Leweston Private School

• Founded: 1891,
• Location: Sherborne, Dorset, United Kingdom,
• Age of students: 3-18 years old,
• Number of students: 300,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of training: blended.

Leweston School, an independent, private, co-educational boarding school, offers both full-time and full-board arrangements. Located a few kilometers from the town of Sherborne, in the county of Dorset in southwestern England, this region is also called "Thomas Hardy's country", in honor of one of the most famous British writers. It has excellent transport accessibility: 185 km (3 hours drive) to London, an hour and a half to Bristol and Heathrow international airports, respectively.

The spacious 16-hectare estate is home to several architectural monuments, including the Holy Trinity Chapel, one of England's first post-Reformation churches, and a Palladian manor house with Art Deco interiors.

Leweston School was founded in 1891 under the name of St Anthony's Boarding School, in 1948 the senior classes moved to the Leveston estate, which gave the boarding school its current name, in 1956-1959 the school was expanded with two boarding houses opened, and in 1962 a swimming pool. In 1976, a specialized gym opened, and in 1992, the Norfolk Centre for Design and Art. Since 1992, the prep and high schools have been reunited at the Leveston campus. Since 2018, it has been transformed into a co-educational school.

Leweston School generally follows a national curriculum supplemented by a range of support subjects, with priority given to study skills and the development of independence. GCSE, Levels and BTEC courses are offered, and the timetable is designed to provide students with maximum flexibility.

Leweston School is an accredited forest school, which promises students a variety of outdoor activities. For classes, we use our own forest area called "Enchanted Forest", where two cozy and spacious meadows are equipped, as well as an all-weather classroom in the open air. Each class has a weekly session here, and once a semester, the class spends the whole day here, in any weather and at any time of the year.

• Pre-A Level Program

A one-year study plan for expat students, a great solution for those who need to improve their English skills or advanced preparation before entering the Sixth Form. The program is aimed at 11th grade students and offers 25-30 hours of weekly classes in English. The schedule is made individually, taking into account abilities, knowledge, personal preferences and career prospects. You can also get an EAL, EPQ Level 1 or Level 2 qualification here.

• EAL

Students can study English as an additional part of the curriculum, to improve their academic performance, or to pass international standardized exams.

• Short Programs

Expat students are offered not only long-term programs, but also short-term ones, lasting from a few months to a year.

Among the graduates of the Leweston School are two dozen members of the national Parliament of different years.

In addition to full-time education, Leweston School offers boarding. For accommodation there are four comfortable houses (3 for women and one for boys). Older students are accommodated in single rooms, while junior students are accommodated in rooms for 5-10 students. Showers and toilets are shared, there are rest rooms for children of different ages.

Staff look after students 24/7, each House has a supervisor who is also responsible for academic progress.

Schoolchildren are offered a rich weekend program: after completing homework, sports events, excursions to Sherborne and other cities, various outdoor activities, film screenings and other forms of leisure are held. All activities available to boarding students are also open to full-time students.

Healthy food is of great importance. Leweston School offers three meat, vegetarian and dietary meals a day as part of the Chartwell FUEL philosophy: each dish is labeled, allowing the student to choose a dish according to their needs. Meals are shared, in the dining room, the menu is pre-agreed by the parents with the administration.

Leweston School offers a wide range of opportunities in terms of leisure. There are various sections and circles: from aerobics and ballet to yoga and fencing, from astronomy and knitting to several orchestras, there is a choir and a dozen ensembles playing in various genres, there are self-defense courses, bullet shooting and archery. Debates and discussions are actively and regularly held, schoolchildren participate in subject Olympiads, speak in public, take part in competitions of young authors and performers, go to national music and theater competitions.

Pupils take excursions to Bournemouth, Bristol and Salisbury, the ruins of Stonehenge, the Jurassic chalk cliffs, Bath, Oxford and London.

In addition, Leweston School is actively involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Program.

• The national curriculum here is complemented by adapted academic offerings aimed at meeting the demand of the most demanding students.
• A comfortable (1:5) teacher-to-student ratio fosters close bonds and allows for a personalized curriculum.
• Many subject teachers are honored specialists in their fields.

Leweston School is superbly equipped: along with excellent classrooms and a rich library, there are computer labs, an internet café and WiFi access throughout the area, a multidisciplinary medical center, a chapel and theater, and several classrooms for music classes. On campus there are tennis and netball courts, an athletic stadium and football fields, an indoor hockey field, a gym and an indoor sports hall, a heated all-season Olympic-class swimming pool and a dance studio, a dozen and a half sports grounds.

To enroll in Leweston School, you must:

1. Complete and submit the registration form and pay the application fee, provide a copy of the most recent school report and student ID,
2. To assess the level of preparation, you must provide a copy of the UKISET test or pass internal tests in mathematics and English. To enrol in the Sixth Form, you must also provide GSCE English, IGCSE English as a Second Language, IELTS Band 5.5 or any other equivalent EAL qualification.
3. All prospective students receive an invitation for an interview with the school's deputy principal or director of expat student affairs.
4. International students must obtain a visa to enter and study. Once the offer is accepted, the school applies for a CAS, which is required to apply for a visa. All expat students receive an electronic biometric residence permit or BRP.
5. In case of successful completion of entrance exams and interviews, the school offers the applicant a place and sends a package of documents by e-mail - in order for the child to be enrolled, it is necessary to fill out an agreement and send it to the administration, make a deposit/deposit for a place.

Leweston School conducts non-selective admissions, the only criterion being the student's ability to effectively follow the school curriculum.

Leweston School offers a well-thought-out career guidance program based on the eight key Gatsby indicators recommended by the UK authorities to ensure best practices in the field of careers – from a stable career program and consideration of the needs of each student to meetings with employers and personal mentoring.

Career lessons conducted within the framework of PSHRE play an important role in high school: here students receive information about the labor market and the specialties that are most in demand at the moment and in the future, which allows them to make an informed choice.

Another advantage is the extensive network of former alumni, many of whom have mentoring experience and are willing to share their experience.

Parents of applicants must provide the following documents:

• report card for the previous two years,
• Testimonial from the class teacher,
• motivation letter-essay,
• copies of awards, certificates and other distinctions.

Future students will have an interview, an entrance text in English and exams in mathematics and other subjects.

A non-refundable application fee will be charged at the time of application; in the event that the school sends an offer of admission to the student, a deposit must also be paid.

Leweston School offers several scholarships that are awarded to students for academic excellence, achievements in the field of art, music, and sports.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision