An independent school in Somerset has seen its first cohort of international students complete an International Foundation Year (IFY) qualification, guaranteeing them a place at university.
Taunton School is one of only two schools in the country to deliver the IFY, and the only one to offer it with a pre-foundation year for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Officially launched last year, both courses include an English for academic purposes (EAP) module, preparing pupils for university-level coursework.
Eighteen-year-old students Tricey Agbolu from Ghana and Paul Paclot from France, together with 19-year-old Jarry Wang from Hong Kong, were the first pupils to complete the IFY, devised for those with an interest in studying business-related subjects at degree level.
The trio have subsequently received offers from institutions including the universities of Kent and Reading, as well as HEC Montreal and University of Montreal in Canada.
“I am so proud of Tricey, Paul and Jarry, who have worked incredibly hard to achieve such fantastic offers to their dream universities,” said Adrian Hallworth, principal of Taunton School International.
“These students have paved the way for others to follow in their footsteps, and I cannot wait to see where their experience at Taunton takes them next.”
Agbolu added: “The thing that really appealed to me about this course was the fact that it was really business-focused, and provided me with a clear pathway for studying at university. The EAP element gives me an advantage over people who follow the normal A-level route, as I have been taught how to write university-standard essays and coursework.
“I cannot wait to begin the next step of my academic journey at the University of Kent, and I don’t believe I would have received my offers without the help and assistance from the fantastic staff at Taunton School.”
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