Blog

On Gina’s recent visit to the famous British boarding school, Uppingham, she was impressed by the brand-new Science Centre and well-equipped Sports Centre. The creative arts are also well supported, with excellent provision for Art and Theatre, while Music is woven into the very fabric of the school community. Central to school life are the 15 boarding houses, each with its own dining room, as Uppingham is 99% boarding!

Dear Gina,

When we collected Johanna from Oxford at the end of March, we decided to combine business and pleasure by spending a couple of days in the area to get to know that wonderful city a bit better. We also visited the heartachingly beautiful Blenheim Palace and its grounds.

We are constantly impressed by the range of activities and opportunities that our fabulous British boarding schools offer the young people they educate.

One which recently caught the eye is the Young Enterprise programme, which saw Year 12 girls at Malvern St James Girls’ School set up two companies with two very different aims and end products.

Now in its seventh year, the James Waterhouse Piano Competition, in association with Steinway and Sons, has established itself as one of the foremost piano competitions in the UK for children under 19 years of age.

Renovation work of existing buildings at Hoe Court Farm has recently been completed to create the Lancing College Equestrian Centre.

Kent College Canterbury recently hosted former pupil David de Min on the day he completed the soft release of an app he has developed.

Called Velapp, the app offers a simple method of editing video as you shoot it. Using 3D touch technology, this new method of videoing is set to take the world by storm. David captivated his audience of current students at this English boarding school, and within minutes they were able to shoot and edit their own videos.

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.