Sherborne International

CITY/TOWN: SHERBORNE

REGION: SOUTHERN ENGLAND

Sherborne International is unique. It was established in 1977 to prepare students from non-British educational backgrounds so that they could function successfully in traditional British Boarding schools. Typically these boys and girls spend one year at the School before moving on to a traditional British boarding school where the majority of students are British.

Sherborne International has three major tasks:

Concentrated improvement in spoken and written English;
Academic preparation in English in the full range of curriculum subjects;
A good introduction to the study skills necessary for success in the British school system.

The arrangements of the School are designed to achieve these tasks. Classes are small, with a maximum of eight students. All teachers are experienced specialists in their own subject, and also have additional EFL training in teaching that subject to overseas students. The School prides itself on its excellent EFL and GCSE/IGCSE results. Such excellent results help most students to enter good English Independent schools should they wish to continue their education in the United Kingdom. Students also have the opportunity to sit a range of Cambridge University English examinations, as well as the IELTS test, if appropriate.

The School has a maximum of 160 students. The teaching facilities include modern classrooms, eight science laboratories, two computer centres, an art studio, a well-resourced library together with a multi-purpose assembly hall. The whole School benefits from wireless internet access. Sherborne International uses the extensive sporting and musical facilities at Sherborne School, including a 25 metre indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, tennis courts, dance studio and sports hall, and extensive sports’ fields.

Sherborne International has gained an outstanding reputation for providing the very best start to British independent education for children from overseas. Through a carefully supervised programme of study, students gain a sound working knowledge of the main British curriculum subjects, such as Mathematics, the Sciences and Humanities. The timetable provides between 27 and 30 hours of lessons each week with a minimum of nine hours supervised private study. The School has high standards of discipline and pastoral care.

There are five boarding houses, where students live in single or twin bedrooms. (There are two dormitories of 4 beds for junior in the girls’ Boarding House.) There are separate Houses for girls and for junior boys (11 - 13 year olds). Each house has its own resident staff and medical matron who are there to supervise and care for the students. All meals are taken in the School dining room where a variety of freshly cooked food is on offer, including snacks at break time and the occasional afternoon tea with cakes. Most weekends have a busy leisure programme that ensures students are fully occupied on Saturday and Sunday, and evenings are also well structured.