Sherborne School for boys

• Language of instruction: English
• Established: in 1550
• Location: United Kingdom, Sherborne
• Students age: 13 to 18 years
• Curriculum: secondary school, (I) GCSE, A-level, EPQ
• Total number of students: 600 people, of them 558 at the boarding house
• Type of study: single (only young men)
• Type of accommodation: residence.

Sherborne School for boys is one of the most prestigious boarding schools in Sherborne for boys between the ages of 13 and 18. Pupils are mostly light-skinned British, gifted in this or that field and demonstrate a high level of academic and creative abilities, as well as foreign students (about 40 people, representing 20 world nationalities). The school is located in the market town of Sherborne (north-west of Dorset), close to major regional highways and airports in Bristol, Southampton, Exeter and Bournemouth. Just a few minutes walk the railway station is located  - the road to central London takes about 2 hours.

According to some sources, the Sherborne School for boys was founded in the VIII century: one of the first schoolchildren is considered to be King Alfred the Great, one of the most learned and educated people of his time. In those years, the institution maintained a close relationship with the Sherborne Abbey - many of the buildings that make up the campus date back to the 12th century. After the monasteries in the majority were dissolved, King Edward VI re-established the school as a free institution for studying grammar (1550). During the XVI-XVIII centuries, very few children were studied here, and only by the middle of the XIX century the school became prosperous and prestigious and continues to be so today.

Graduates of the Sherborne School for boys are a huge number of famous, legendary and talented personalities:

• Director of the Museum of Science in London Frank Sherwood Taylor
• Writer Nicholas Blake
• Writer Roger Norman
• Director Richard Ayr
• Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
• Distinguished mathematician, cryptologist and computer scientist Alan Turing
• Member of the European Parliament Andrew Duff
• Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons
• Musician Chris Martin (Coldplay)
• Chapter MI-6 David Spedding
• Managing director of the large bookseller "Waterstone" James Dont
• King Swaziland Mswati III
• Inventor of modern glass production technology Alastair Pilkington
• One of the pioneers of the high-tech style in architecture Michael Hopkins
• BBC correspondent News Nick Thorpe and many, many others.

Sherborne School for boys is located on the territory of the former Benedictine monastery, which is why Christian traditions are still strong here. The collective of the school is the embodiment of the dream of Saint Benedict: all teachers and employees are well educated, friendly, hospitable, ready to listen and support each student. Boys become more responsible here, are able to take responsibility, to develop leadership skills and the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions.

Despite the separate form of studying, the boys are in constant contact with the nearest boarding schools for girls and co-education: Leweston School, The Gryphon School, Sherborne Girls. Joint activities, some general courses and extra-curricular activities help BJM gentlemen to gain valuable experience of interacting with a beautiful gender, while not being distracted by interpersonal communication during the main educational process.

In 2010, the post of director was taken by energetic and enterprising Eton graduate Chris Davis. In his opinion, even academic preparation is not so important as valuable social qualities and ability to think, to evaluate and draw conclusions. The educational program has the aim to instill in adolescents the urge to acquire new knowledge, to continue education, to develop valuable and useful habits, never to stop studying. This initiative is also based on the idea of ​​the famous Bristol psychologist Guy Claxton - he is the author of the popular method Building Learning Power. Here, students are not given a ready and unshakable amount of knowledge - they form a unique productive intellectual environment, so that young people learn to independently find a solution to any problems and an original way out of any situation.

All students are tested for English at admission, foreign students are assigned an English-as-foreign (EAL) support course:

• 3-5 classes - instead of one of the studied foreign languages ​​
• 9-11 classes is a full preparation for the IGCSE
• 12-13 classes - preparation for surrender IELTS
• Sixth Form - two additional lessons per week: one (2 hours) is dedicated to preparing for IELTS in small groups of up to 6 people each, the second is an individual lesson with a teacher dedicated to mastering the selected subject at the A- Level. Especially these classes will be valuable for those young men who want to continue their education in a foreign university (the number of students in a group and the cost of classes can vary).
• The fourth year of study ends with the EAL exam at the IGCSE level, the 6th year is a general exam in the main stream of students (IGCSE in English).

Foreign students pass the EAL course along with the rest of the English language lessons; If the student needs additional support, he can use individual lessons for an additional fee. Initially, the Sherborne School for boys was created as a humanitarian center, but traditionally, much attention is paid to mathematics in the academic process - it's not for nothing that one of the most brilliant mathematical scientists Alan Turing studied here. One of the school classes even resembles the famous Blechli park: here students can write on the walls, share experiences with like-minded people and observe the work of colleagues, jointly find a common solution to the tasks. Many pupils actively participate in profile Olympiads and competitions, winning and taking prizes.

Some subjects are taught according to unique, invented methods: such is the course of information technology (Grade 3), as well as an advanced ICT course (in addition to traditional sections, it includes web design, making films, using the latest software and online -tools).

