Ensuring their children have a quality education is a concern for any parent.
International schools that offer an internationally recognised curriculum bestow your children with the educational foundation they need to succeed in any post secondary institution they choose, preparing them for a future that meets their highest potential.At Alice Smith, we ensure your children receive the same quality of education they would have studying in the UK. We do this by incorporating the best aspects of a British education, by investing in quality staff and resources and by ensuring students reach the same internationally recognized benchmarks their peer group receive in the UK.
Curriculum Incorporates Best Practices in British Education
The curriculum at Alice Smith is modelled after the English National Curriculum (NC) followed by most UK schools. According to David Potts, our Vice Principal of Learning and Teaching, our curriculum is constantly evolving to ensure our students receive the highest quality education.
“We respond to UK curriculum developments in a timely fashion to ensure our students have qualifications that are entirely relevant,” said Potts.
Some examples of developments include phasing out AS levels, adapting the curriculum to meet the Extended Project Qualification and adjusting assessment criteria now that National Curriculum levels are not predominantly used in schools across the UK.
Our curriculum is modern, adaptable and encouraging, but still challenging
“We encourage students to embrace new opportunities and challenge and support them in developing resilience and determination,” said Dr. Sarah Howling, our Secondary Principal.
While standard topics including language, maths and sciences are covered extensively, our curriculum incorporates a diverse range of elective courses and extra-curricular activities, from Model United Nations (MUN), chess, a wide variety of creative and performative arts as well as sports and athletics.
By incorporating these into our curriculum your child will receive a well-rounded education that also teaches them to try new things and discover their passions.
“Our focus is on learning and growth, be that academic, social or emotional,” said Howling. “We want our students to experience the excitement of discovering that they are capable of achieving more than they thought possible; we encourage them to embrace new opportunities and challenge and support them in developing resilience and determination.”
By not staying stagnant and ensuring our curriculum is up-to-date by British education standards, your children not only receive the same quality of education they would in the UK, but so much more.
83% of Teaching Staff are from the UK
Not only do we incorporate a British curriculum in our schooling, we also find top tier teaching staff with incredible educational experiences to dispense it to your children.
“The quality of our teaching is intrinsically linked to the calibre of our staff,” said Potts, adding that the majority of teachers at Alice Smith have at least two years experience teaching at schools in the UK.
The quality assurance measures performed by Alice Smith are superior, having been recognised by the Council of British International Schools Overseas (COBIS). You can read the accreditation report here.
“These standards are at the forefront of UK and international best practice,” he said. “We constantly evaluate our professional practice and ensure our teachers are involved in ongoing self-development as educators and leaders.”
By hiring teachers who are subject matter experts in their field of study with experience in the British education, we ensure that your children will receive the same quality of schooling they would if they were living in the UK.
Seamless Transitioning that Results in Minimal Disruptions
Transitioning both in and out of a school system can be a source of stress in a students’ life, but this process is made easier when attending a school with an internationally recognised curriculum.
To avoid unnecessary stress on your children when starting out at our school, we partner with your children's former schools to ensure there is an alignment in curriculums. Should your children have to move on from our school, we provide the receiving institution with information so they can continue their education with minimal disruptions.
Our students are able to meet international standards, which we ensure by conducting assessments at the end of every school year. Our research shows that our students meet benchmark standards of success and rank high internationally.
Choosing a school that provides an internationally transferable curriculum means that no matter what choices you and your family must make, your children will be able to acclimate to their new environment, seamlessly moving where their life takes them.
Student Grades as Metrics of Success
An education at our school will more than prepare your children for their future endeavours.
One way to measure the success of our students is by incorporating standardised tests, which not only assess students within our school but set us apart internationally as well.
One such test is the Standard Age Score (SAS), a standardised test widely used in the UK and by other international schools to measure the level of cognitive development of a student compared to others in their age range. Our Year 11 students take the GSCE exams much like their British peers. Click here to see our examination results.
According to Howling, students at Alice Smith perform well on such tests.
“Our students consistently achieve highly in both (I)GCSE and A Level examinations and gain places in the world’s top universities”, Howling said, including all the prestigious UK Russell Group and several Ivy League universities.
The education our students receive has proven to provide them with the tools they need to succeed in their education and careers.
Student Success as the Number One Priority
At Alice Smith, we take great pride in producing results that keep our students competitive with some of the best schools in the world.
By modelling our education on the National Curriculum, we can guarantee your children will be prepared for their post-secondary journey.
Our student successes are represented in their continual love of learning, their ability to solve problems, their desire to help others and in their achievements both personally and educationally. Click the link below to discover how our students are recognised globally for their educational prowess and examination results.
