QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S COLLEGIATE

Decisions about where your child goes to school are very personal and can be difficult. It’s common and normal for parents to feel anxious about getting this decision right, as this affects the child’s learning performance and overall social and career development.

There are a lot of schools to choose from and the abundance of options often leaves parents in a quandary over how to choose the best environment for their children. For some, the decision is simple while others are simply exhausted from the thought of it alone. 

Every parent’s goal is to find that school that has it all and works best for their child’s personality, strengths, needs, and interests. We analyze the quality of education to the teachers’ level of experience, school facilities, social curricular activities, location, cost, and how different schools’ cultures and values fit with your family values and family life.

Finding a school that has it all can be a challenge as most school’s falter in one aspect or the other. This is why Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate stands out from the rest.

ABOUT QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S

Set in more than 220 acres of beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, Queen Ethelburga’s has provided students with a vibrant and supportive school community since 1912. It welcomes girls and boys from 3 months and supports them to become resilient, confident, and independent young adults who are well prepared for their future. 

QE began its life in 1912 in Harrogate and moved to its present site in 1991, bringing with it several fun traditions such as the annual School Ghost Production, celebrating QE’s birthday, battling it out in the annual School Quiz, and singing carols around the huge Christmas tree outside Thorpe Underwood Hall before sitting down for Christmas dinner. 

These traditions are aimed at bringing students together from the four schools and from one generation to the next, uniting them in a common heritage and shared memories. Blending these traditions and family values with modern facilities and a global outlook is central to the QE approach.

QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S SCHOOL DIVISION

Queen Ethelburga’s is divided into four individual schools, with their heads and staff teams, that are small enough to maintain a family atmosphere. This allows staff to know their students thoroughly and successfully guide them through each stage of their formative years. This division also helps parents be informed and can be closely involved in the educational journey of their children. It is important to their success and happiness. They are classified into:

• Chapter House Early Years to Nursery (from 3 months old): Children can attend Chapter House at any point during the academic year. Students move up to Reception when they are four.
• Chapter House Infants and Juniors (Reception to Year 5): Children attend Reception in September after they are four and can join in subsequent years. In Year 5 students are prepared for the transition into King’s Magna. 
• King’s Magna (Year 6 to Year 9): Students attend King’s Magna when they reach Year 6 and can join in subsequent years. In Year 9 students are prepared for the transition into the College or the Faculty. 
• The College (Year 10 to Year 13): Students can join the College at the beginning of Year 10 or Year 12. They follow a traditional academic route towards higher education, through GCSE and A-Level courses. 
• The Faculty (Year 10 to Year 13): Students can join the Faculty at the beginning of Year 10 or Year 12. They follow a personalized pathway of academic, creative, or vocational courses designed to enable them to progress towards higher education or employment. 

This division brings into realization Queen Ethelburga’s goal of creating a school with an outstanding curriculum, amazing facilities, extensive social-cultural activities, and excellent pastoral care.

OUTSTANDING CURRICULUM

Academic standards at Queen Ethelburga’s are exceptionally high and lead to outstanding results. It has a flexible curriculum, innovative and dynamic teaching, excellent facilities, and professional staff that ensure all students have the maximum chance of success in their studies.

Queen Ethelburga’s teaching and learning provision led to excellent academic outcomes. Its learning approach nurtures the personal and social skills that our students will benefit from for the rest of their lives. 

Lessons at QE employ a variety of different teaching styles and techniques, where teachers recognize the varying needs and learning approaches of their students. With an emphasis on enjoyment, love of learning, and an aspirational approach to gaining qualifications and skills, QE teachers and students work in partnership to maximize success in the classroom.  

More so, students who require additional support gain one-to-one guidance from their teachers in subject clinics offered every day at lunchtimes and after school, and from QE’s Learning Development and Mentor teams. Homework supplements the learning that takes place in the classroom, set each day this supports students in consolidating their knowledge of the topics learned to date, as well as preparing them with prior knowledge for their forthcoming lessons.  

Seeing the outstanding curriculum, it is no wonder that Queen Ethelburga’s is ranked as one of the best schools in the UK.

QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S COLLEGIATE RANKING

According to the Parents Power League Table, Queen Ethelburga’s was ranked as the 9th best school in the country with a record of 95% of its students get admissions at prestigious universities in the UK and around the world.

In 2019, with 80.05% of candidates achieving A*/A grades – the highest attainable scores for A-Level qualification and in 2020, 88.48% of candidates achieved A*/A grades for their GCSE examinations.  

Queen Ethelburga’s was ranked as the 4th best boarding school in the country by the Sunday Times. It is also the only school in the UK to gain an International Student Provision award with the QE GUK logo. Last but not the least, QE’s catering team won the prestigious LACA in-house caterer of the year awards for 2019.

BOARDING FACILITIES AT QE

QE boarding is known for its modern facilities which support student development and provide a safe and productive environment to thrive. All bedrooms are air-conditioned, provide ample room to study, and include private en-suite bathrooms with a toilet and shower. Rooms are equipped with televisions, telephones, and Wi-Fi which are on a timer so that students can keep in touch with friends and family. Sixth form boarders also have cooking and washing facilities in their rooms to reflect their growing independence.

Every border has access to a well-equipped common room where they can enjoy downtime and opportunities to get together and socialize as well as plenty of outdoor space. Students are actively encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle and manage their fitness. As well as benefiting from award-winning, healthy meals in our dedicated dining areas, the student also has access to our fantastic sports facilities, which are supervised by trained gym staff, teachers, and coaches. 

