Coming to school in a foreign country with strange customs and an even stranger language is a challenge before which most adults would quail.  For some children, even those as young as four years old, it is a reality.

In the ESL department we pride ourselves on offering a warm and welcoming environment to children of all ages.  Small classes - often 1 to 1 - mean we are able to build an excellent rapport with students and provide a caring and supportive environment for them in which to grow and come to terms with living in a new country.  Not only do we pursue a personalised ESL curriculum, but also we provide specific language support with particular subjects if students are struggling in those areas.

First and Lower School

English as a second language is offered throughout the school to those students whose first language is not English. In the first and lower school new language is effectively conveyed through fun topics and games and even those with no English quickly become fluent and are able to access the mainstream curriculum.

Middle School

In the middle school we tailor our courses to the individual.  Often we enter students from Year 9 upwards into the IGCSE in English as a second or first language.  However this all depends on the level of English the student has when entering Frensham and which exam is most suitable for their needs.

Sixth Form

In the Sixth Form students are usually entered for the IELTS exam, which is necessary if they wish to attend a university in Britain.  It is also useful training for working with academic language.  The majority of sixth formers take this exam in Year 12 thus giving them freedom in Year 13 to concentrate on their other academic subjects.

However, ESL at Frensham isn't all about exam preparation, we try to broaden students' powers of analysis by tackling current issues and very importantly, through film, music and poetry to develop an enjoyment of the language too.  We also like to promote international awareness throughout the school by holding occasional shows about being an international student.  Going out for an ESL meal is also an important termly event for older students and ESL teachers alike!

Emma Wyld, in charge of ESL

see being an overseas boarder