The best possible upbringing of a child is the primary concern for all parents. Therefore more and more parents are turning towards boarding schools as they offer a huge variety of benefits to students. The decision to attend boarding school is the first step in what most would consider a very big decision.
Many leaders and successful members of society began their journies at the boarding school – ministers, actors, presidents, athletes, entrepreneurs and other commercial figures. What makes boarding schools work so well is the multitude of activities, programs, opportunities, and challenges available to the students on a daily basis. The average boarding school student wants to take advantage of this once-in-alifetime chance to live in a community that prioritises study, personal growth, and discovery; where programmes and activities abound; where making friends is easy and where achievement is rewarded. And where better to capitalise on this opportunity than the Jeju, South Korea-based North London Collegiate School Jeju.
North London Collegiate School (NLCS) Jeju is a sister school to NLCS in the UK. NLCS was founded in 1850 in North London by education pioneer, Frances Mary Buss and her family. NLCS Jeju is part of an initiative called Global Education City (GEC) – and was one of the first schools there. The GEC was set up to ensure that Koreans and Korean passport-holders – as well as international students – can have access to international education. The school provides an exceptional British education to almost 1500 students and considers the boarders to receive an enhanced exceptional British education.
NLCS Jeju follows the mission and principles of NLCS. The ethos of the school is based around the “three pillars of education”. These three pillars are ‘Academic Excellence’, ‘Pastoral Care’, and ‘Beyond the Classroom’. NLCS’s academic results are excellent – last year it was considered a ‘Top 25 Global IB School’ with an average of 39 points. Achieving this with students who are almost all non-native English speakers is a testament to the quality of teaching and learning at this school.
“Our pastoral care is second to none and we ensure that our team includes Emotional Guidance Counsellors, University Guidance Counsellors and teachers, tutors, Heads of Years who are always there to talk to each child,” says the Principal of NLCS Jeju, Ms Lynne Oldfield.
The ‘Beyond The Curriculum’ program offers 150 + activities per week to ensure that every child can explore their interests, develop their passions, and learn the power of taking risks and making choices.
“We believe that our students really do Start here. Go anywhere.”
NLCS hopes that every child fulfils his or her potential. To that end, the school offers a rounded curriculum with the IGCSE courses in Years 10 and 11 and the IB Diploma Programme in Years 12 and 13. Each child is able to explore Maths, English, Korean, other modern and classical languages along with sciences and humanities.
The school also prioritises the Arts – with almost all of its students choosing to play an instrument. Sports, dance and drama also help round off a full curriculum.
Principal Ms Lynne Oldfield adds, “We believe that there are no ceilings – only floors. Students really can reach for the stars. Almost all our students go on to prestigious UK and US institutions – having found the right path for them during their time at school.” There are 150+ extra-curricular activities per week including Music, Drama, Arts, Sports, Crafts, Service, Debate, Leadership and everything in between. Extra-curricular forms part of the timetable so every child is able to benefit daily.
The Success of Boarding
The school commends its amazing Boarding Masters and Mistresses for the success of boarding at NLCS Jeju. They care passionately about each and every child whatever their age or stage. They are ably supported by Assistant BMs and by a network of Gap and Graduate Assistants who understand just what it means to be a boarder.
The homes are warm and welcoming – offering a happy place to live and to make and grow friendships for life. The homes also satisfy all study needs. The study bedrooms are set up to allow quiet, independent study – but there are also separate areas where one can study, ask for and receive academic advice and support – and many nooks and crannies where students simply relax and read a book.
A Cultivated Leadership
Principal, Ms Lynne Oldfield is a very experienced international Head. Throughout a long and successful career she has previously worked in the UK, China, and Kazakhstan. She believes strongly in the ethos of all NLCS schools. She is strong and thoughtful – listening to teachers and to students. The school is a happy and successful institution that has reached capacity and waiting lists within its first decade. Its reputation in Korea is second to none.
Students are prepared for leaving from the day they join. NLCS Jeju equips them with an extremely high level of written and spoken English, exceptional academic standards and a sense of international-mindedness and values which will serve them well as young adults.
The school has a very experienced University Guidance Counselling team who meet regularly with each student and offer advice and support with applications to world-class institutions. Pastoral, Academic and Boarding Staff are ready to talk, help and support each student as they move up the school.
The Ongoing Legacy of Excellence
North London Collegiate School is a Global Top 25 IBDP School. NLCS’s class of 2020 achieved 10 offers from Oxbridge and 12 from Ivy League colleges. Each individual student lists academic achievements, awards, challenges and more from a wide spectrum of enterprises and institutions. Most students take 10 – 11 IGCSEs – again as non-native English speakers, this is incredible. The students excel in Maths and the Sciences – but the school sends a vast number of students each year to the finest arts institutions such as the Slade, Parsons, The New School and many more.
“We were pioneers of online education. South Korea went early into the virtual world in February 2020, and we firmly believe that this very steep learning curve has served staff and students well. We have – over the last 18 months – offered online/blended/in school learning which has challenged and supported each individual student and continued to provide an exceptional British education in the safest of environments,” states Ms. Oldfield.
Aspiring to Make a Difference
NLCS Jeju is looking forward to the next decade as the leading international school in South Korea. In this pursuit, it hopes to provide more boys and girls with an international perspective on the world, an array of academic achievement, and an empathetic and understanding way of viewing the world.