Page 21 - StudyTravel Magazine December 2016 Issue

secondary

SecOndary FOcuS innEr citY scHools

inner city schools

Secondary schools located in city centres have a lot to off er international students, although schools and
agents agree that they are only a good fi t for a certain type of student. Bethan Norris fi nds out more.
a traditional, rural secondary school more worry that a city location also off ers students
student may want to study in
While some agents and parents may
a city centre to have the feel
diffi cult – or impossible!”
lots of distractions from their studies,
of the metropolitan nature of
Schools that are located in or near
the environment, closeness to
School www.newmanboston.org in Boston,
cities often off er a range of activities on
major attractions and shopping malls, a city centre also promote the fact that Harry Lynch, Headmaster at Newman
to experience urban life and, in some their doorstep. Nick Leiper, Director of USA, points out that the school’s selection
cases, nearness to his/her home and Marketing at Westbourne School www. process ensures that they only receive
family members,” says Ayodeji Olonilua westbourneschool.com in Cardiff , Wales, academic students who will concentrate on
from Zenith Travels & Tours www. says that one distinct advantage of studying their studies. “We are an academic school
zenithtravelgroup.com in Nigeria. in the centre of Cardiff is the number of and off er the IB programme,” says Harry.
For most secondary school-age students facilities available within a small area. “Often international students come for one
and, more importantly, their parents, a city “Students have access to ice rinks, athletics year in grade 11 and then stay for grade 12.”
centre location may not be perceived to Safety is a considerable decision-
“Students are keen to be
be high on the list of requirements when making factor for parents and as
deciding where to study. Yet a surprisingly Catherine Stoker from the Independent
high number of agents reveal that schools in located near to good trans- Education Consultants www.
city centres are often viewed favourably by port links and airports” independenteducationconsultants.co.uk in
students. “Most of the schools I work with the UK points out, this can be a key factor
are at least in the suburbs,” says Dragana in deciding against a city centre location.
Djordjevic from Prestige Education www. tracks, water sports, a swimming pool, etc., “Overseas clients tend to look at the safety
prestigeeducation.rs in Serbia. “Parents yet the school doesn’t have the expense of of their children as paramount, so often feel
choose that, yet often kids prefer a more maintaining them, which keeps the fees the countryside campus schools off er this
central location. I think that students try down,” he says. reassurance,” she says, adding, “However,
to persuade parents to send them to urban Rachel Barland, Principal of DLD they are also keen to be located close to
areas thinking they will have more fun. College London www.dldcollege.co.uk, good transport links both to London and to
Also, most of the kids are from urban areas which is located in a purpose-built building airports, so often city locations get a big tick
and therefore they worry about being placed in the centre of London, agrees and adds in this regard.”
in rural and small areas.” that the college’s location can off er some Th e age of the student is also key in
Annette Duerdoth from Educonnection educational advantages too. “As a college we whether a city-centre secondary school is
www.educonnection.it in Italy says that the are able to benefi t from academic exchanges deemed to be appropriate or not. Agents
agency’s location in central Milan means for our students, which bring our courses report that students aged 16 years or over
that many of their clients typically already to life and give students insight into higher are more likely to choose to study in a
attend schools in the city centre. “City education. In addition, our academic city location. Tatiana Evkina from Global
locations are very popular with our clients,” subjects are heavily supplemented by the Class www.global-class.org in Russia says,
she says, adding, “Th ese students are used rich culture that London has to off er. Of “In most cases, students from 15-to-18
to the freedom that city centre locations course, London is a big city and as such not years old would like to study at schools
can bring and may fi nd the transition to a suited for everyone.” in a city centre because they have a lot of
opportunities to communicate with other
agency advice students in bars and cafés.”
Djordje Kostic from Egida International
When deciding where to send a student on a secondary school programme, most agents agree that the
location is often not the most important factor for parents and they play a key role in advising students www.egida.rs in Serbia agrees. “In our
and parents about the different options available. antonella drompt from ad voyages langues et experience, younger students between 13
cultures www.advlc.com in Switzerland says, “Major cities are of initial interest for the client, but while and 15 years old choose boarding schools
discussing with the client i am able to highlight the quality of the school before the location. the quality
of the course as well as the quality of the families or boarding school is much more important than the in smaller, rural locations, whilst older
location as the student must concentrate on the school year.” students, between 15 and 18 years old, like
Hamilton gregg from Hgiec www.hamiltongregg.com in china says that his clients rarely choose to attend schools that are more centrally
schools located in city centres. “My clients typically want ‘known’ boarding schools which are in the located. Boarding schools located in the city PHOtOS: neWMan ScHOOl, bOStOn, uSa
suburbs and countryside. they like the idea of being close to urban areas for access to transportation
purposes (airports) and entertainment. For the most part though, they are looking for name recognition.” center are attractive to more mature students
He adds, “My families have a predilection for the east coast [of the uSa] thinking, incorrectly, the closer who like to be close to museums, galleries,
to top universities the easier it will be for their children to get in. it takes a lot of work to get them to think theatres, sport clubs, etc. depending on their
differently, sometimes successfully, sometimes not.”
interest.” bethan@studytravel.network
18 | Studytravel Magazine | deceMber 2016