If you would like more information on this topic or to speak with us directly, please contact us on +44 7878 985564. We are available on the phone, via WhatsApp, or register on our homepage for a free consultation call.
For many years, UK education focused on the teaching of French and German reportedly as a consequence of attempting to forge harmonious relationships between the three countries in the post-war years. Top UK independent schools also have a long history of teaching Latin - one of the classic UK boarding school languages and traditionally considered useful for many professions with significant crossovers in the field of medicine for instance. With the passage of time, the best UK boarding schools and top UK private schools have widened their provision to incorporate additional languages. Spanish and Mandarin have been popular additions in recent years.
In the best British boarding schools, you will find that the greatest exposure to multiple languages takes place in the early years of secondary school, it is not uncommon for 4 languages to be taught on rotation for Year 7 or 8 (ages 11-13). This gives students exposure to the languages and helps them develop their vocabulary and potentially spark their interest in studying further. For some top UK private schools, this access may extend into Year 9 (ages 13-14), much will depend on the school and its philosophy on language learning. In the early years of senior school, the most common languages taught in schools are French, German, Spanish, Chinese and in some prestigious UK boarding schools there may be some Latin.
When students reach Year 10 (ages 14-15), they generally begin their GCSE courses and tend to focus on one or two of these languages if they have an interest and aptitude for them, and this serves as good grounding for further study at A Level or IB if they so wish. A little known fact is that many of the best UK boarding schools for international students will provide the opportunity for students to study a GCSE in their own language, alongside their full quota of other GCSE subjects. This is an excellent choice for many students who have English as a second language and it is not uncommon for schools to offer GCSEs in first language Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai and many others. This gives students the chance to gain examination recognition for their language ability and can even be useful for career development in home countries as a measure of competence in the chosen language.
At the same time, many international students choose to find top UK private schools and top UK boarding schools for English language development and acquisition. In these instances, many of the best UK boarding schools will create a tailored learning programme and will perhaps arrange for extra English in place of additional languages until students feel comfortable to take on additional learning. It is for these reasons that we recommend speaking to an experienced education counsellor, preferably those with in-school experience to be able to recommend the best British boarding schools to suit your circumstances and language requirements.
If you are considering UK education but unsure where to begin, allow us to share our knowledge and experience we have with helping over 400 other families choose the best school for them. We can talk you through a suggested list of independent schools in the UK that match your requirements and we are confident you will be pleased with the results.
Finding the right private schools in the UK is a very important task and one that will shape your child’s future. We do not underestimate the importance of this decision and are confident that we can find the perfect UK boarding school for you and your child, based on your exact needs.
If you would like more information on this topic or to speak with us directly, please contact us on +44 7878 985564. We are available on the phone, via WhatsApp, or register on our homepage for a free consultation call.
This will enable us to schedule an appointment, where we look forward to speaking in more depth about your specific situation, and helping in any way we can. We look forward to helping you on this journey.
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