Infant School Elche® Welcome

Welcome to King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche. It gives me great pleasure that due to the success of King’s College Alicante (KCA), our school network is expanding to our sister town of Elche.

Our new Infant school will extend the academic excellence offered at KCA, through to the local community here in Elche and I am extremely excited for the official opening of the school in September 2017.

As the Headteacher of KCA, I am delighted to continue our core values and excellent standards and extend them to our new school in Elche. There was no better way to do this than for A very British education Since 1969 King’s College schools have been me to lead both schools and extend this vision through establishing very close links providing children and young people with a rigorous and broad British education. between King’s College Alicante and King’s Infant School, Elche. Pupils will also Pupils from King’s College continue their studies at some of the most prestigious naturally transfer from Elche to Alicante once they reach Year 3 and as a school we will universities in the UK, North America and Europe. A British education gives our ensure this transition is as smooth as possible. alumni the best opportunities to work in challenging and interesting careers all over the world. We believe that the fundamental values that they learn while at I strongly believe that the best schools are, without exception, those filled with happy King’s College will also help them to have happy and fulfilling family lives. children who love going to school; children who love their teachers and their friends; children who love their Maths lessons and their Art classes. This love of learning is what King’s Group Schools are all about. We work tirelessly to provide an environment that is stimulating and fun for our young learners, because we know that children learn best when they are motivated and happy.

Don’t take my word for it though, I would encourage you to come and speak to us, meet our teachers and see our pupils, to get a true flavour of what a King’s College education can offer your child.

Derek Laidlaw, Headteacher

King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche 1 Foundation and Vision

Concentration and Inspiration In our classrooms and on our sports pitches our teachers emphasise the importance of teamwork and joint endeavour; these values, combined with our focus on academic excellence, are at the core of a British education.

King’s Group is one of the largest and most successful groups of British International Schools in the world, as well as being a leading member of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). All of our schools are inspected by the International School Inspectorate regularly and our teachers are all highly trained professionals.

We attract and retain staff that are passionate about their work, because ultimately we know this is the key to developing your child’s love of learning. When children enjoy something, they engage fully. At King’s we believe that learning should This passion that our teachers have for their be a lifelong and subjects and about education is what makes rewarding experience King’s College so successful. for everyone. With well-being and A British education creates open-minded and engaging experiences dynamic young learners and although it may at its core. seem a long way away, one day these skills will prepare them to enter the ever-evolving world Sarah Phillips of work. Head of Primary King’s College, Alicante

2 | 3 King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche Building a New School In 2017 King’s Group are delighted to welcome on board the latest school in the King’s network. King’s Infant School, the British school of Elche, is located in the charming town of Elche just 20 minutes from Alicante on Spain’s popular Costa Blanca.

Much more than buildings and grounds, establishing a new school requires experience, understanding and leadership.

Pupils Passion The best schools are, without exception, In 1969, Sir Roger Fry opened the first filled with happy children who love going King’s College in Madrid. He not only to school. These are the children who will has extensive experience delivering the achieve the highest grades and go on to do English curriculum outside of the UK, but great things. he understands how to work with local governments and communities, ensuring Teachers that all our schools comply with local The best teachers make sure that every day as well as British standards. Since he their pupils discover new things, explore established King’s Group, Sir Roger has new ways of seeing and love the process been recognised as a leader in international of learning itself. At the core of every good education and was awarded a Knighthood school you will find a team for his services in the field by H.M. Queen of excellent teachers. Elizabeth II. British Values

A very British education in Elche Since 1969 King’s College has provided children with a rigorous and broad British education. Our sister school in Alicante is testament to this and every year our pupils win places at some of the world’s best universities, including University College London, Edinburgh and Warwick.

All King’s College schools deliver the English National Curriculum with its focus on developing thoughtful and knowledgeable young people. This means a varied curriculum with an emphasis on interactive learning, rather than just reading text books. Exploratory learning teaches young people how to think, question and explore new ideas. All learning is based upon these core skills; not simply a list of memorised facts, but knowledge and a clear understanding.

King’s Infant School in Elche will offer pupils a purpose-built campus dedicated to our young learners, in order to offer an environment that will enthuse and stimulate through a diverse and engaging curriculum.

From the start it is foreseen that close links will be derived with sister school King’s College Alicante, where in Year 3 pupils will naturally progress once they conclude their studies in the Infant school.

The Schools that make up King’s Group are founded upon three key values: Honesty, Faith, Courage.

King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche 6 | 7 The Best Start

Infant Education - Building blocks for the future Though it may seem a long way off at the moment, one day the finger paintings in Nursery school, will turn into long nights of revision at A Level.

We know that as a parent you want to give your child the best possible start in life. Going to school is a big step for a small child and you need to feel at ease with your choice of school. We can say with confidence that we treat every child as an individual and we will do everything we can to give our pupils the best start possible in a fast-evolving world.

In the Early Years Department (ages 2-5) we encourage our pupils to approach their studies with a fun and positive attitude towards learning.

As the children move on to Key Stage 1 (ages 5 - 7), we begin to broaden their experience. The children still study a particular topic, for example, ‘Light and Shadow’, and use that topic across a range of subjects, including Science, Mathematics, History and even Literature. For example, the topic ‘Travelling’ may include History (‘How did people travel in the past?’) and English (‘Write a story about a trip you’ve taken’) as well as linking to the Maths and Science curriculum.

