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The Royal Hospital School has recently been successful in its application to deliver the National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme (NICAS). This UK-wide scheme provides the structure and motivation for new climbers to develop their climbing skills, to gain the most out of the sport, as well as having their achievements recognised with five levels of award.

Shortly before the end of last term, three of Woodbridge School’s four cross country teams competed in the ESAA XC National Cup, a competition for day and boarding schools in England. Having already done well in the area and regional rounds to get the Nationals, the runners could be fairly confident, although they were all, understandably, rather nervous at the start.

Against a backdrop of headlines prophesying US isolationism, UK insularism and rising nationalism across Europe after some divisive political campaigns and results in 2016, we are happy to start this new year with proof that the communities within the British boarding schools we recommend retain their international focus.

GCSEs in England are in the process of being reformed and, as we like to keep you updated on developments in British education, this is our short guide to the changes and their chronology.

Earlier this year we profiled the Round Square family of schools. This time we are featuring Woodard Schools, an organisation with 42 schools in its care. Only one of those schools is overseas, so it has more of a UK focus, but those 42 include schools from every sector of British education.

When considering a child’s education in the UK, obviously the course of study they will follow is of paramount importance, particularly at that key phase just ahead of leaving secondary education at the age of 18. We have covered the courses available to 16-18-year-olds in a previous article but this academic year sees a change to the way A Levels are taught and examined, so we thought a follow-up may be useful.

Early in July, students across the UK and the world receive their International Baccalaureate Diploma results. This news, which to them is so important, passes largely unnoticed by the British media, unlike the furore which greets A Level then GCSE results later in the summer.

Many of the British boarding schools we recommend are affiliated to a wider group or “family” of other schools. One such organisation is Round Square, which maintains and facilitates a network of 160 schools in 40 countries that has been growing ever since it was founded fifty years ago by philosopher Kurt Hahn.

Time flies when you’re having fun and, amazingly, we are already more than halfway through this academic year. While the summer and exams may still seem a little way off, coursework deadlines could be looming and it’s never too soon to at least prepare for revision.

Following on from our recent guide to British Sixth Form study, we thought it might be helpful to zero in on the options available at boarding schools in Scotland.