A Guide to British Schools Abroad

No matter where you’re living in the world,  it’s likely that you’ll find a British International School relatively nearby: these institutions are officially recognised as providing and teaching a UK curriculum to students. 

Many of these places will also encourage pupils to learn another language during their time at the institution, setting these students up nicely for future employment and further education opportunities. 

Here’s an in-depth guide to British schools abroad: we’ll talk about some of the key factors to consider when looking at some of these colleges, before sharing our top picks for the best British International Schools around. 

What to Look For When Choosing a British School Abroad 

When you’re looking for a high-quality British school abroad, there are several important factors that you should consider, from the college’s student to teacher ratio and counselling resources to the school’s annual fees and overall academic reputation. 

Here are some of the crucial factors to take into account when choosing one of these institutions either for yourself or your child. 

• British schools abroad: Accreditation

Firstly, you should check whether the school or college is accredited by an official body. For British schools, look for a certificate or accreditation by the Federation of British International Schools in South and East Asia (FOBISSEA), the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), or the Council of British Independent Schools in the European Communities (COBISEC).  

If the school has an official accreditation, this means that it teaches students the subjects, courses, and skills that they would normally learn in the British education system, setting these pupils up to apply to prestigious universities in the UK. 

• Principal’s reputation

You can also find out more information about the principal of the school you’re looking at: it’s best to arrange to meet with them directly so that you can ask them about their track record and their vision for the school in question. 

It’s also a useful idea to check the turnover rate of the college’s senior staff members. For example, if there’s evidence that a lot of staff are leaving as soon as their short-term contract is up, this could indicate that there are issues with the school’s environment. 

• Teacher to student ratio 

Any guide to British schools abroad should look at this factor: that’s because one of the most effective ways of measuring a school’s quality is to check its teacher to student ratio.

Generally speaking, the lower this ratio, the better the quality of teaching: for example, if you have one teacher for every 6 students, you can guess that all of these pupils will receive intensive, one on one teaching at some point. 

• Picking a British school abroad: University destinations 

You can also check the school’s records to see whether it’s sending students to various prestigious and elite universities around the world. 

Most top-quality British schools abroad will be able to provide valuable information about the university destinations of their former Sixth Form students. This data is a great indication of the school’s quality and can help to influence your decision when you’re choosing the best British school abroad. 

If you want some more information on how to pick the best university for you, head to our Studying in the UK and Studying in the US pages.

• Counselling and support structures 

It’s always useful to check whether an international or British school abroad has comprehensive and high-quality counselling and support networks.

Secondary school is a time of transition for all young adults, and you should make sure that you will receive the support you need when it comes to your physical and mental wellbeing at this stage of your life.

• Fees 

Lastly, you should find out about the school’s annual fees: this information is crucial in helping you to determine whether you can actually afford to attend a high-quality British school abroad. 

Some schools require you to pay a sizable enrollment fee, so make sure you’re certain about your decision before choosing which school to enrol in. 

5 of the Best British Schools Abroad 

Our guide to British schools abroad wouldn’t be complete without looking at some of the most prestigious British International Schools around. These colleges range from highly-rated institutions in southeast Asia to IB World Schools in central Europe. 

• King’s Oak British International School, Bucharest, Romania 

This excellent Romanian school serves children from nursery age through to the primary and secondary school grades, providing each student with access to comprehensive support services as they journey into young adulthood. 

Pupils can choose between a wide range of eclectic and diverse after-school activities, from jewellery design and chess to dance, ballet, and various team sports. 

• Rugby School, Pattaya, Thailand

This famous and prestigious college is located in the Bang Lamung District, several miles east of the city of Pattaya in Thailand. 

Rugby School has state-of-the-art facilities, with an innovative Outdoor Education Centre that encourages kids to discover the power of the natural world. 

• Jerudong International School, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Jerudong International School was founded in 1997 and has gone on to become one of the most distinguished international colleges in the world in the space of just over 20 years. 

Students come from over 50 countries to congregate on Jerudong’s vast and well-equipped campus: in total, the school has nearly 1700 students, and around 200 of these pupils are long-term boarders. Sixth form students average a final-year IB score of 37 points, which is 7 points greater than the world average. 

• Institut Montana Zugerberg, Zug, Switzerland

The Institut Montana Zugerberg is a world-renowned British International School, with an exceptional student to staff ratio of 4 to 1 and a foundational mission statement of “Internationalism, Individualism, and Integration”. 

The school’s innovative bilingual track means that kids can learn German or English as a second language from the age of 5 or 6 onwards. Students in the International School will follow the prestigious and academically stimulating International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to achieve exam results that are recognised by the best universities in America, Europe, and Asia.

• Jinseki International School, Chugoku Mountains, Japan 

This unique college opened at the beginning of April 2020, recently admitting its first cycle of students for the 2020 – 2021 school year. 

Jinseki is situated in the middle of the Chugoku Mountains, around 20 miles north of Fukuyama. The campus itself is well-equipped and spacious, with “over 50,000 square metres of land” upon which students can learn, play, and grow whilst surrounded by an area of astonishing natural beauty. 

Choose the Best British School Abroad for Your Needs With This Handy Guide 

There are plenty of high-quality, prestigious, and well-facilitated British schools abroad, but you’ll need to consider a number of crucial factors when deciding which one to enrol in. If you don’t take the time to think about these factors, you risk committing yourself to a college that doesn’t suit your emotional needs or academic preferences.

Try to speak to the school’s headteacher or a member of senior staff before making your final decision, and check that the annual fees are manageable. 

If you want more in-depth information about British schools abroad, get in touch with one of our experts at A&J Education by booking a free consultation.