INFORMATION BOOKLET READY F R THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. We created this brochure to answer common questions about ACS Egham – everything from “what curriculum options do you offer?” to “where are you located?” Of course, no brochure could possibly say everything about such a vibrant, inclusive school. To find out more, including how our distinctive approach to education ensures our students are ready for the rest of their lives, we encourage you to visit us – either for an individual tour or as part of one of our regular Open Days. To arrange your visit, just email our admissions department at [email protected] or call us on +44(0) 1784 430611. 02 ACS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL EGHAM 03 ABOUT OUR SCHOOL ADMISSIONS ACS Egham is a day school for students aged Application procedure 4 to 18, and the only school in the UK authorised We operate a rolling admissions process that to offer all four International Baccalaureate enables students to join us in any grade and (IB) programmes, a renowned and challenging at any time of the academic year, subject international curriculum recognised by schools to acceptance and availability. and universities globally: Our online application process takes a • IB Primary Years Programme (IBPYP), holistic approach, assessing each candidate for ages 4 to 11 individually by reviewing previous school • IB Middle Years Programme (IBMYP), records, references, questionnaire answers for ages 11 to 16 and standardised test scores. This helps us • IB Career-related Programme (IBCP), understand the complete student, giving us a for ages 16 to 18 real insight into who they are today and how we can make them ready for tomorrow. • IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), for ages 16 to 18 Offer and acceptance of place We ask that each application is accompanied We are also accredited by the New England by a non-refundable application fee, paid online. Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC) to If your application is successful we will then offer a US High School Diploma with Honours. contact you with an offer of a place for your child. We are extremely proud of the fact that 20% of To secure the place, we require a non-refundable our graduating students achieve over 40 points enrolment deposit, which we set against the on the Diploma, putting ACS Egham amongst second semester tuition fees. For more details of the top IB schools and significantly improving application fees, deposits and tuition costs, see their chances of attending the university the School Fees section of our website. of their choice, anywhere in the world. Practicalities for international families We have many years’ experience helping international families with the practicalities of moving to a new country. Our Welcome Guide provides useful information on settling in the UK. Finding appropriate housing is one of the major challenges facing relocating families. The ACS Egham Housing Officer works with families and their relocation agents, to explore the range of housing options available within manageable commuting distance. The service is completely free. We can also arrange a suitable selection of properties and accompany families on viewings. Importantly, we only work for ACS families, and we’re not associated with or remunerated by any outside agency – so you can be sure to receive independent advice. 04 ACS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL EGHAM BURSARIES SCHOLARSHIPS ACS Schools is a registered charity with the ACS Recognition Awards mission of advancing education for all. To help ACS is committed to recognising and celebrating us achieve our philanthropic goals, we offer the achievements of its students and their positive financially-assisted programmes in the form contribution to the school community. of bursaries and scholarships. Each year, ACS awards scholarships based Our bursary programme enables us to offer on a student’s demonstrated outstanding places to talented students who would benefit academic achievement, learning disposition from our world-class education, but whose family and leadership qualities. circumstances make it difficult to meet our usual fees. Applications are open to ACS students who will be These financial awards range from 10% to entering Grade 11, and nominations are welcomed 100% of our full tuition fees. All bursaries are from any member of the ACS community. means-tested, with each award dependent on the student’s individual circumstance. ACS scholars will be selected by a committee In line with our values, we look for students with at each school and announced by the Head of enquiring minds, an international perspective School in the spring. and a strong desire to make a difference. We offer Middle School bursaries for students aged 11 or 13 (Grades 6 or 8) and High School bursaries, including the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), for students aged 16 (Grade 11). Students applying for the IBDP bursary should display the ability to benefit from an academically-rigorous programme. Our criteria for awarding bursaries We welcome applications from