Tag: UK

Having recently returned to boarding school, some kids may be finding it hard to readjust to being away from home after the summer, or adjusting to their new environment if it’s the first term they’re to spend away.

Phone Calls

Many people make the mistake of thinking daily phone calls are the answer to homesickness. While this is advisable in the first week your child is back at boarding school, you should gradually start phoning less often to give them space and allow them to become more independent. Most schools also have rules regarding mobile phone calls.

Instead, arrange a set call time each week so your kid has something to look forward to and so that it doesn’t interfere with any other activities.

Trust

Your wee one is neither the first nor the last pupil to suffer from homesickness at boarding school. Therefore you should trust the staff to be able to deal with it in a professional manner. What you can do is to provide support and encouragement.

Boarding schools boast plenty of after school clubs and activities from debating to sports. Help your child pick something to match his or her interests, and this should make it easier to find likeminded people and form new friendships upon arrival at the school.

Close friends are guaranteed to be able to take his or her mind off home and the people left behind. Remember, given the opportunity, most children flourish in a new environment.

Ideas for Cheering Your Child Up

A simple but effective cure for temporary homesickness is to send a parcel full of home comforts you know your child will appreciate. It could be his or her favourite sweets, magazines, a homemade treat, or a piece of clothing. There are no limits to creativity and only you know your child well enough to know what to send.

If you think your child is really feeling down, you might want to consider paying them a visit. This should be arranged with staff at the school as other activities could have been scheduled. Make the visit memorable by treating your child to a meal or a spot of shopping. Many independent schools Scotland and the rest of the UK are set in picturesque locations outside cities so you could also just spend a day discovering the area on foot. A hike in the fresh air and a chat with mum or dad might just be the best cure for homesickness ever.

One of the qualifications offered by British educational institutions, Cayman Islands, Cameroon, Wales and Northern Ireland is the A-level or advanced level. A-level courses are offered in a British school spread over two years. These courses are recognized all over the world as a standard qualification. Students who have completed A level courses are considered suitable and highly eligible for courses in UK universities.

A level course in a British school consists of six modules. After completion of the first year, schools carry out assessment of three modules qualifying students to the AS level or the Advanced Subsidiary Level. Rest of the three modules are assessed after completion of the second year after which the students are considered to be A2 qualified.

Students must complete both the AS and A2 levels in a particular subject to be considered to have completed the A-level. A written examination assesses the modules. Exam papers are internally assessed through coursework and marked by national organizations.

British schools offer a number of A-level exams for students. Students usually study four subjects at the AS level followed by the A2 level. In order to enter universities, a student must have minimum A-levels.

Passing grades for A-level followed by British schools are A*, A, B, C, D and E. Students who pass with 90% marks in their overall A-level subjects are awarded the A* grade. In UK, A-level examinations are monitored by examination boards. Certain boards also allow international students to work for and qualify in A-levels.

In the United Kingdom, A-levels are an integral part of the tertiary Further Education. As an option, secondary British school students at Sixth Form institutions are also allowed to study A-levels.

Even before the A-level results are published, students apply to UK universities for admission. Universities then take their predicted levels into consideration to offer seats. As predictions can be unreliable, the institutions offer a conditional seat to students.

Certain universities convert the A-level grades to numerical scores. According to the UCAS system, 140 points are awarded for an A* grade at the A-level, 120 for A, 100 for B, 80 for C, 60 for D and 40 for E.

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is the watchdog of these exams. A new system of scoring is introduced by them under which the same importance is given to both vocational and general A-levels.
A brilliant career is possible with the right choice of degree and university. A reputed business school offering A-level subjects such as Mathematics and Business Studies enables students to pursue successful career in finance or business or a combination of both.

A-level British school offers the best learning environment in terms of professional contacts, facilities and teaching. Business schools in the city of London, the finance and business hub of UK provide a completely different perspective of education that ensures professional employment. They offer undergraduates a very high level of academic support and students are offered an opportunity to work part time to fund their tuition fee.

