Support
The British School of Monaco Individual Programme provides an enormous amount of support to each of its students, and couples this with regular weekly feedback and discussion with our families.
Pastoral
Each student enrolled into the British School of Monaco Individual Programme is assigned a personal Homeroom Teacher that they meet with on a weekly basis to discuss their general progress through a free-ranging conversation.
In addition, we speak with each student’s parents on a weekly basis to update them on their academic progress, and to understand if there are any relevant occurrences at home that we should factor into our academic programme. Sometimes personal details relating to a students’ mood, sleeping/eating habits or general wellbeing can be relevant, and we factor these into our Individual Programmes where possible.
Learning Support
The British School of Monaco is able to make provision for students who have certain specific learning difficulties, for example dyslexia, or who have a need for specialist or additional help in some areas of their learning.
a) Identification of needs
Students requiring Learning Support will normally have been identified, and may already be receiving support before joining the school. Parents of such students are asked to make available any documentation, such as Educational Psychologist assessments in advance of their application.
When a difficulty is discovered during our Individual Programme, we will contact parents and sometimes recommend an assessment and, in some cases, extra support. In order to receive extra time in examinations or other access arrangements from the examination boards, students with special learning difficulties will require a full assessment and should be able to demonstrate that they have received continued support from school and that there is evidence of need. Students and parents should be aware that the examination boards are becoming more stringent and that a student who has had extra time at GCSE level will not automatically receive extra time at A Level.
The examination boards stipulate that students must be assessed by an appropriately qualified specialist who is employed by or known to the school. The British School of Monaco Individual Programme will not accept privately commissioned Educational Psychologist reports for the purposes of applying for examination concessions.
b) Support teaching for students with Special Educational Needs
The British School of Monaco Individual Programme facilitates the provision of specialist teachers for Learning Support, both mainstream academic subject teachers and teachers with experience in Special Educational Needs. Students may receive one-to-one lessons with specialists. These lessons are normally arranged in the student’s free time, but can be coordinated by the British School of Monaco Individual Programme to ensure coherence with its weekly timetable.
Some British School of Monaco Individual Programme students take advantage of regular weekly support lessons throughout their studies.
University Application
It is very much the norm for British School of Monaco graduates to move on to university after completing their A Levels, and a great deal of time and effort is devoted to ensuring that wise and sensible choices which suit the individual concerned are made. A university education is worthwhile, but it is expensive, and applicants must approach the process with accurate information and self-awareness. Students will receive guidance from parents, teachers, tutors, our welfare team, and experts from outside the British School of Monaco, but they must realise that it is their future and they must reach decisions with which they are happy.
We expect most British School of Monaco students to apply to UK universities, but there will always be candidates who go elsewhere, including the USA, Canada, Hong Kong and continental Europe. The British School of Monaco has considerable expertise in all these areas, and students should spend time working out the type of institution which suits them best.
The British School of Monaco has over a decade of experience helping students gain entry to some of the most competitive universities in the UK (especially Oxbridge and Russell Group), US (especially Ivy League and equivalents), Europe, Australia and elsewhere. Our university consultants are some of the most highly qualified individuals in the world and are extremely active on the international university scene and are trusted by many top institutions.
The Application Cycle
The application cycle really gets underway in the second term of your first year with the school, when students are encouraged to start considering their options and researching the possibilities. There is then an intense period of activity in June of this first year, when a great deal of advice is given to the year group, and at this stage you must start to focus your thinking in terms of chosen courses and likely destinations. The first term of your second year is usually the time during which the application is made, and this can be a time-consuming business. Applicants need to reply to their offers by April of the second year of study, our counsellors and welfare team will support you through this important time.
Advice and information
Access to the necessary information is provided in a number of ways. Online lectures and workshops are very important, and a wide range of books, publications, prospectuses and software is made available to our students. The Internet is a vital resource, and our comprehensive learning environment carries links to a wide selection of helpful sites.
Students are provided with bespoke and supportive leadership, advice and guidance, we will ensure you are given all you need to ensure you are making the best decisions. Students are also encouraged to visit university open days, we also advise our students to gain work experience. In addition, the British School of Monaco hosts an excellent virtual careers fair which helps to put British School of Monaco students’ university aspirations in a wider context. There are also careers seminars and similar events throughout the year.
Interview practice and other support provided
We provide an enrichment programme that ensure all our students have access to the very best advice and guidance to prepare them for university placement interviews. All students have the opportunity to sign up for practice interviews, which are essential for applicants to certain courses and universities. Preparation is also offered to students who have to university entrance tests. Specialist workshops and virtual conferences in such fields as medicine, law and veterinary science are well publicised, and attendance is encouraged for those with an interest in pursuing such courses.
Employment and gap year options
Our counsellors advise and assist those British School of Monaco students who plan to move directly into the world of work, in conjunction with academic tutors and our welfare team. In addition, various members of staff are able to give expert guidance on the gap year opportunities, which are popular with a significant number of students, and the relevant resources are easily accessible via our learning platform.
