John Lyon School hosted the student delegates – aged 14-18, collectively representing 36 nations – in February.

Opened with an address by the former economics editor of the Economist, Professor Richard Davies, topics of debate included regulation of the pharmaceutical industry, urban pollution, civil unrest in Hong Kong, online access as a right, the sovereignty of Kashmir and regulating UN peacekeepers.

Like last year’s inaugural event, the weekend was wholly student-led.

“They say the second time you do something it is easier and I felt that was true with this conference,” said committee member, Patrick Miles.

“I witnessed young people involving themselves in fruitful and astute debate. In my opening speech I talked about the message of creativity and, more importantly, the crucial aspect of collaborative creativity, and I felt that by the end of the weekend this message had been embraced by most of our attendees.”

You may also like: GSA president – every school should prepare children for global world

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Siena saw off tough competition for a place at Harvard University’s undergraduate college, with 40,000+ applicants each year for approximately 1,600 places.

Bromsgrove School is a co-educational independent boarding school in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove. Siena’s hockey coach at the school suggested she applied for Harvard and while she plans to major in biological sciences, she said she will keep up her hockey in her spare time.

I feel so lucky to have this opportunity. When you’ve worked so hard for something, you can’t quite believe it when you get it

In hockey, Siena has gained 19 England Caps for the U18 team, the last being the 6 Nations Tournament. The school said she is also an “accomplished alpine skier”, having represented Great Britain at U14, 16 and U21.

Siena said: “I feel so lucky to have this opportunity. When you’ve worked so hard for something, you can’t quite believe it when you get it.”

You might also like: Apprenticeships remain firmly in universities’ shadow, finds study

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There are fears that the outbreak of the virus in China might lead to verbal harassment directed at international students with family members living in affected areas.

In an official memo sent to member schools, the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA), warned: “Stay alert for any signs of xenophobia by students towards one another, or by any external audiences, either in school or on social media sites. Such behaviour should not be tolerated, and action should be taken against anyone acting in this way.”

It is essential that all schools consider appropriate, proportionate and risk-assessed responses
– BSA

The association said the coronavirus is “different from the SARS outbreak in 2003, when many schools had to quarantine pupils”, but added: “It is essential that all schools consider appropriate, proportionate and risk-assessed responses based on the circumstances of the individual school, the situation locally and updated advice from the relevant authorities”.

The situation is “rapidly changing” and schools are warned to look out for relevant symptoms.

BSA said schools should advise pupils against travelling to China or Hong Kong over the coming February half-term, adding: “Advise those who decide to travel that protective measures could well be in place before they return. Depending on how the virus spreads in that time, this could include the need for returning pupils to be quarantined.”

The association said some schools had already cancelled planned visits from China, including from prospective students and their families – although this might not be a requirement, the organisation did say it “prudent to minimise any unnecessary risk”.

Based on the current situation, BSA suggests school leaders consider “how the school would respond to a suspected or confirmed case”. According to a 2019 Independent Schools Council report, which counts the number of students at UK private schools with parents living overseas, there are over 7,000 students with parents living in mainland China and nearly 5,000 with parents in Hong Kong. The vast majority of those pupils study at boarding schools.

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Durham School, which was founded in 1414, will open its second international school this September, becoming the first British educational institution to open an international arm in east Africa.

The announcement of the new school follows the recent opening of Durham’s first overseas offering. Durham School for Girls Doha, which opened in September last year with 560 students, set a record for admissions to a new international school in Qatar.

The Durham International Schools’ website describes the new Kenyan venture as “located in a high-end leafy suburb of Nairobi, close to a number of consulates and the United Nations headquarters”.

The Durham International Nursery, which will open first, will cater for up to 200 children. Plans for primary and secondary phases will follow.

The 600-year-old institution signed a strategic agreement with the Studybridge Group to lead new Durham International Schools in Africa. Plans for the new Kenya sister school were finalised at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, which took place in London last week.

Read more: Britain’s oldest public school unveils international ambitions

With over 600 years of education experience, there is a phenomenal amount Durham School has to offer children and parents in East Africa
– Kieran McLaughlin, headmaster of Durham School

Kieran McLaughlin, headmaster of Durham School, said: “With over 600 years of education experience, there is a phenomenal amount Durham School has to offer children and parents in East Africa.

“We are excited with the opportunity that Africa presents and are confident that Durham International Schools will be highly sought after by parents looking for high quality, all-round education for their children at a competitive fee level.”

Durham’s director of international operations, Nick Millen, said the UK school will “maintain very strong links with each international school, providing governance and quality oversight”.

