UK International Study
Centre (ISC)

British private high schools are now enrolling large numbers of overseas (non native speaking) students. However, as tuition is all in English, it is difficult for them to cope with the mainstream academic school until they are able to use the language fluently enough to be able to understand and join in. Some schools have recognised there is a need to prepare non-native speakers for high school in the UK and have opened "International Study Centres" (ISCs).

A typical ISC will test the student's current level of English and then advise the parents as to how long the student will need to prepare before starting in the main school. A course of study will then be recommended depending on the results of the English test. Students with low English may start studying mostly English with only a little time spent on academic subjects. This is not a reflection of the student's academic ability, only a reflection of the current level of English. It is crucial to the future success of the student in high school that their English is good enough when they start to study for their academic examinations. International students have to compete with native speaking British students in the national examinations and so if their English is not good enough they invariably don't perform to the best of their ability. As the students progress in the ISC and their English level improves they start to study more academic subjects until they are studying mostly academic subjects and only a small amount of English. The next step is to move into the main school, which may be in the same school as the ISC or the student may choose to move to another school.

NB UKEAS strongly recommend that parents do not try to economise on English language tuition before entering their children into British high schools. If budgetary restrictions apply then parents should consider letting their children finish high school in Taiwan and then take a foundation course to enter into university in the UK.