When parents decide to give their child to study abroad , one of the most important steps is choosing the right school. But how not to make a mistake when making a decision, because training in England will cost caring parents a tidy sum? The ideal option in this case is to come to the educational institution for a short period of time and try everything out for yourself personally.
Especially for this purpose, British schools provide an opportunity to undergo an academic trimester (or integration program) in the prospective school - this is a 3-month curriculum, during which the child will learn to attend classes with his peers being trained at this school. At the same time, he will be able to improve his English on additional lessons for foreigners and to attend sports and extracurricular activities with other students within the course. You can live in this case either in the school residence or in the host family.
Thus, your child will have the experience of learning in the private school , and decide on the choice of the institution and him, and you will be much easier. Especially good is this "test" option, if you plan to send your child to receive secondary or higher education abroad. For example, universities encourage foreigners participating in such a preparatory program. The duration of the programs can consist of a semester for three months or semester for six months.
The advantages of studying at a British school are one trimester
- Intensive language learning. Even during such an incomplete semester, the child will have time to consolidate the already existing language skills and even raise it without any problems, as every day will be immersed in the appropriate language environment.
- Getting to know the institution. Such a training format allows the student and his parents to understand what the training in a foreign school and the British educational system in general is. In this way it will be possible to test several schools with very different ratings - from simple to elite educational institutions.
- Cost savings. Another important advantage of studying in a British school one trimester is its budget: even if for these purposes you will opt for a prestigious educational institution, due to the relatively short duration of studies, the cost will not be as high as a result.
- Difference from language courses. We draw your attention to the fact that there is a certain difference between the integration program and the language camp - in the first case, an environment is created for the children in which they can become more familiar with the culture and mentality of the English, values ​​and history, cuisine and lifestyle and so on. This detailed acquaintance with England is not always possible in a language camp.
What time of year is it better to go to study in England for 3 months
You can begin your academic term in a British school, in general, at any time of year - a specific The period will depend more on the specific school. For example, among students from Russia, the time from April to June (the so-called summer trimester) is especially popular. In this case, skipping classes in the current school is not considered critical, since there is no need to pass any exams.
At what age can such training be conducted
In fact, the age range here is quite wide - British educational institutions are ready to accept children for such a trimester, starting from 7 years. Another thing is that the older the student is, the more likely that choosing an integrated course, he will fall for some examinations at his school (especially if it is a high school student). Therefore, the recommended age for participation in the integration program is still within the secondary school - this is from 7 to 13 years.
What is necessary for enrollment
One of the first things to puzzle, if you decide to try for yourself and your child studying in England, is the availability of free places on this program in the chosen school. For the future student it is extremely important to have a place in the residence, as well as the opportunity to be in a group with peers. In order to successfully resolve these issues, we recommend that you do not overstretch the receipt process and start preparing well in advance.
The next requirement for the entrant will, of course, be the language level - to successfully enter the integration program, the student must have at least an intermediate level of English. In general, the process of enrolling for a course is similar to the format of admission to a boarding school, only in a simplified form. This also applies to the list of necessary documentation, which includes a section of the student's assessments in recent years, the recommendations of teachers (teacher of English and a class teacher), as well as a description of other learning experiences abroad, if any, and a document confirming this fact.
The school's management makes a decision, taking into account the documents submitted and the results of the preliminary interview with the child using Skype, during which personal acquaintance will take place.