Supporting the Durham initiative for Africa, the prime minister’s trade envoy to Rwanda and Uganda, Lord Popat, said: “It is wonderful to see Durham School, a 600-year old British institution, enter Africa. With a fast-growing middle class and an increasing demand for high quality schooling, I’m sure Durham will be well received.”

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Jens Waltermann spoke at today’s ‘Education for Transformation’ event in Davos during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting.

He said: “We need leadership for a new kind of education that encourages and supports students from an early age to create positive change and appreciate and address global risks. Empowering education across social divides is needed to address the global risks spelled out in the WEF Global Risks Report 2020.

“Only when we have citizens who can work across boundaries to come up with shared solutions to shared problems are we on the path to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

We need to make the flexibility and quality of private education accessible to the many through comprehensive scholarship systems

This means addressing the split between private schools and public education, according to Waltermann.

“We need to make the flexibility and quality of private education accessible to the many through comprehensive scholarship systems. Not for profit-private schools can play an important role,” he said.

More than two thirds of places at UWC in 2020 are reserved for applicants in need of financial assistance, either on full or partial scholarships. UWC consists of 18 schools and colleges on four continents, with the first college founded in Wales: UWC Atlantic College. The independent sixth form in Glamorgan offers the IB Diploma Programme.

UWC contributed to the white paper published by the World Economic Forum ‘Schools of the Future: Defining New Models of Education for the Fourth Industrial Revolution’, outlining eight characteristics and skills that define high-quality learning.

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Jane Prescott is also head of Portsmouth High School GDST, and governor and trustee of state-funded Purbrook Park School.

In terms of what schools can do to prepare children for a global world, the most popular response was ‘increase opportunities for shared experiences for children from different cultures and countries’ (88.37%), followed by ‘develop children’s empathy and confidence so they can communicate with a wide variety of people’ (83.72%).

Also, 39.53% of heads said schools should make studying at least one modern language compulsory after age 14.

While 38.10% said Chinese Mandarin is the most important modern language for today’s children to learn.

Many schools are already doing great things to develop agile learners ready to thrive in a more globally-connected future. But so often these are co-curricular activities

In terms of what society can do to prepare children for a global world, the most popular response was ‘support education for all children worldwide’ (74.42%), followed by ‘slow man-made climate change’ (69.77%) and ‘be more respectful of the needs of others’ (60.47%).

Prescott said: “Many schools are already doing great things to develop agile learners ready to thrive in a more globally-connected future. But so often these are co-curricular activities that can be optional or subject to the interests of individual teachers.

“I’d really like to see every school doing at least one thing to prepare children for a more globally-connected world in a way that is more formally acknowledged within the school curriculum.”

How can schools prepare children for a global world?

• Teach global citizenship in PSHCE
• Model United Nations programmes
• Adults routinely share experiences with people from different cultures and countries
• Develop resources for schools in other countries
• Host a Festival of Languages for local schools
• Community service programmes in the local community
• Extra-curricular expeditions, exchange trips and ongoing partnership with schools around the globe
• Workshops to help pupils recognise the influence of culture on perception and priorities
• Bring a global perspective to existing lessons

Does your school have an idea for preparing students for a global world? Get in touch at jo.golding@wildfirecomms.co.uk

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This consists of largely IB world schools in Asia Pacific, but also some UK resits.

Receiving their results today in the UK are 228 candidates from 57 schools, with an average DP score of 30.08.

The November 2019 cohort grew overall by 3.9% and papers were processed in 14 languages.

The programmes are for 16-19 year olds but the IB has two other programmes for younger children (Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme).

Dr Siva Kumari, director general of the IB, said: “Research suggests that an IB education provides skills that both universities and employers value, with independent, critical thinking and the ability to work flexibly and cooperatively.”

Research suggests that an IB education provides skills that both universities and employers value, with independent, critical thinking and the ability to work flexibly and cooperatively

She also thanked IB educators and parents who “help to shape succeeding generations of IB students with their drive and passion, enriching lives and making the world a better place through education”.

The IB eliminated its candidate registration fee in 2019 to give more students the opportunity to access its programmes.

The education provider seeks out cost-efficiencies to lower costs and allow more students to engage with its programmes.

• There have been no programme fee increases since 2015
• There are discounts available for schools that offer three or more IB programmes beginning in 2018
• There is ongoing investment in more affordable professional development options

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“We first looked for a British boarding school for Johnny’s sister Kira, who is six years older, and it was a natural decision for him to follow her there,” Doran explains. “I felt that a school abroad would benefit their education, expand their ability to adapt to new environments, provide more opportunities for activities and travel, and offer the experience of meeting new people from all around the world. 

