留英選校，有什麽要注意

Honey917

原帖由 Ruby1219 於 13-09-02 發表
Hi CPU1995,

Thank you for sharing your valuable expertise on UK schools! Really helpful.

Hi CPU1995,

I also plan to send my son to UK when he reaches 13+. It is highly appreciated if you can share your views and thoughts on the schools mentioned by Ruby. Million thanks.

Honey917

CPU1995

I am not expert in UK schools and do not have first-hand experience in all those top notch schools as my sons are not studying in these expensive schools. I just want to share the information from my friends whose kids are studying in these schools.

If you browse the following 2010 ft ranking table, Tonbridge has always been awarded the highest ranking of about 20 while Charterhouse and King’s School Canterbury have similar ranking of about 60. For Brighton, its ranking was ranging from 74 to 126 in 2007 to 2009.   

http://media.ft.com/cms/5e5f8512-3233-11df-b4e2-00144feabdc0.pdf

Notwithstanding the rankings, my friends said that Tonbridge, Charterhouse and King’s School Canterbury are traditional UK schools like HK’s DBS, LaSalle etc. while Brighton is somehow commercial but has impressive academic performance.  In fact, some UK people may not know Brighton. Nevertheless, Brighton has an outstanding GCSE result of 96% grading at A* and A in 2013 i.e. nearly all its students got A grade in IGCSE!

My friends said that Tonbridge, Chartehouse and Brighton are pushing very hard on academic achievements. King's School Canterbury is an all-rounded school and has compulsory ECAs for 1-2 hour everyday for all students even in public exam dates. So it is not surprising that King’s ranking drops beyond 100 in 2012 due to its all-rounded education policy.

Charterhouse is taking Cambridge Pre-U which is more challenging and difficult than IGCSE exam boards. I have heard a case of brilliant girl studying in top 10 ranking UK school transferring to Charterhouse due to her intention to take the more challenging Cambridge Pre-U exam board.

I think the choice of school depends much on your kid’s character and ability.  Ranking wise, I would suggest you choosing Tonbridge (ranked 18) followed by Brighton (49), Charterhouse (81) and King’s (108).

As I don’t have friends studying IB, I have no comments on Sevenoaks and other UK IB schools.  

Ruby1219

Thanks very much CPU1995 for telling me your friend's experience and comments! You are such a nice and helpful person!

Yes I heard that Brighton is uprising very impressively in recent years and therefore AA recommended it along with Tonbridge and Charterhouse. We did visit Tonbridge this June and my son likes it a lot, therefore it's his No.1 target now. But my UK friend told me Charterhouse is also very good, for it's gorgeous campus, and the high-level Pre-U syllabus, although we did not pay a visit to it.

I also prefer Tonbridge and Charterhouse for it's 'proximity' to London and my friend's (potential guardian) house in Reading. While Brighton and King's seem too far away. Am I correct ?

Again, thank you very much for your quick response and kind advice!

CPU1995

I have not visited Tonbridge before but it appears that both Tonbridge and King's are located in Kent which takes about 1.5 hours journey from Heathrow.

Personally I prefer co-edu school to boys school. Charterhouse is taking brilliant girls in 6th form while Brighton is a co-edu school. If I have budget to pay the expensive school fee, I would let my son try Brighton as the first priority.

If your DS is admitted by Tonbridge, Charterhouse or Brighton, I'm sure your DS stands a higher chance of sucess in academic achievement especially for enrolling Oxbridge or Imperial.

Ruby1219

Thanks CPU1995. I wish my son would be lucky to get into one of these schools!

Fingers crossed.

samsam123321

deleted

anglo-chinese

I have a girl studying in CharterHouse in IB course, I know is a good school but for what they stand for, I might go somewhere slightly not as high as ranking, factors to consider:
Charterhouse offering A-Level, IB and pre-U. Pre-U is originally seen as a more prestigious qualifications and similar to A-Level but more difficult. But it is not used by many schools, and think from a University recruitment side, do they really know this qualification well?
How can a school put that many resources in training teachers to teach 3 qualifications together?
I strongly oppose any schools that does not provide single living room for students in 6th form. Charterhouse is asking students to share ..

Ruby1219

Thanks Anglo-Chinese for giving your valuable advice!!

CPU1995

anglo-chinese 發表於 13-9-3 16:48
Charterhouse offering A-Level, IB and pre-U. Pre-U is originally seen as a more prestigious qualifications and similar to A-Level but more difficult. But it is not used by many schools, and think from a University recruitment side, do they really know this qualification well?

As far as I know, it is really difficult and highly competitive for Grade 12 Cambridge Pre-U places for Charterhouse. According to my friend's experience, the Grade 12 admission criteria is that the applicant should have at least IGCSE 10A* result or above.

fishmum

needaplan

原帖由 CPU1995 於 13-08-23 發表
本帖最後由 CPU1995 於 13-8-23 09:25 編輯

Which agency would you recommend?

CPU1995

needaplan 發表於 13-9-19 06:19
Which agency would you recommend?

Both of my sons applied through AA for both state and indepedent schools. But it seems that AA limits your choice to a max of 4 schools.

If you apply for more than 4 schools, you may try another agency or write direct to your target schools.

mummy911

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Any 1 hv any advice on the entrance exam for Badminton? Is it very difficult? May I know more info on this school as my adughter is applying a place in Grade 12 via AA. Thanks

needaplan

原帖由 needaplan 於 13-09-19 發表
Which agency would you recommend?

Check pm please.

demio

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Dear CPU1995,

I just found out that St. Peter's School (York) only offers EDEXCEL’s IGCSE specification for Science (Double Award) for science.  According to your post, does it mean it will affect my child's A level options in Science as I expect him to do triple science (though we are now applying Year 7 for him).

Thanks.

CPU1995

I don’t think that it will affect your son’s A Level option if your son continues to study St. Peter for Grade 12.

However, some schools like my son’s school would only consider students with IGCSE science double award with at least Grade A* for taking science subjects at Grade 12.

My son said that double award science is much easier than the individual science subject.

demio

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Thanks CPU1995.

May I know the difference between doing double award science and triple science in IGCSE level?  

CPU1995

安安，

做test之前，令千金可試下做past paper, 因consultant會將test成績比學校作為參考.

我唔知consultant會介紹甚麽學校比你，你可问下學校文科強或理科強，boarding house有幾多中國人，上原校中六要什麼成績，IGCSE science是考double award或是triple science, 課後有什麼compulsory課外活動，(不是問自願參加的ECA, 自願參加活動小兒會唔參加留係boarding house上綱玩電話遊戲）, 有冇自費extra tuition同埋幾錢(有些學校單是補英文一年成6000 pound)，需唔需要多比一個term deposit等中五或中七離校先可以取回deposit等問題。

做完初步test遲些consultant會通知你個別學校筆試及面試時間。

個人認為consultant以商業原則運作，意見只可作為參考，等consultant有學校推介到時再決定報唔報考。

csk

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Please check PM.

csk

anglo-chinese 發表於 13-9-3 16:48
I have a girl studying in CharterHouse in IB course, I know is a good school but for what they stand ...

My niece was admitted by Charterhouse and went to study F. 6 this September.  The school only offers Pre Cambridge program and doesn't mention anything on IB or A-Level.  She fishished F. 5 and she told me for math, she is half year ahead of the school curriculum, always need to write essays for  economics.  For chemistry and biology, you need to do a lot of experiments.  This is quite different from Hong Kong curriculum.