Private schools in Cambridge are home to some of the best and most prestigious education on the planet. Students from all over the world come to the island for quality knowledge and prospects. British private school diplomas have long been regarded as a guarantee of an excellent education and are highly regarded by university admissions committees in all countries.
Lessons do not end at English schools. Sports, creative work, volunteer programs, and all sorts of other electives are open to students in any way to fulfill themselves.
Most private schools and colleges have vast areas of sports fields, campuses . These are full-fledged campuses where kids feel at home no matter where they come from. Most schools offer several housing options for children to choose from – residences, homestays, and dormitories.
The British Secondary Education System
English children study in secondary schools from 11 to 15-16 years. After finishing their academic program they take an obligatory GCSE exams. This is the “General Certificate of Secondary Education”, an academic qualification awarded for the exams taken by students aged 14 to 16. Those who plan to go on to higher education go on to high school, where they take the 6th form program. It ends with passing one of the exams: A-Levels, International Baccalaureate, BTEC or Cambridge Pre-U. According to their results students can apply to all universities of Great Britain, America and Europe.
Types of English private schools
Private schools in the UK can be divided in several ways:
⦁ by level of education;
⦁ by the gender of the students;
⦁ by academic criteria for;
⦁ by high school curriculum
Division by age category.
English schools can be roughly divided into full-time schools, where children study from age 5 to 18, and junior, middle and senior schools, designed for children ages 5-11 (Primary School), 11-16 (Senior School) and 16-18 (Sixth Form), respectively.
Cooperative and Separate Education
Perhaps nowhere else in the world is segregated education as popular as in Britain. It is an old English tradition that remains relevant today. Despite the fact that there are more and more supporters of co-education now, separate schools have been and remain a kind of hallmark of British education.
The arguments in favor of separate education are as follows:
⦁ The rate of intellectual development in boys and girls is different;
⦁ Schools for boys and girls do not separate “female” and “male” work, so children grow up more independent, self-sufficient and not restricted by gender stereotypes;
⦁ Teamwork is more comfortable for girls, while boys are motivated by a competitive environment;
⦁ Boys’ schools can provide a wider variety of masculine sports
Cooperative learning, in turn, allows boys and girls to socialize and interact with each other from an early age. In addition, it has been proven that many students are more motivated to develop themselves in the presence of the other sex.
Grading system
In England a letter grading system is used. The grading scale includes grades A, B, C, D, and U: A means “excellent” and U means “very poor”.
In addition, there is quite officially a grade of “excellent with plus”, in the British version – with an asterisk, it is A* – the highest grade in the British knowledge evaluation system.
There is a separate grade for diligence. For diligence you can get a grade from 1 to 5. So, by the results of a trimester parents can see the following picture: level of knowledge, for example, in math – C, and diligence – 5. That is, the child has tried very hard, but perhaps a C is the limit of his math skills, or perhaps the student is on the right track to progress in a subject that is still difficult.
The advantage of studying in private schools in Cambridge
Educational institutions in England are divided into public and private, separate and joint. There are more than 500 private schools in the country, which educate children from other countries.
The advantages of studying in Cambridge schools:
- At secondary schools in Cambridge, students receive up-to-date academic knowledge and attend numerous extracurricular activities to develop a well-rounded, socially adapted personality.
- At boarding schools, a child studies the core curriculum and takes part in sports, music, and other arts on campus, which allows for a rational allocation of study time.
- A British high school diploma, recognized worldwide, allows you to enter the best universities.
- Due to the high level of English teaching, students have virtually no language barrier after graduation from high school.
Peculiarities of studying in private schools in Cambridge
The curriculum consists of compulsory subjects and electives, which students can choose for themselves. Compulsory subjects include English, Mathematics, Science, Computer Science, and Foreign Language. Physical education is usually included in the compulsory program as well. Popular elective courses include economics, accounting, music, theater and drama.
The feature of the British systems is the schoolchildren’s all-round development, thanks to numerous sections, interest clubs, studios, and creative laboratories. English teachers believe that for students social skills are as important as academic knowledge.
The academic year is divided into trimesters: fall, spring, and summer. In the middle of each there are small breaks in the learning process, and there are longer vacations between terms.
What documents will be needed from my current school to apply to a private school in Cambridge?
Documents required for admission to a boarding school:
GPAs from your current school – sometimes they are only required for the current school year, in some cases for the previous two or three. It is not uncommon for schools to ask for a transcript, that is, a transcript showing courses taken, hours and grades.
Recommendations from teachers – the number of these documents can also vary. In some places a letter from the homeroom teacher or principal will suffice, in others recommendations from English and mathematics teachers will also be required.
Student Conduct Report or Student Profile – Some schools require that a student’s conduct record be put in a separate document and that it be carefully reviewed. Still, this document can rather be called a supplementary document.
Naturally, the documents must be translated into English. Notarization of translations is often not required, but there are exceptions to this rule.
How much does it cost to study in Cambridge?
Private schools in Britain are not free. The state does not support the educational institutions financially, the schools exist on the money received from the parents of students for tuition and accommodation.
Not every English family can afford to pay for private school, especially if there are several children.
The cost of a trimester of education averages £6-7 thousand. For a student who lives in the school residence, you have to pay 9-10 thousand £.
British schools are not very generous with their scholarships; in exceptional cases financial aid to talented students can reach 30-40% of the cost.
Payment is already charged at the stage of enrollment, to be able to pass the entrance examinations, the student’s family will have to pay a registration fee of at least 50-100 £, and for ranked schools such as – 300 £.