parents who believe their child will benefit from our international curriculum and who will make a real contribution to life at ACS Egham. We ask only that candidate pupils are resident in the UK and have the right to remain. Following an application, we assess the student information and financial data provided, and reach a decision in the March prior to the academic year of entry. Calculating the bursary award Our financial awards are for up to seven years and range from 10% to 100% of the full tuition fees. In exceptional circumstances, these awards can also include additional school-related expenditure, so students can participate in every aspect of school life. We calculate the size of each bursary, based on an assessment of parental income and other financial assets, so we ask for appropriate documentation as part of each application. We review bursary awards on an annual basis to ensure they reflect any changes in parents’ financial circumstances. Our next in-take of bursary students will be in August 2022, and we welcome applications from September 2021. 05 SCHOOL STRUCTURE Divisions Grade Placement ACS Egham is organised into three divisions: Children come to our school from a wide range Early Childhood and Lower School for 4 to of countries and schools. This table shows 11-year-olds, Middle School for those aged the equivalent class age and curriculum for 11 to 14, and High School for our oldest students different education systems. aged 14 to 18. Each division is run by a highly experienced principal, ably assisted by superb teaching staff and support specialists. IB EDUCATION AGE US / ACS EGHAM GRADES UK YEARS PROGRAMMES 4 Pre-Kindergarten Early Childhood Reception PYP 5 Kindergarten Early Childhood Year 1 PYP 6 1st Grade Lower School Year 2 PYP 7 2nd Grade Lower School Year 3 PYP 8 3rd Grade Lower School Year 4 PYP 9 4th Grade Lower School Year 5 PYP 10 5th Grade Lower School Year 6 PYP 11 6th Grade Middle School Year 7 MYP 12 7th Grade Middle School Year 8 MYP 13 8th Grade Middle School Year 9 MYP 14 9th Grade (Freshman) High School Year 10 MYP HS Diploma 15 10th Grade (Sophomore) High School Year 11 MYP HS Diploma 16 11th Grade (Junior) High School Lower 6th / IB Diploma HS Diploma Year 1 College IBCP 17 12th Grade (Senior) High School Upper 6th / IB Diploma HS Diploma Year 2 College IBCP 06 ACS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL EGHAM 07 ACADEMIC OVERVIEW Global perspective Premier academic programmes All ACS schools offer a unique educational The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a experience for students aged 4 to 18, suite of integrated international educational characterised by a bold international approach. programmes for students aged 4 to 18. At the heart of this experience is a commitment to The IB’s four individual programmes encourage providing exactly the right support for each student, both personal and academic achievement, so they thrive within our culture of high expectations. challenging students to excel in their studies As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and in their personal achievements. we support a wide range of student interests and abilities, including the language requirements Developed independently of national standards, of globally-mobile students and their families. the IB incorporates best practice drawn from research and a global community of more than Another distinctive feature of ACS culture is 4,000 top-performing schools, encouraging our attitude to exams. We focus on assessment students of all ages to think critically, challenge for learning, rather than simply preparing for assumptions and adopt a global perspective – tests. We use high-quality data and feedback with some students choosing multilingual learning. regarding each student’s achievement to adjust our teaching strategies, improve individual Well-respected national and performance and celebrate learning. international standards The curriculum at ACS schools is informed by The result is a flexible system that works for each established standards that provide students student, regardless of ability. At the heart of this is with clear milestones to guide their academic our rigorous academic programme, designed to help development. Our standards are research and highly-ambitious learners excel in widely-respected evidence-based, helping prepare students for international qualifications that support strong the demands of university, career and civic life. applications to the world’s top universities – including the US Ivy League and the Russell Group in the UK. By identifying and prioritising significant At the same time, we encourage all our students content, standards promote deep learning to pursue individual passions and explore personal that connects with the individual student’s interests, with a particular emphasis on sport, the knowledge and skills. Standards also provide creative industries, business and enterprise. a common language for parents, teachers and students to discuss education topics, and enable Put all this together and ACS schools deliver students to transfer to other schools – national transformational learning.