International Students
Queenswood is an international community and we welcome girls from around the world. Overseas applicants are required to go through the same assessment process as those candidates who are resident in the UK. Girls for whom English is an Additional Language will also be required to sit an EAL paper.
Arrangements can be made for girls to sit their entrance papers overseas if they are unable to come to Queenswood for the assessment day itself. Entrance interviews can also be conducted online via Skype. We would, however, urge families to visit Queenswood at some point prior to entry.
Visas
From 5 October 2020, the Student route replaces the Tier 4 route.
- The Student route, which falls under the UK's new points-based immigration system, improves on the previous Tier 4 route making for a more streamlined experience for both sponsoring institutions and students.
- Visas that have been issued through the Tier 4 route are still valid.
- More information about the UK’s new points-based immigration system can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-points-based-immigration-system-further-details-statement - Further guidance for EEA students, who from 1 January 2021 will need to comply with the new system can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-points-based-immigration-system-eu-student-information - EEA citizens resident in the UK before 31 December should apply to the EU settlement scheme.
https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
Queenswood School is licensed to sponsor migrants under the Student route of the points-based system. All students who require visas to study at Queenswood should apply under the Child Student Visa category (formerly Tier 4 Child Student).
https://www.gov.uk/child-study-visa
Our Admissions team includes our visa co-ordinator who has twelve years of specialist experience in the administration of child student visas under the Points Based System of the Home Office. She offers a bespoke service to each international family, guiding them through the process from start to finish.
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Guardianship
A condition of acceptance at Queenswood is that girls coming from overseas have an English-speaking guardian, whose residential address is in the UK. This may be a relative or close friend but must be someone of more than 25 years of age, not living in student accommodation.
Overseas pupils stay with their guardians during the holidays and those weekends when the school is closed. Guardians are invited to join in with the life of the school and will receive information and invitations to keep them fully involved with their wards’ education.
We currently work with several reputable organisations providing guardianship services. Contact details are available from the Admissions Office.
English as an Additional Language
We are keen that all Queenswood students enjoy the wide range of opportunities the school offers. We reserve the right therefore to assess students for whom English is an additional language, in order to ascertain the degree of language support they should receive from the school’s EAL teachers. Based on this assessment, the teachers will then design a study programme that corresponds uniquely to that pupil's needs.
For students to be able to access the curriculum and have sufficient time to develop their skills before GCSE/ A-level exams, these are the CEFR language levels they should be able to demonstrate on arrival as a minimum:
- Y7: A2
- Y8: A2+/B1
- Y9: B1
- Y10: B1+/B2
- Y11: B2
- Y12: B2+
If the English level is lower than B2, we will require the students to take a more limited number of subjects to accommodate EAL support within the timetable. In Sixth Form, students need to carry on working towards a C1 level to be successful in the university application process.
EAL pupils generally receive two hours of EAL tuition per week: one individual and one group lesson, where they benefit from both bespoke 1:1 EAL provision as well as collaborative learning in a group setting. We provide an extra lesson for Y9 students to boost their skills prior to their GCSE studies.
EAL tuition focuses on the language skills which are needed both socially and academically in the subjects being studied, boosting students’ vocabulary and exploring the cultural references that enable full access to the curriculum and successful integration with UK teachers and peers.
In Sixth Form, the tuition also includes preparation for IELTS; mastering the study skills necessary to learn successfully in the UK education system and developing the academic reading and writing skills necessary to achieve the required grades at A-level.
All EAL pupils also attend a compulsory weekly 30 minute lesson with our Speech and Drama specialists who help pupils develop their public speaking skills by preparing them for the Practical English Test for Speakers of Other Languages (up to Grade 5).
The cost for EAL support is currently £795 per term; this will be added to the end of term bill. The cost for Speech and Drama support is currently £265 per term.
For further information about EAL, please email alice.rihova@queenswood.org (Head of EAL).