YEAR 9 & 10 PATHWAY COURSE FOR INTERNATIONAL PUPILS
INTRODUCTION
Downside is a special place with a deep understanding of the needs of international boarding pupils and their parents.
Downside offers a rich and unique history of strong values in an inspiring setting with an unsurpassed level of care.
At Downside an international pupil is welcomed, highly valued and included at the heart of all things.
Downside challenges pupils to live a life of humility, personal discipline and empathy in the pursuit of academic excellence and a well-rounded individual.
Downside pupils work hard, contribute to their community, and show ambition in all things. They take joy in life’s journey as part of a supportive community.
The Pathway Course for International Pupils provides an inspiring start. It combines full immersion as a Downside pupil with exceptional pastoral care; the full range of engaging and exhilarating co-curricular activities and an innovate academic provision to support subject development, English language acquisition, cultural integration and confidence to join the academic mainstream.
DOWNSIDE BOARDING
Downside’s historic Houses are welcoming, bustling, caring places full of love, life and laughter.
Each House is led by an experienced House Master or House Mistress who is always available to pupil and parents.
Houses are places where pupils find friendship and fulfilment in a home away from home.
In their Houses pupils participate in sport, music, drama, outdoor pursuits, and spiritual activities. They enjoy weekend trips to Bath, Bristol, and local cultural sites.
Pupils benefit from a safe, structured, and emotionally supportive environment, with access to the Health & Wellbeing Centre and a comprehensive pastoral network.
DOWNSIDE CO-CURRICULUM
Downside’s co-curriculum range spans all imaginable pursuits beyond the traditional comprehensive sports programme that you would expect from a leading UK Boarding school.
Outdoor Education
Weekends are for adventure! Pupils can go caving, canoeing, dinghy sailing, kayaking, off road cycling, rock climbing, scuba diving, clay shooting or paddleboarding.
Pupils are encouraged to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme.
Clubs and Activities
Wednesday afternoons are a time for clubs and activities ranging from horse riding to ceramics; from The Combined Cadet Force to fencing or archery.
Sports and Games
With a swimming pool, a sports hall, squash courts, a fitness suite, netball and tennis courts, a hockey astro turf, rugby pitches and cricket pitches all traditional sports are catered for.
Off site, pupils can play golf, play tennis indoor, sail on the Cheddar reservoir, canoe on the River Avon.
Art, Design and Technology
Pupils can create work in a range of media in the art studio.
The Design and Technology facility offers pupils a place to design and create.
Music, Drama and Dance
Music is woven into the fabric of school life for all pupils. For those who wish, there is also the chance to have private lessons in a comprehensive range of instruments.
Pupils can study dance and drama and take part in performances and plays in the purpose-built theatre.
ACADEMIC SUBJECTS
Core Plus CLIL
Core Plus CLIL lessons combine subject lessons with a cutting-edge language learning approach to develop learners’ academic English, skills and confidence.
Pupils study five core subjects each week taught by a combination of subject specialist and English specialist to help pupils develop subject-specific language.
SUBJECT
SUBJECT TEACHER ENGLISH TEACHER ASSESSMENT MATHS
SCIENCE GEOGRAPHY HISTORY
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
2 Subject lessons per week plus homework.
2 “CLIL” lessons per week plus homework.
Internal written paper at start and end of term. Ongoing evaluation against “Readiness Framework”.
Pupils sit an internal start of term and end of term paper to assess their level of understanding and attainment. They are also evaluated throughout the term to track progress in Organisation, Engagement, Collaboration and Resilience. These are additional qualities that we develop in pupils to help them transition to mainstream academics.
General English Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing plus Grammer and Vocabulary 8
Start of Term and End of Term full Cambridge exam.
Weekly Practice Tests. Classwork and prep.
Guided Grammer Grammatical structures 2 Ongoing from classwork and prep. Starting English Literature Literacy, Oracy 3 Ongoing by portfolio and glossary,
Writing English for Subjects Producing written texts in core subjects 3 Ongoing from classwork and in Core Plus CLIL end of term assessment. Life at Downside Settling into Downside. Learn about UK culture 2 Ongoing from “Readiness Framework” and engagement with school life.
English classes are engaging, communicative, develop all four skills and use a range of technology to maximise efficiency.
DOWNSIDE SCHOOL STRATTON-ON-THE-FOSSE, RADSTOCK, BATH BA3 4RJ
admissions@downside.co.uk www.downside.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1761 235103