King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche 8 | 9 Ages of Learning

The British System Below, we have outlined your child’s journey through the British educational system. Our objectives are not simply to ensure that your child is bilingual in English and Spanish. A British education creates open-minded, creative and dynamic individuals. Your child will learn from first-hand experience, not just text books. IGCSE Exams A Level Exams at end of Year 11 at end of Year 13 Children will move to King’s College King’s Infant School Alicante at end of Year 2 Secondary Higher Foundation Stage (EYFS) Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2 Sixth form Education

Pupil’s age at the beginning of school year

Young children learn through A more structured approach to the Children are naturally curious. As children get older we teach them The final two years at school mark Nearly all King’s pupils go on to exploration. Everything they do, from day helps children to start learning In Junior school we encourage them to think more critically. They learn the beginning of adulthood. Pupils university, mostly in the UK and kicking a ball, building with blocks and how to read, write and count in to learn about things that interest how to investigate, test and think make choices and work hard during Spain. Academic success helps painting, to singing in a group, is done English. We still encourage children them while consolidating their about things rationally. Classes are these years that prepare them for guarantee a good career but we in English and it is designed to help to explore and play, but they are able numeracy and literacy skills. We teach more focused on formal “subject- university and then the start of their also want children who have been them understand their environment. to describe their discoveries in words children how to apply these basic based” learning. Nine or ten IGCSE careers. Once pupils have finished to King’s College to become good Sometimes it gets messy, but it’s and numbers. skills to other subject areas – such as exams are taken at the end of this their IGCSEs they choose three or four parents, partners and friends. always rewarding and develops them Science, Art and History. stage in different subjects. A Level exams – which are accepted socially, mentally and physically. by universities around the world.

10 | 11 King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche Success

Delivering results When we speak to parents they often want to talk to us about our academic results. We are, of course, very proud of our long record of seeing the vast majority of our pupils go on to higher education in the UK, Europe and the United States. But our schools deliver a lot more than an impressive set of statistics and numbers. 10/10 230students from King’s College of the top 10* universities in the currently attend a university UK have accepted King’s College Parents send their children to King’s College students because they want them to be exposed to in the UK new ideas, to have their minds stimulated, their intellectual curiosity fostered and their creativity nurtured.

We live in a world where the pace of technological, social and professional change Exam success is faster and more challenging than ever comes as a result 1ST before. Confident, articulate and outgoing of the passion young people will leave King’s College at that our teachers age 18 to go on to study at the world’s best transmit to universities. We know that these children will our pupils and 3of our 20168 students% went to a of the23 24 Russell Group** be well equipped to take full advantage of the the particular top 20 UK or World* university universities have accepted many opportunities and challenges that will attention we give come their way. to encourage this year King’s College pupils

individual ** 24 top UK universities achievement.

40%of our students currently 97%pass rate for our A-level attend one of the top 200* universities in the world students (A*-E)

pupils from King’s College schools have gone on to study at 48 six of the top ten universities in the world: • Oxford • Imperial College London • Cambridge • University College London • Stanford • Harvard

* Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016-2017

King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche 12 | 13 It Takes a Community

The College Community Parents are an important part of school life. We operate an open-door policy for parents and want to discuss your child’s academic and social progress on a regular basis. When your child starts at King’s your whole family joins the King’s College community.

At our school as a parent you will also be invited to a range of social events. These include concerts, plays, parent workshops Both of our children and coffee mornings. Parents can meet one attended King’s another, make new friends and speak with College Alicante. We teachers. found the whole school to be warm, welcoming and joyous place for our children to be educated. Staff are attentive and caring, and the school itself is modern and disciplined; allowing our children’s education to flourish. We would recommend the school to anyone and everyone. Academically, the Tracey & Derek teachers have always Parents of former nurtured and supported King’s pupils my curiosity for how the world works, and this supportive environment extends across the whole school, we are like one big family.

Verena, Former Head Girl, King’s College, Alicante

14 | 15 King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche Your Bridge to the School

Admissions King’s Infant School is more than just a British school. Your child’s future success depends on building a strong partnership with shared values between home and school. If you want your child to benefit from a King’s education then the next step is to come to visit the school, have a look at what we are doing and ask us lots of questions.

Going to a new school The confident, is a very articulate and outgoing important step for your young people who child. My aim complete their studies ONLINE is to make the process with us, are well APPLICATION as smooth as equipped to take full possible. It is so advantage of the many gratifying to see new opportunities that pupils enjoying their will come their way. ARRANGE AN new school from I encourage you to INTERVIEW the very first day. visit us in person, and see how your children Irene Gómez, can benefit from a Admissions Officer fulfilling, thorough and VISIT enjoyable education. THE SCHOOL

Derek Laidlaw, Headteacher, DETERMINE The best way to YOUR NEEDS describe what King’s offers its pupils is by telling you our daughter’s story. She INFORM started at school SCHOOL without knowing a single word of English and 12 years later, she was invited PLACE to an interview at OFFERED the University of Cambridge, one of the top five universities in the world. START DATE ARRANGED Rudolph, Parent of Year 13 pupil

INDUCTION & SETTLING IN

16 | 17 King’s Infant School, The British School of Elche King’s Infant School The British School of Elche Calle Antonio Valero Agullo 7 03203 Elche Spain

Contact Admissions and General Enquiries (+34) 965 50 82 54 [email protected]

elche.kingscollegeschools.org

@KIS_Elche

King’s Infant School Elche

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