Most of the graduates continue their studies at the Universities of Russell, including Oxford and Cambridge; many choose the faculties of real estate, art and music, medicine, land. Approximately 25% are sent to humanitarian destinations, 20% - to social sciences, approximately 14-16% choose business, finance and science block. Thanks to the active activities of the career  guidance department, the young men have the opportunity to study in the highly competitive programs sponsored by the Big Four (the union of audit companies): these are the courses of Ernst and Young, KPMG, PwC.

According to 2013 data, the graduates showed the following high academic results:

• Examinations (I) GCSE = 96% passed on the scores from A * to C, 83% of them on scores from A * to B, 62% of them to the highest scores A *-A
• Level A-level = 90% received marks from A * to C, of ​​which from A * to B - 75%, and 48% of students received the highest scores A * -A
• By A-level results for 2013 the school took 17th place among the national private male hostels.

Students are accommodated in one of the 8 comfortable hostels directly on campus - each designed for 70-80 people. Residences were built in the XVII-XX centuries and with different purposes, but today they are completely refurbished for comfortable and safe living, and in many new renovations and upgrades have taken place quite recently. The residences have educational rooms and playrooms, spacious common halls, libraries with modern computers, many have their own well-groomed gardens and playgrounds for the fresh air, each has a cozy living room with upholstered furniture and TV. Newcomers occupy dormitories (spacious rooms for several people), secondary school students - more compact bedrooms, and Sixth Form students are accommodated in private rooms. Each senior host manages every hostel, who lives here with his family: he is responsible for order, discipline, cleanliness, guarantees the safety of children and is always ready to help them in resolving any issues.

Meals are organized on the full board basis: 4 times a day students gather in a spacious common dining room (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Local products are actively used, which guarantees the quality and freshness of the products. Every day fresh fruit, yoghurt and puddings, delicious pastries, salads, soups, fish and meat, vegetable dishes are served on the tables. There is a possibility of organizing a dietary or vegetarian table, suitable dishes can be found for representatives of various religions. The hostel also provides snacks so that students can refresh themselves between classes, and in the common kitchen you can make toast or a sandwich, meet friends over a cup of tea or coffee.

Not only the senior teacher lives in the hostel, but also the mentor. In addition, each student has a class teacher who tracks his progress and achievements, discipline and attendance, personal growth and extra-curricular activities - meetings are organized at least once a week. For managing the life and health of children, the managing director and her assistants are responsible. Senior students also help to look after the younger ones: the mentoring institute helps to instill in children a sense of responsibility, goodwill, creates a sense of belonging to the general student brotherhood.

The career guidance institute and the career department are well developed: 10 employees are always ready to help the students with valuable advice. In total, the teachers have visited more than 150 universities in recent years, so that they can provide students with all the necessary information on admission and programs, help to compose the application and to prepare the required package of documents.

A modern medical center is open 24 hours a day, 4 nurses and a general practitioner are on duty here. If necessary, boys can get advice from the required specialist: visiting the dentist and orthodontist is recommended during the holidays. There is a small hospital for 13 places, where the sick pupils correct their health until full recovery. There is a department of physiotherapy with qualified and experienced specialists: here you can contact in case of injury, stretching, etc.

The Sherborne School for boys was founded by nonconformist Christians, and religion still plays a significant role in the life of the school. Children are admitted to education of any religion, official religious views are not imposed, but it is believed that the upbringing of spirituality is an important part of comprehensive education. Young men can visit the chapel and the abbey at any convenient time, every morning begins with a general meeting and prayer, and on Fridays there is an opportunity to pass the sacrament of communion. Meetings in the abbey (general) are held twice a week - they are attended by both teachers and students.

You can contact your parents at any time: for this purpose, there are paid telephones in the residences, there are mobile phones, Skype and e-mail.

Each new student receives a package of materials that will help him to adapt quickly to school life: this includes a list of important telephone numbers, school rules, a map of the campus, and a special information booklet.

Subject list: Art, biology, business, chemistry, Classical civilization, design, economics, English literature, ethics, geography, history, maths, music, philosophy, physical education, physics, politics, theology
Activity list: basketball, chess, Chorus, cricket, culinary arts, Drama, Drawing on canvas, fencing, field hockey, football, golf, horseback riding, judo, mountaineering, music studio, Photostudio, Rifle shooting, rugby, sailing, Squash, swimming, Symphony Orchestra, tennis, track-and-field athletics, water polo, water sports

In their free time, boys actively participate in sports - among the most popular species, depending on the season are the following:

• Cross country skiing
• Water polo
• Basketball
• Sailing
• Hockey
• Rock climbing
• Cross-country
• Football
• "Five Rugby"
• Horseback riding
• Track and field athletics
• Fencing
• Judo
• Rugby
• Tennis
• Golf
• Swimming (this is a mandatory third-class program item)
• Cross-country skiing
• Squash
• Polo
• Cricket.

Rugby is developing particularly successfully. In 2013, 8 pupils of the school became candidates for enrollment in national teams (juniors and youth team) and a scholarship, and 1 student was enrolled in the national team of the country.

