IB school St. Clare's, Oxford

IB school St. Clare's, based in Oxford, has interested me for several years ago: the consistently good results of the school's graduates and the neighborhood with one of the most famous universities in the world looked promising. So one gray December day, on Christmas Eve, I boarded the train to Oxford and went to meet with the school representatives.

To start with, some statistics about the school:

• The Saint Clair School has about 280 students, which is indicative of the relatively large size of the school.
• In 2015, the school was ranked sixth in the independent ranking of British IB schools, and according to the analysis of the University of Durham, St. Clair School is in the top 2% of British schools.
• 100% of students invariably receive a diploma at the end of the program (the average world statistics for schools is 80%)
• The average score of graduates of the Saint Clair School is 36 points, out of a possible 45. At the same time, 24 is considered to be passing by, and the world average is 30.
• 65% of graduates gain 35 points and above
• A quarter of school graduates achieve a score of 40 and above
• Over the past 10 years, the school has had students annually who scored the highest score - 45. According to statistics, in IB schools only one student gains such a result in a school every five years (!)
• 70% of school graduates enter the top 1% of world universities

ST. CLARE'S SCHOOL CAMPUS
St. Clare's is on a quiet Victorian street, just fifteen minutes' walk from Oxford city center. It is easy to get here by bus, but since Oxford is a student city, most people move here on bicycles.
The main building of the school has retained its Victorian appearance.

But, as it turned out, the appearance is deceiving - in the courtyard of the school, hidden from prying eyes, there is a beautiful, spacious modern building built of wood and glass, where the bulk of the classes in such important subjects for obtaining an IB diploma as mathematics, chemistry, is held. biology and English. From the main building down the street, there are other Victorian buildings (there are 27 of them in total) with blue doors, which are also part of the school: a library, a canteen, an art studio, additional educational buildings and, of course, residences for school students.

The school enrolls students from 16 to 18 years old for the IB program, and, despite the fact that the school checks every evening that all students return to their dorms, the school is designed for adults, independent and conscientious children who strive to learn and achieve high results.

ACCOMMODATION AT SCHOOL ST. CLARE'S
Students at St. Clair School are divided into boarding and daytime. Day students live with their families in Oxford County, while boarding students (usually international students) live in student residences located next to the school. The residences are housed in beautiful Victorian buildings, each inhabited exclusively by the school's students. Each residence has its own “mother” who looks after the students, monitors their absence, and can be contacted at any time of the day. Girls live separately from boys, and students under the age of sixteen live separately from IB students.

Each residence consists of different types of rooms: for one, two, and three people, but it is impossible to order accommodation in a particular room - they are issued by a lot. It is possible to order, however, an improved type of room with a private bathroom. All rooms are spacious and bright enough for this type of residence. Here each student has his own blackboard, wardrobe, bedside table, bed. There is Wi-Fi on the territory of the residence. The students' rooms are cleaned weekly.

Despite the fact that students are fed three times a day, each residence has its own small kitchenette where you can make tea, toast, or warm-up food. In addition, the residences have spacious living rooms, with sofas, TV, and video games. IB students wash their own clothes, so each building has a small laundry room with washers and dryers.

SUBJECTS
One of the main differences between the IB program and the A-levels is the number of subjects studied. There are three subjects at A-levels, and six at IB: three main ones, which are studied in-depth, as they determine the student's further specialization, and three additional ones, which are studied at the standard level. The school program is divided into six groups of subjects. The student must choose one subject from each group:
Group 1: Language and Literature in the student's native language
• As basic or as additional: English, German and Italian
• Only as an additional: Arabic, Czech, Dutch, French, Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, Belarusian, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and other languages ​​upon request.

Group 2: Foreign languages
• The main or as optional: English, French, Spanish, Chinese, German languages, provided that the student has studied one of these languages for at least three years prior to course commencement.
• Just as an extra: Spanish for beginners, Chinese for beginners.
Group 3: Individuals and society
• The main or additional: History, Geography, Psychology, Economics
• Only as a major: Business Management
• Just as an extra: the World policy
Group 4: Sciences
• As main or as an extra: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• Just as an extra: environment and society

Group 5: Mathematics
• The main or as an additional Mathematics
• Only as additional Math classes
Group 6: Arts
• The main or as an additional Art, Music, Theatre
• Or one subject to choose from 2, 3, or 4 groups

The diversity of the IB program provides an opportunity to prepare versatile personalities, which is highly valued by both universities and employers.

PRE-IB

Pre-IB is an IB preparation program. Such a program is designed for students aged 15 years who need additional classes in order to improve their English and prepare for the transition to a new education system. Pre-IB students live on campus in a separate building with increased security. The program can last anywhere from six months to a year, depending on your child's academic success. Completing the Pre-IB program will greatly increase your child's chances of being enrolled in your chosen IB school.

ADMISSION TO ST.CLARE'S SCHOOL IN OXFORD

The IB program lasts two years and your child must be 16 years old at the start of the program. To enroll in the IB program at St. Clair School, a student will need to provide a report card with grades for the last two years, pass interviews and pass internal exams in English and mathematics. The school scrupulously selects students, but assures that they are ready to consider candidates for students who cannot show a brilliant certificate, provided that the student can show himself as an interesting, versatile personality.
The process of admission to an IB school is complicated not only by the high requirements for the academic success of the child, but also by the complex process of paperwork, filling out forms, passing interviews, passing additional exams and applying for a visa