QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S COLLEGIATE

Addressing the concerns of International Students

At Queen Ethelburga’s (QE), our primary goal is to prepare students for the challenges of university and their chosen field, with personalised support for every student.

One of the most common concerns voiced by our international students is whether their English competency is good enough to excel in university studies. We provide comprehensive English language lessons that are tailored to meet the needs of each student and the requirements of IELTS examinations, a critical component of university admissions. We have a variety of courses for different language proficiency levels and all our students are immersed in a culturally diverse environment with classmates from 60 different nationalities, which promotes language proficiency and cultural understanding.

As international students can require the highest level of care and support, our highly trained Pastoral and Boarding teams offer 24/7 care and can fully support individuals with issues such as culture shock and homesickness. The teams are made up of full-time staff focused on student wellbeing and are supported by our International Liaison Officers, who speak a variety of languages to support students and parents with any communication difficulties.

With individual feedback, we help remove student reservations about engaging in debates or analysis work at university and in the workplace. We emphasise critical thinking throughout our curriculum with analytical and problem-solving skills taught through research, debate, group work, presentations, and discussions. We train our students to organise and present information effectively with opportunities to practice through experience including presenting an extended research project from multiple sources.

Our Whole School Revision Project teaches our students the vital study skills needed to retain knowledge, apply critical thinking skills, and excel in examinations throughout their life. We tackle any worries about taking examinations in a second language and offer internationally recognised qualifications such as iGCSEs.

To tackle the complexities of further education applications, our expert careers and UCAS advisors work closely with our students to help them choose the perfect university and course for them as individuals by considering all the criteria that is important to them.