“Boarding schools in England have a good reputation among parents here in Bermuda, particularly for their international perspective, the GCSE and IB/A-level pathway and academic results. Our daughter really wanted to go to England, so she and my husband visited three shortlisted schools and eventually chose Felsted for its proximity to London and comfortable co-ed campus as well as the chance to study the IB, take part in activities and engage in charity projects.”

Worth travelling for

Doran’s reasons for flying her children halfway round the globe for a British education are familiar to Gemma Kilby, international admissions registrar at Felsted, which counts members of 27 countries among its student body.

“Parents based overseas often tell me that they have chosen a British education for their children in order to give them the best education available with a global outlook and to prepare them for entry to top universities in the UK, US and Europe,” says Kilby. “Also important is a commitment to student wellbeing, which of course parents are concerned about when they are so far away from their children.”

A famous name can also be an attraction and Roedean School has no trouble drawing students from countries all around the world – currently 39 are represented on the senior school roll.

“Undoubtedly, many international families have heard of us,” says Diana Banham, Roedean’s head of admissions, “and they know we offer the chance for top academic results and an established pathway to Russell Group universities. But when they visit us, parents are also impressed by the strong enrichment programme, which schools in other countries often do not have, and particularly the workshops by the academics, Olympians, scientists, explorers, West End actors and celebrated writers we have access to in this country.”

International student body

These days, around 20% of students at many British boarding schools are likely to be non-UK resident, but international admissions to British schools are nothing new. Sevenoaks was one of the first schools in the UK to open its doors to students from other countries and, back in the 1970s, was an early adopter of the IB – perennially popular with non-UK parents who want to keep their children’s options open when it comes to university choices.

“We have 48 different nationalities at Sevenoaks, which means a dynamic and diverse student base,” says Arabella Stuart, the school’s director of admissions. “An international outlook promotes the principles of tolerance and open-mindedness and prepares students for success in a complex world.”

On the doorstep

The good news for international parents who dream of a British education for their child is that fewer of them are having to travel to find it – British schools are coming to them. Increasingly, the well-known names of independent schooling in the UK are setting up shop in far-flung corners of the world to satisfy a growing demand for schools that offer British academic standards, a rounded education and an international outlook, without the airfares.

“Taking British education overseas and establishing sister schools with the same learning ethos and characteristics as the home school has become an educational phenomenon in many countries, particularly in Asia,” says Richard Gaskell, schools director at ISC Research.

“There are now 87 international schools around the world that are overseas campuses (sister schools) of an established British independent school brand or are affiliated to an established British independent school through a service or management agreement.

“There are only 114 international schools in total, so British schools have a significant presence in the global education market.”

Potential new markets

China currently has the most British independent schools, with 41 either owned by or with service agreements with UK independent schools.

There are 11 British independent schools or campuses in the UAE, eight in Thailand and four in Malaysia, however, schools are always looking for potential new markets and Haileybury School has recently opened a sister school in Kazakhstan.

Harrow got the ball rolling as the first British independent school to open a foreign campus in 1998, in Bangkok. Dulwich College followed with its school in Shanghai in 2003 and in recent years there has been a steady stream of British independent school openings abroad – 12 in 2016, the same number in 2017, 17 in 2018 and another 12 in 2019.

“Many independent school brands are now moving into the international arena. This academic year, Uppingham School, Moreton Hall, Cardiff and Vale College, Fettes College, Lady Eleanor Holles, St Bees and Reigate Grammar School have all opened schools overseas,” says Gaskell. “Others are in the process of developing international schools for the future too, such as Rugby School, which has just announced it will open a school in Japan in 2022.”

Some of the first British schools to set up abroad now have multiple sites in multiple countries – top of the leader board is Dulwich College with no fewer than 10 schools abroad, Wellington with seven and Malvern with five, though Harrow, Brighton, Repton and Hurtwood also have four each.

“Schools such as Dulwich College have long espoused internationalism in their promotion of the teaching of modern European languages and there are notable historical connections with countries wider afield such as Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand,” says Jane Scott, Dulwich’s director of communications.

She adds: “Since 1996, Dulwich College has engaged with international education in response to the demand for a British-style education on the part of a growing middle class in the emerging economies of South East Asia. This has imaginatively combined commercial strategy and educational mission, providing funds towards broadening social access on the home front, and helping to ensure that the college remains an agent of social mobility in the community of which it has always been a part.”

