Where Next?
Finding the right boarding school for your child can be a daunting task.
As a parent, you want them to have a solid and practical education, and be cared for in a nurturing, home-from-home environment outside the classroom.
Students from all over the world find both at Brentwood School in Essex.
One of the UK's leading Independent Schools for boys and girls aged three to 18, our International Baccalaureate (IB) qualification provides our diverse Sixth Formers with intellectual rigour and a global learning perspective.
This is balanced by a variety of co-curricular activities, all underpinned by our guiding principles of Virtue, Learning and Manners.
The Benefits of Boarding Schools
Students attending boarding schools study and live there full-time. For those whose parents are based overseas, that includes weekends. This has many benefits.
At Brentwood School, more time is set aside for learning - including homework - during the day, allowing both teachers and students to enjoy a deeper dive into subjects than many UK schools.
Our timetables also leave plenty of room for co-curricular activities on an evening and weekends. This means our students, no matter their age, can explore their passions or discover new interests: whether that is sport, music, the arts or the great outdoors.
Learning at Brentwood School
We teach our academic subjects and A Level courses in ways that promote practical as well as intellectual engagement, while also relating them to the real world. We believe in developing broad horizons and maintaining a wide subject base for as long as possible.
We also provide a range of additional support for children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and/or autism, from personalised education plans to lunchtime drop-in sessions.
Boys and girls attending Brentwood School are taught separately until the Sixth Form, in the well-regarded ‘Diamond Model’ system. This allows us to encourage freedom of expression and create space for individual identity within the classroom while maintaining and developing social integration outside it.
Alongside our strong educational track record and consistently excellent grades, we offer a diverse world outside the classroom, with lots of opportunities to learn and demonstrate teamwork, organisation and leadership.
Our International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme is among the qualifications offered at Sixth Form level. It is a distinguished qualification recognised by universities the world over. Brentwood School is proud to be number one in the UK’s Independent IB Schools League Table.
We also offer a Pre-IB pathway for high-achieving students who would like to join us in Year 11. It is part of a three-year educational programme, rather than a stand-alone entity. Find out more here. Like many smaller cohort IB schools, we also offer A Levels and the BTEC National Extended Diploma in Sport or Business.
Our IB diploma programme builds and reinforces our Sixth Form students’ critical thinking skills, nurturing their curiosity and ability to solve complex problems, while helping them learn across disciplines and languages.
How many IB Schools are in the UK?
The UK has around 130 schools offering one or more of the International Baccalaureate programmes, of which 60% are private schools.
IB covers the diploma programme (DP) and the career-related programme (CP). Both are aimed at students aged 16-19. Studies found that 17% more IB students gained admission into the top 20 UK universities compared to those with just A Levels.
Alongside most IB schools in the UK, we aim for the Sixth Form students in each IB cohort to be active in their communities and expand their learning beyond academic study: creating inquiring, knowledgeable, confident and caring young people.
Download the Brentwood School IB diploma programme booklet here.
Home-from-Home Support
Unlike traditional day school, students attending weekly boarding schools spend less time at home. At Brentwood School, we go to great lengths to ensure all our boarders, right up to the IBDP students in the Sixth Form, feel happy and well cared for.
Experienced houseparents, supported by tutors and domestic staff, create a comfortable, home-from-home environment for everyone.
Boarding schools not only help students develop a strong sense of independence, but they also expand their view of the world and other cultures, boosting their personal growth.
By offering something for everyone at Brentwood School, we aim to help them become intellectually curious, resilient, enterprising and independent adults.
Read Headmaster Mr Michael Bond’s welcome letter.
Choose Brentwood School for your child
We are proud to say the quality of education and pastoral care offered to IB boarders at Brentwood School is second to none. It has been the right school for thousands of parents seeking a robust, rounded education.
We provide a safe, caring and nurturing environment - both inside and outside the classroom - where every student, from Prep School to Sixth Form, can pursue their passions, experience different cultures and grow to become well-rounded people.
They will be encouraged and enabled to think critically, understand the importance of community and diversity, and be given a global outlook that could last a lifetime.
Take a Virtual Tour
Wherever in the world you are, visit Brentwood School, which is a stone's throw from London, and explore our excellent Sixth Form facilities using this 360° virtual tour of our 75-acre campus.
Click here to take a virtual tour with us.
Next Steps
If you are interested in booking a place at Brentwood School, please email our Boarding Recruitment Manager Brian Hays at [email protected].
You can also find full details about IB boarding admissions here.
