Further News

In the summer of 2025, many students will complete their school careers with A-level and IB exams. Optimal preparation is the key to good results. The IB Clinic website now offers students a wide range of IB past papers, study notes, etc. for the IB exams free of charge. This website was created by two former pupils of Bromsgrove School who themselves recently gained their IB Diploma. On a second website, IB Doctor, the two also offer one-to-one tutoring via a large network of good and young IB tutors.

An additional option for students to prepare for their IB or A-level exams is to take one of the intensive online revision courses during the Christmas or Easter holidays. If you are interested in our courses or have any questions about exam preparation, please contact us directly.

We are delighted to welcome representatives of our British partner schools to our office in Munich throughout the year. These visits provide an opportunity for intensive exchange and for staying up to date – both on innovations at the respective schools and on possible changes in the German education system. The schools are also happy to meet interested applicants during these visits.

In the coming months, Kent College, Oakham School, Mount Kelly, Framlingham College, Haileybury, St. Peter's School, Cheltenham College and many other schools will be visiting us. You can find an overview of the dates of the visits under ‘News’ on our website. If you would like to arrange an appointment with the schools, please call or email us.

As the new British school year begins, we wish all our students a great start and a memorable time at their new schools.

Mr Douglas Robb, Headmaster of Gresham’s School, gave a great speech earlier this week to mark the start of the new school year. He emphasised three important rules that will not only make their time at school successful, but also the rest of their lives: Be honest, be kind and work hard. He explained the meaning of these three principles in more detail in his excellent Beginning of Term speech.

He made the following recommendation to the parents in the audience: “We will shortly ask the children to leave this service with their housemaster or mistress. Don’t panic you will see them again shortly. We do ask that you leave them alone after lunch, I promise that I will find you if you hide in a tree somewhere on the campus with a pair of binoculars, a mobile telephone and a thermos flask; I will ask you, very nicely, to leave. Please be reassured that they will be busy and engaged for the rest of the day. If they don’t call it is because they are occupied and happy, if they do and they are upset, simply reassure them and call your housemaster or mistress.”

Just like Douglas Robb, we hope that our parents are not missing their children too much. If you don't hear from your son or daughter, you can be sure that they are fine and just very, very busy.

You can read the whole speech here

The 2024 A-Level results will be published today so it is an important day for students who sat these exams in May and June.

A-Levels are the British school leaving certificate and give pupils access not only to British universities, but also to universities in Germany, Austria and worldwide. A-Levels offer students the opportunity to focus on a smaller number of subjects, usually three or four. This allows candidates to specialise in their individual strengths and use the Sixth Form to well prepare for their planned university degree.  With the right combination of subjects, A-Levels are fully recognised by universities in Germany too, and have been since 1991. For example, a student with A-Levels in Maths, a science, a humanity (such as Economics, Geography or History) and a language (usually German A-Level for Germans) can apply for all degrees at German universities with the exception of Medicine or Pharmacy. But all other degrees such as any Humanity, Law, Economics or Business and subjects like Psychology, as well as the natural sciences and any technical/mathematical degree would be possible with this combination.

Congratulations to all our A-level graduates of 2024!

On Monday 29 July, the British new Labour government announced a legislative initiative which stipulates that British independent schools will have to add 20 % VAT (Value Added Tax) to the school and boarding school fees they charge parents from 1 January 2025.

Although these plans have been in the air for some time and have not caught British boarding schools unprepared, the speed with which the VAT proposal is being implemented has surprised everyone involved. The Labour government's draft budget with this tax change is expected to be put to a vote in Parliament at the end of October 2024, with the aim of VAT being levied on school fees from 1 January 2025.

Each school will decide for itself to what extent the additional VAT will be passed on to parents (see also our news from 7.6.24). With very few exceptions, however, schools will have to pass on at least part of the new tax to parents, starting with the fees for Lent Term 2025. School fees paid in advance after the announcement on 29 July as part of a ‘Fees in Advance Scheme’ for the entire school year 2024/2025 will be taxed retrospectively. The government's notice has been clear about this.

• Click here for the UK government's announcement of 29 July 2024
• See also BBC article from 30 July: Private schools: When will VAT be added to fees?
• See also Goods Schools Guide article from 30 July "Private schools and VAT - your questions answered"

From 1 September 2017 to 1 July 2024, Tony Jackson was Headmaster of Barnard Castle School. It was his dream job at his dream school, as he announced in his last speech at the end of the school year. In his role as Headmaster, he spoke to hundreds of parents and asked them what they wanted for their children. Almost every answer mentioned three things: Happiness and self-esteem, confidence without arrogance, and the ability to grasp opportunities and the resilience for failure, as well as, third, being life ready and "armed with the skills to not just survive in this rapidly changing world we live in, but to thrive in it". He said he also has these three wishes for his own children, which is why he wants them to remain Barnardians, as this is the best place to combine all of these things.

Tony's speech was so good that we want to share it here with you: Tony's Farewell Speech

Theresia's original plan was to join a British boarding school for just one year in Year 9. This turned into four years and an A-level qualification. In a video Theresia talks about how special her time at Monkton was, how close the friendships were across all year groups and how perfect her English is. And: the food there is great!
Watch the video: From Germany to Monkton - Life as an International Boarder with Theresia

A new parliament will be elected in Britain on July 4. The possible changes in the balance of power in favor of the Labour Party could have an impact on the financial situation of British boarding schools. Independent schools in Britain, whether boarding or day schools, currently enjoy a VAT exemption as they are recognised as charities. This exemption has a long tradition dating back to the 19th century.

In the current election campaign, this tax exemption for independent schools is once again playing a significant role in the Labour Party's campaign programme. Although it is unclear whether and when changes will actually be implemented if the Labour Party wins the election, many independent schools - including our boarding schools - are preparing for the possible introduction of 20% VAT (Value Added Tax) on school fees as a precautionary measure. They will be able to reclaim part of this through deduction of VAT paid to third parties, and offset significant amounts through new revenue streams (summer courses, vacation lettings). Many schools have also been able to reduce their operating costs through energy-efficient renovations in recent years.

It is currently assumed that the schools will have to pass on about 8-12% of the additional costs from the introduction of VAT to the families. All schools are of course very keen to find a fair and balanced solution and minimise the financial impact on families. Many experts assume that the introduction of VAT on school fees will drag on legally, as Labour currently has no intention of introducing VAT on university tuition fees.

The current situation therefore is still very unclear. As soon as any concrete decisions are published, we will of course inform our families immediately.

Further information (added 27.06.24): Article on VAT and School Fees by the Good Schools Guide

Gareth Parker-Jones, Head of Rugby School, supports the thesis of social psychologist Jonathan Haidt in his book ‘The Anxious Generation’ that excessive safety concerns by parents and the frequent use of smartphones give children a restricted and unhappier childhood. Haidt, who is known for his research on moral psychology and social issues, argues that children are growing up in an over-regulated environment and are being deprived of formative experiences.

At Rugby School, as at most British boarding schools, access to smartphones is deliberately restricted to allow pupils to have a healthier development and happier childhood. According to Parker-Jones, these measures are showing positive results: Pupils and parents often welcome the relief from social media exposure. The headteacher sees the school as a pioneer in this area and emphasises the importance of providing opportunities and activities away from screens. You can read the full article here.