British schools are opening up across the world offering a slice of British education. So what is the pull of a British education for parents?
Boasting some of the oldest education institutions in the world, it is not surprising that the UK continues to draw in students worldwide, all clamouring for a ‘Best of British’ education. However, with a Pisa (the OECD’s international education test) ranking of just 26, the pull of a British education clearly isn’t just about the academic standards of our schools.
According to the Independent Schools Council (ICS), the representative body for the UK’s private education sector, 32% of pupils in UK boarding schools are non-British, whose parents live overseas (2014). A substantial intake of these students and pupils are from China, Nigeria, Russia and Germany. These families are looking for the ‘extra’ that British education can offer – the focus on the individual child and careful attention given to enable students to develop their talents.
You now don’t even have to be in the UK to take advantage of our education. Over the past 20 years, schools themselves have started to recognise the power of their brand internationally. British schools are opening up across the world to cater for both expats and locals wanting a slice of British education. In 2013, British schools overseas contributed over £1 billion in revenue. The trend isn’t slowing down either, Brighton College is the latest in a series of schools looking to open a school abroad, starting with an outpost in Bangkok, set to open in 2017.
What should a great British Education offer?
Children’s author Roald Dahl famously said: “Unless you have been to boarding school when you are very young, it is absolutely impossible to appreciate the delights of living at home.”
Although the traditional British public school may conjure up images of freezing dormitories, terrifying masters and formidable matrons, the modern independent school is far away from the traditional austere picture. Most schools boast stunning facilities so that students have excellent opportunities to get involved in all types of sport, music, arts and drama.
At Enjoy Education’s recent event in London, Demystifying the 11+, 13+ and Pre-Test, three headteachers of leading independent schools were given the opportunity to talk about what made their school great. And, there was a common feature – they were all passionate about providing the necessary resources and space to support the physical and emotional development of their students as well as the academic.
A great school is much more than its position in a league table. A great school will focus on developing the whole individual, helping each student find their passion and confidence to nurture their talent, whatever that might be.
Finding the best school for your child
Each of the UK’s independent schools has its own personality, ethos and outlook on how to develop children into young adults, ready to face the challenging world of university and work. Next time you head to a school’s Open Day, find out what their pastoral provision is like, do they offer hobbies, clubs and after school activities which would suit your child? And importantly, what are they doing to support the average achieving pupils in the school? That will really tell you if you’ve got the best school for your child, regardless of the country you choose to educate them in.
Kate Shand is Founder and MD of Enjoy Education, one of the largest and most established schools advice and tutoring companies in the UK, offering a complete educational service including schools advice, international relocation, revision courses and tutoring
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