding schools welcome students aged 7 years old. However, most parents decide on sending their child at an older age most – traditionally, girls from the age of 11 and boys from 13. According to statistics, foreign students usually study on A levels or International Baccalaureate (IB) program, from the age of 16.
If a tuition fee at a UK boarding school seems high, pay attention that most boarding schools offer scholarships and bursaries, helping to compensate for the cost of studying. Awarding of scholarships usually depends on academic merit or special talents. However, bursaries are usually means-tested and based on student’s financial need.
Each school has its own application process and requirements, so check with individual schools for detailed information.