Equally broad opportunities are provided for creatively developed students - for them works a huge number of circles, sections of interests:

• Creating films
• Drawing from life
• Club of mathematical problems
• A group of guitarists
• Chess
• Clubs of foreign languages ​​
• Chapel
• Cooking
• Literary Salon
• The Winds Orchestra
• Theatrical performance Collective
• Debate
• Chamber choir
• Quartet of cellists
• Photography
• Chamber orchestra
• The Bridge
• The Philosophical Society
• The Big Band
• The Programming Club
• The Pianists Trio
• The Historical Communities
• Rock Club
• Wind Ensemble
• String Quartet
• Symphony Orchestra.

Every day for musically gifted students an individual hour is allocated after lunch for rehearsals (Q Time).

On Saturday, the Sherborne School for Boys organizes lectures, master classes and themed meetings with well-known specialists of various profiles, sports games and competitions, going to the cinemas and football matches, kayaking and paintball. You can go on a barbecue or a picnic, sing in karaoke, visit a pizzeria or a cafe. The school actively implements the Open Education Program - these are military studying camps and the work of the United Cadet Corps. The tstudying camps include:

• Competition for the Prize of the Duke of Edinburgh
• Competition for orienteering "Test 10 rocks" (Dartmoor)
• Climbing
• Surfing
• Mountaineering and etc.

Performances, musicals, shows and concerts, a major literary festival and economic competitions are regularly organized, and many are held with the participation of girls from the friendly Sherbourne School for girls: teens are invited to participate in film screenings, discos, gala dinners. Frequent trips to Scotland or the Lake District, trips to European countries and visits to Snowdonia Park are organized.

There is a well-equipped art studio on the campus (it was built by Sir Reginald Bloomfield, a famous architect), also on the territory there is own Theater Powell  for 240 people (modern lighting and sound equipment, a spacious stage). Musical shows and performances are conducted in the additional concert hall for 440 people. The drama department was modernized and re-equipped in May 2014: it occupies a separate building, here is the "Black Box" studio, studying classes, a rich dressing room and workshops where students can prepare for the LAMDA examinations.

In 2010, a new music school was opened with a modern recording studio, a separate concert hall for 120 people, where excellent rehearsal with high-quality soundproofing can be conducted. Here students are engaged in professional tools, including 2 world-class bodies.

In the library, young men can find not only a rich selection of printed publications, but also multimedia sources, films and music, and access to extensive specialized databases.

A multi-purpose sports center is a separate pride of the institution. There is a spacious swimming pool (length - 25 meters), squash courts, badminton, football and basketball courts, a closed shooting gallery for 25 meters, 5 courts for "fives". Unique conditions for practicing cricket at a professional level are created: 7 pitches, 12 all-weather courts, 14 grassy grounds of good quality for exercises, 6 new machines for feeding balls.

The academic year is divided into traditional trimesters alternating with vacations for students' rest:

• Autumn: from 6-7 September to 12 December (holidays from 23 October to 4 November)
• Spring: from 6 January to 23 March (vacation from 12 to 21 February)
• Summer: April 13 - July 2 (vacation from May 27 to June 5).

The cost of one trimester of study is 11335 £, one year - 34005 £.

Please note that there are some surcharges and fees not included in the basic cost of the program:

• Registration fee = 100 £
• Deposit for confirmation of place on the program (semester) = 11335 £
• Supporting English language courses for foreign students (EFL) = £ 1200 / trimester
• Registration in the guardian agency and guardian services (minimum payment is required for 1 trimester)
• Initial testing Level of knowledge.

Extras:

• Registration fee (for a programme/course) 200 GBP
• Deposit for a course/programme 2000 GBP

The selective school for boys makes high demands on the applicants. In general, admission is open for boys of 13 years, you can also apply to 10 or 12th grade.

For admission it is necessary: ​​

• Register 3 years before the expected start of classes
• To pay the registration fee for 1,5-2 years before the receipt
• Submit a package of documents (September-May)
• Take the Common Entrance Examination in June
• Pass a personal interview
• Provide recommendations and characteristics from the previous place of study
• Demonstrate a high level of English knowledge: General IELTS - from 6.5; Academic IELTS - from 6.0; CAE - score C and above; IGCSE (subject "English as a second language") - mark B and above.

Sixth Form applicants must be prepared:

• Take the EAL knowledge of English
• To pass the testing in mathematics
• To pass a personal interview
• For those having the GCSE certificate: to provide grades 9-10 of exams not lower than 45-50 points (if the subject is planned to be studied at level A -level, the score on it must be at least B)
• For those who do not have the GCSE certificate: take 2 written exams on subjects that the student plans to study at the A-level.

The Sherborne School for boys provides a number of scholarships and grants. If you qualify for them, you will have to take special exams in grade 8 (February and March), and applicants for the A-level scholarship will take exams in November 11th grade (to receive a scholarship in grade 12).

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision