Sending your child to a boarding school is a great way to give them a head start in life. Academic success rates are nearly always well above average, and the vast majority of pupils go on to study at university afterward. Of the many options available, best UK boarding schools are right up amongst the best. Why? Because they follow a proven curriculum and because those who attend are guaranteed to leave as fluent English speakers, which is a vital skill to have whatever career they wish to pursue eventually.
The cost of boarding schools in the UK is typically regarded as being expensive compared to boarding schools in many other countries, but looking at the price alone is misleading. UK boarding schools are subject to minimum standards laid out by the education department of the UK government and are regularly inspected to ensure that those standards are being met. Minimum standards are above and beyond those enforced in most other countries, so you can rest assured that your child will receive a high level of education at any boarding school in the UK.
Boarding schools in the UK educate pupils by following the standard British curriculum, which is revered and copied by lots of other countries. At eighteen, students gain their A-levels, which are, according to Cambridge University and Oxford University, the highest form of pre-university qualifications available.
There is a lot of competition to get into some boarding schools, and the most popular ones always have more applicants than places. Academic entrance tests must typically be passed, with the ideal times to take them, and to start studying at a boarding school, being at the age of eleven or thirteen. Pupils are accepted on other occasions, but the transition for children is easier at those ages, as they will be surrounded by lots of peers who will be joining the school at the same time as them. Pupils should also preferably start at the beginning of the academic year to ensure that they integrate into both the academic program and school life as quickly as possible.
Before deciding which of the many UK boarding schools to send your child to, you should do the following:
- Thoroughly look through each school’s prospectus.
- Visit a few of the schools if it is feasible to do so.
- Talk with your child about what aspects of a school are most important to them.
- Find out what is included in the schools fees, and what is excluded.
- Find out if your child qualifies for any scholarships or grants.