There is push in the UK for all schools to offer an extended school day by 2012. This follows evidence from the United States where extending the school day to 10 hours has provided dramatic results. Some underprivileged schools there have managed to increase the percentage of their students going on to college from 10% to 80%. It is hoped that an extended school day will have similarly dramatic results in the UK.

The current school day was created to meet the needs of a different century. We now know that afterschool activity is just as important to student development as what happens during school time. It is often argued that teachers just dont have enough time to provide the attention that is needed and many students are not getting this input from home. The purpose of the extended school day is to make up for this deficiency. Every country depends on students for its future prosperity so it makes sense to do everything possible to give them the best chance at academic success.

The news of the extended school day has not received universal approval. There has been some concern that this move will increase the pressure felt by tudents. Some parents complain that their children are already coming home overtired after the eight hour day; what will they be like after a ten hour day? They go on to argue that even if these extra hours are spent doing fun activities it will still not be the same as being at home school just isnt as relaxing an environment as your own home. There is also the argument that this approach is patronizing to parents because it is based on the idea that they cant properly raise their kids.

The extended school day will not mean that students are going to be spending a lot of extra time in the classroom. There are proposals to provide useful clubs and educational resources where students can learn first aid, improve their math skills, or get help with their homework. Some schools may offer a breakfast club where students are sure of a healthy meal. The aim is for schools to work closely with parents and the local community so as to provide the most beneficial activities. This should mean that what is provided will differ from place to place.

The extended school day is part of a wider initiative to extend the services offered by schools. This can involve everything from childcare services to family education. Parents who struggle to find childcare will likely be pleased with the proposals. There is also the possibility that some schools might offer classes where parents and children can learn together. Some schools are already offering some extended services.

Teachers are already overworked in many schools, but the good news is that they wont be expected to provide all these extra activities. Instead appropriate outside agencies will be invited to provide what is needed. This will also mean that what is available will vary greatly around the country.

The push for the extended school day now seems to be gaining momentum and that all schools will be offering this by 2012. It will likely take a lot longer than this to assess the benefits of this change in school day.

More than 200 schools in India are Cambridge International Centres. University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) is India’s largest provider of international qualifications for children between 14-19 years olds. CIE is a not-for-profit organisation, and part of the University of Cambridge. Cambridge International education believes at educational excellence, which makes Cambridge qualifications – like IGCSE and International A/AS Level – renowned among universities and employers. This is why over 1.5 million students worldwide do Cambridge.
IGCSE assessment is conducted by two UK assessment bodies: Edexcel (also known as London Examinations) and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). Any student who has passed IGCSE is eligible for any +2 level qualification, like Class 12 CBSE/ ICSE or any international pre-university programme, like the IB Diploma, Advanced Placement Diploma (US), and A/AS Level & AICE (UK).
Some of the renowned good IGCSE (Cambridge International) Schools in South India are Abhyasa Residential Public School Toopran, D.R.S. International School, Indus International School Hyderabad, International School of Hyderabad, Kennedy High The Global School, Bangalore International School, Canadian International School, Greenwood High School, Indus International School, Inventure Academy Bangalore, Mallya Aditi International School, Prakriya Green Wisdom School Bangalore, Sarala Birla Academy Bangalore, The International School Bangalore (TISB) Bangalore, TREAMIS World School Bangalore, TRIO World School, Vidyashilp Academy, Trivandrum International School, Achariya World School Thegaithitttu, Good Shepherd International School Nilgiris, Crescent School Chennai, J.S.S. International School Ootacamund and The Indian Public School Erode. IGCSE International Schools in Western India are Billabong High International School, Laxmi Global School Valsad, Ryan Global School, The Riverside School, The Emerald Heights International School Indore, Aditya Birla World Academy, B.D. Somani International School, Billabong High International Schools Mumbai, Bombay International School Mumbai, Ecole Mondiale World School, New Era High School Panchgani, Podar International School, The Cathedral Vidya School, Lonavala, The Lexicon International School Pune and The Mahindra United World College of India. IGCSE International Schools in North India are Amity Global School Pushp Vihar, Pathways World School, The Scottish High International School, Sapphire International School Ranchi, Trivandrum International School, DPS International Saket, The British School – New Delhi, Step By Step School Noida, Ryan International School – Greater Noida, Mussoorie International School, G D Goenka World School Gurgaon, Unison World School Dehradun and Woodstock School. IGCSE International Schools in East India are Calcutta International School Kolkata, Academy for Professional Excellence Calcutta and South City International School Kolkata.
There are very few IGCSE exclusive Schools in India some like Dhirubhai Ambani World School, Ecole Mondiale World School, International School Bangalore, Hebron School Ooty, and Mallya Aditi International School are some of the prestigious ones recognised by Cambridge.
The Cambridge School Kolkata and The Cambridge School Guwahati are the first international schools in Calcutta to be affiliated to any foreign university and the first ones to hold board examinations in its own premises. The faculty here are qualified and dedicated and most teachers are highly experienced in the O and A Level formats.
Schools that are accredited to Edexcel or CIE for the conduct of the IGCSE programme are known as Edexcel Centres or Cambridge International Centres. From parents’ or students’ perspective, there is little difference between the two. Some schools are accredited to Edexcel and some to CIE. For example, DPS International in Delhi is an Edexcel IGCSE centre, while the Pathways World School in Gurgaon is a CIE IGCSE centre.
Then there are some like Calcutta International School in Kolkata and British School in Delhi, which are centres of both Edexcel and CIE.
For any queries and to know more about International schools across the world please visit www.justinternationalschools.com.