QE’s own dedicated Sports Village has a swimming pool with a sauna, steam rooms, and Jacuzzi. There is a triple-court sports hall which can accommodate multiple games at the same time. The new state-of-heart fitness suite can take over 100 students exercising together, and the activities wing includes a martial arts suite, table tennis arena, and dance studios.  

The Muggles activity center is a vibrant and engaging complex designed for all students to relax, have fun, and socialize. Facilities include an indoor lounge area, games area, and 3D cinema, whilst the outdoor offer include a BMX track, go-cart track, climbing wall, assault course, and trampolines. Students also have access to a range of sporting equipment to use at the various sports pitches and facilities across campus. The Muggles café offers delicious food from Friday evening to Sunday each week.  

SOCIAL CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S

Campus life is a careful balance of organized activities, trips, and socials, providing opportunities for students to independently spend time with their friends and make the most of the fantastic facilities on offer. 

At Queen Ethelburga’s socials are held regularly with students enjoying spending time with one another, whether it be a formal black-tie event with all its traditions and etiquette, a paint party, or a cookery competition or with rewards weeks to celebrate success and effort and these are always very popular with the students voting to choose the rewards. 

There are six dedicated play areas across campus, creatively purpose-built for the age groups that use them. This is balanced with several tranquil gardens, many homes to sculptures by the Yorkshire artist Jeremy Guy, where students can relax and reflect. The school also has a more formal garden setting for students and visitors to sit and socialize, one of which houses two of the Olympic torches from the London 2012 games.  

The King’s Theatre on site is run as a professional venue, combining in-house productions with external productions and shows. It has a packed program of practical workshops, performances, music festivals, talks, and presentations throughout the year, providing wonderful opportunities for student enjoyment and participation. There are also many opportunities for students to take part in residential trips both in the UK and abroad. 

EXCELLENT PASTORAL CARE

One distinct feature that sets Queen Ethelburga’s apart is its pastoral care unit. Offering support and guidance to all students and parents, teachers and staff work together to support individual student’s needs and equip them with the right skills to be successful in education and their chosen career. Queen Ethelburga’s is focused on developing its students’ skills and resilience, whilst nurturing their wellbeing. It has a dedicated team of trained staff on call 24 hours a day to offer support and guidance to all students within a specialist welfare area.

Queen Ethelburga’s dedicated THRIVE@QE program offers all QE students a huge range of sessions, activities, workshops, and events to promote and support their positive mental health and wellbeing. The program aims to help students to build resilience and the ability to overcome difficulties. The sessions are linked to and promote the five ways to well-being and include topics such as positivity, online safety, managing emotions, dealing with stress, cultural awareness, world news, dealing with worries, study skills, mindfulness, relaxation, yoga, and meditation. 

Taking a step further in its pastoral care, Queen Ethelburga’s has a team of students who are on hand to help around the school and in the boarding houses. Our Buddies and Peer Leaders show new students around, explain the school systems, introduce students to new people and help them to settle in. In the Sixth Form, we have trained Peer Mentors, who offer a wide range of support to students and can offer mentoring on a one-to-one basis to help with academic progress, cultural understanding, or day-to-day routines.

SIXTH FORM AT QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S

QE is renowned for its alumni of highly confident and motivated Sixth Form students with exceptional success in top universities applications. Together with guidance from the institution’s highly connected and deeply experienced Careers Department, QE students achieve great success at prestigious universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, and members of the Russell Group.

The Collegiate offers a well-rounded academic experience for students in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and A-Level programs. The College program is an intensive traditional curriculum for Year 10 to 13, which is open for the UK and international students. The mainstream curriculum comprises GCSE, A level, and a range of BTEC courses in both Key Stages 4 and 5. These provide a broad, stimulating, and challenging range of qualifications that cater to the needs of everyone.

Throughout their studies, all students have access to a strong network of pastoral and academic support including Tutors, Heads of Year, and Academic Learning Mentors. Students are taught responsibility and resilience and challenged to achieve at the highest level. 

QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S FEES

Reading all these benefits, you must be wondering how much it would cost for your child to enjoy these awesome benefits Queen Ethelburgas has to offer. As we know good quality comes at a cost. For the academic year of 2020/2021, international students’ fees from Year1-5 (5-10years) range from £13,190 – £14,190. Year 6-9 (10-14 years) are to pay £15,000-£15, 155 per term while Year 10-pre-A level (14-18 years) are to pay £15, 745- £16, 625 per term. 

There is a sibling discount, offered at 5% off for a second child in attendance, 20% off for a third child, and 35% off for a fourth child and any subsequent children. (Please note, this discount only applies to UK students). Check out QE’s fees for the full breakdown.

QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S ENTRY REQUIREMENT

• Excited and ready to begin, all you need to do is to:
• Complete application form.
• Submit the application form.
• Submit a copy of your passport, cognitive ability test (CAT4Test), and personal resume.
• Personal interview either in person or using skype.
• Get an offer containing the course, resumption date, and termly fee.
• Payment of 295 GBP on acceptance.

It is important to note that Students can join the College at the beginning of Year 10 or 12. They follow a traditional academic route towards higher education, through GCSE and A-Level courses.

Queen Ethelburga’s is very actively conscious about your child’s physical, intellectual, and mental wellbeing is sure to produce huge benefits in their learning performance and overall social and career development. Visit www.michelleandanthony.net to begin your child’s application.