Taking British education overseas and establishing sister schools with the same learning ethos and characteristics as the home school has become an educational phenomenon

‘Commonwealth of Schools’

Currently, more than 9,000 students are benefiting from a Dulwich education overseas by attending one of the Dulwich ‘Commonwealth of Schools’, as the master puts it. There are four Dulwich Colleges in China (two in Shanghai and one each in Beijing and Suzhou); one in Seoul, South Korea; and one in Singapore. The latest addition, Dulwich College Yangon, has two campuses in Myanmar. Students at these eight co-ed schools are mainly ex-pat, but two high schools have also been established by Dulwich College in Suzhou and Zhuhai, China, in conjunction with local Chinese schools, to teach the IGCSE and A-level curriculum to Chinese students aiming for top universities mainly in the UK and the US.

Wellington College is catching up, with six schools in its overseas family – four international schools under the Wellington name and two bilingual schools in China under the name ‘Huili’.

“The latter are very much Wellington in ethos,” explains Clare Hillman, head of international licensing for Wellington College International, “with students ultimately sitting iGSCE and A-level or IB, but they are separate in that they deliver the Chinese curriculum for students aged six to 15 and are bilingual. In total we now educate 4,000 students in Wellington schools overseas.”

A rich experience

The parents lucky enough to find a British school on their doorsteps are attracted by much the same attributes as those who fly their children around the world for a British education, reports Hillman, after many lengthy conversations with prospective parents.

“The best UK schools offer great academic success, as well as giving children a rich experience outside the classroom in sport, in the arts and in leadership activities,” she says. “Chinese and Thai parents are principally motivated by language – they see fluent English as a major advantage for their future lives and careers – and achieving globally recognised qualifications (IGCSE, A-level, IB), which combine with the connections of the schools themselves to provide reliable pathways to leading universities in the US, UK and worldwide,” she says.

“They also look to British brand schools for their heritage and reputation for high-quality education, both in terms of academic excellence and developing the whole child.”

Shrewsbury School was early to the party with the launch of its school in Bangkok in 2003 and since then has been busy opening two more – a second Bangkok campus last year to keep up with the rising demand for places in the city, plus a new school in Hong Kong. Plans are afoot for Shrewsbury to open more schools in Asia and further afield in the coming years.

“British education is quite rightly perceived as the gold standard globally, and we delight in playing our part in developing outstanding schools around the world,” says Shrewsbury School’s international development director, Maghin Tamilarasan.

“The attraction to both local families and expatriates is clear – our international schools have become recognised for the highest levels of academic achievement, excellence in sport, creative and performing arts, and a wide variety of co-curricular opportunities that the Shrewsbury name is synonymous with. All this while preparing pupils for the modern world in the comfort of their local environment.”

He concludes: “Indeed, there has never been a more critical time to develop closer links and greater understanding between nations and where better to start than with the young leadership minds of the future?”

The same reasons seem to pop up again and again for why a British education is renowned. The chance to achieve strong academic results, study the IB, gain a global outlook, prepare for top universities and receive a rounded education with activities and travel. On top of that, student wellbeing is increasingly being treated as a top priority, making British independent schools in the UK and abroad continue to be some of the most outstanding schools across the world. 

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Rugby headmaster, Peter Green, travelled to the city last week to make the announcement.

“Rugby School Japan will be an authentic interpretation of Rugby School England,” said Green, “sharing Rugby’s aims and ethos, but within – and mindful of – the cultural context of Japan.”

You might also like: A world of opportunities? Could your school benefit from an overseas sister branch? 

The new facility will have the space to educate 750 boys and girls, either as day students or boarders, and is slated to open in autumn 2022.

Rugby becomes the first British independent school to open a sister school in Japan, and follows the opening of Rugby School Thailand in 2017.

“Everything we do at Rugby School is about encouraging the children in our care to develop into whole people, into well-rounded adults,” added Green, “so I am very proud that our partners in Japan have chosen the Rugby School model.”

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The school welcomes students of all nationalities, regularly celebrates cultural diversity and is a member of the Round Square organisation, which means it offers exchanges to and from places such as Australia, South America, South Africa and Europe.

Felsted also hosts an International Summer School, which has increased in popularity since it began. It recently gave students from 23 nationalities the opportunity to learn, share cultural experiences and make new friends during a six-week programme.

Sir Ciarán Devane, CEO of the British Council, said: “Felsted’s fantastic international work has rightfully earned this prestigious award. Embedding an international dimension in children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful lives and careers in an increasingly global economy.”

One aspect of Felsted’s wider curriculum which impressed judges was the ‘Building Bridges – Crossing Borders’ project which saw pupils connect with a German school, who visited Felsted Prep School for three days earlier in the year.

Another activity the school organised was a wellbeing collaboration with an Indian partner school, where Felsted Prep School pupils shared yoga and mindfulness sessions over Skype.

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