School equipment is one of the most basic things that all schools require. Anything from learning materials such as stationery, exercise books or sports equipment to school furniture and facilities, and also safety and maintenance equipment. This article explores various opinions on school equipment and why it is important to learning.

Certain equipment, such as pencils, pens, or paper does need to be replenished on a frequent basis and are known as consumables. Other equipment such as tables or electricals tends to be much more expensive and there can be reluctance to replace them even when it is necessary. This is especially true now that schools are given very tight budgets from councils and the government.

According to a recent study carried out by BBCs Newsround, the news service for children across the UK, school equipment may not be fit for purpose. The study asked children their general opinions on the equipment and furniture they used. The responses were surprising: Almost all children reported serious problems. These ranged from broken, uncomfortable chairs, damaged tables, equipment that is unsuitable or too small. It seems as if headteachers do not realise how unhappy children are with the equipment they use which is a serious concern.

Another very recent debate about the quality of school buildings versus the quality of teaching was recently posted. The new education secretary Michael Grove announced that the new school building project and the BSF Building schools for the Future set up by the previous government would be cancelled to save money. But many people have argued that this means children will need to use outdated equipment in an educational setting, while others have said that the buildings as long as safe are effective enough. Whether they have considered the effect on existing furniture and equipment remains to be seen.

The recent credit crunch, recession and general lack of money in public sector spending may become a serious problem for schools with limited budgets. A typical budget for school equipment must be spread across everything from site equipment and maintenance to teaching material for children. While some of the material may still be adequate from the point of teachers, they may fall short of health and safety or quality standards set by UK and EU laws.

While the conditions of the buildings themselves are perhaps not the most important, unless of course they fall below the minimum standard, the equipment itself must always be fully functional and up to the minimum standard. School equipment can be purchased from large educational suppliers such as The Consortium. School equipment are some of the fundamental building blocks to a childs education, and combined with effective teaching can be a very important step for any child. Schools can save money by negotiating for bulk prices of items, especially expensive items such as educational furniture and searching for the best prices possible for any item. Any school budget, especially for schools which are having difficulties financially, should be carefully planned and set aside to be spent on items which need the most investment and replacement.