St Clare's, Oxford facts for kids

St Clare's, Oxford is a special school in Oxford, England. It's a private college where both boys and girls can study. Students can live there (boarding) or come for the day. It's known for its international feel.

St Clare's offers many different courses. These include the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) for older students. They also have English language classes and programs to help students get ready for university. Younger students can even join summer English courses.

The school is often ranked among the top IB schools in the UK. In 2023, students achieved an average score of 36 on their IB exams. This shows how well students do there.

A Look Back: St Clare's History

St Clare's was started in 1952 by two amazing women. Their names were Anne Dreydel and Pamela Morris. They wanted to help students from Britain and Europe connect after World War II. Their main goal was to help people learn about different cultures.

The school had a few different names at first. It started as The Oxford English Centre for Foreign Students. Later, it became St Clare's Hall, and then St Clare's, Oxford.

How St Clare's Grew Over Time

Since 1953, the college has welcomed students from many countries. It offers programs for both university and pre-university levels. English language courses also became very popular. In the 1950s, most students came from Western Europe. Today, over 40 different countries are represented in the IB program.

St Clare's also built strong connections with universities in the USA. This started back in the 1960s. By the 1970s, American students could study at St Clare's and get credit for their degrees back home.

Introducing the International Baccalaureate

In 1977, St Clare's started offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma. This was a big deal! It was only the 41st school in the world to offer this program. Only 13 other schools have taught the IB for longer.

Over time, the IB program became very popular at St Clare's. The older "A" levels were slowly replaced. Now, St Clare's is the longest-running IB school in England. There are over 3,700 IB schools around the world today.

Growing the Campus

As more students joined, the school campus also grew. St Clare's is a charity, so any money it makes goes back into the school. This helps them expand and improve. The college started at 141 Banbury Road. It added more teaching spaces and new subjects.

At first, many students lived with local families. But as the school grew, they bought and updated houses nearby. These became student homes. In 1999, St Clare's bought another school. This became the main place for adult courses.

The main building and reception are now at 139 Banbury Road. This is in the Summertown area of North Oxford. The college has also added new buildings. In 2010, a new student home for 24 students was built. In 2014, they added new science labs and math classrooms. An art studio and another student home were built in 2015.

Exploring the St Clare's Campus

St Clare's is located in a special area of North Oxford. It has two main sites. These are the Banbury Road Campus and the Bardwell Road Campus. The school uses 25 old Victorian and Edwardian houses. They have also added modern buildings.

What You'll Find on Campus

At the Banbury Road Campus, you'll find a library. There's also a center to help students with careers and university choices. You can use the four science labs built in 2014. There's an art studio (built in 2015) and a music studio. Students also enjoy the dining room and café.

Adult students mainly use the Bardwell Road Campus. This site has classrooms, a common room, and a dining room. It also has an activities office, gardens, and student bedrooms.

Students who live at the college stay in houses close to the campus. Staff members live there too to help them. Adult students can also choose to live with local families in Oxford.

The International Baccalaureate at St Clare's

St Clare's is a college for students aged 16-18. It's an IB World School. This means it offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma. St Clare's has been offering the IB for over 40 years. It's the longest-running IB school in England.

Students from over 150 different countries study here. About 15% of the students are from the UK.

IB Courses and Training

St Clare's also has a Pre-IB course. This helps students get ready for the full IB Diploma. You can start this course in September, January, or April. During the summer, they offer IB Introduction and revision courses.

The college also helps train teachers. They run workshops for new and experienced teachers. These are done with the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO).

In a recent inspection, St Clare's received the highest rating, "outstanding," for its student boarding.

How the IB Program Works

Students in the IB program study 6 subjects. Three subjects are studied at a Higher Level. The other three are at a Standard Level. Every student must choose one subject from Groups 1 to 5. The sixth subject can be from Group 6 or another subject from Groups 1-5. St Clare's offers many languages to study at a high level.

Fun Extra-Curricular Activities

St Clare's offers over 80 different activities each week. These are part of the CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) part of the IB course. They help students explore their interests and help others.

• Art club
• Boys' basketball
• Boys' football
• Chess club
• Clarity magazine (student magazine)
• Duke of Edinburgh Award
• Girls' football
• Model United Nations
• Photography club
• St Clare's Union (student group)
• Student council
• Table Tennis
• Theatre club

English Language Courses for All Ages

St Clare's offers many English language courses for adults. These run from September to June. You can study for as little as 2 weeks or for a whole academic year. Classes are 21 or 25 lessons per week. You can also have one-to-one lessons.

Types of English Courses

Courses include:

• English for Life: To improve everyday English skills.
• English for Examinations: To prepare for tests like IELTS and Cambridge exams.
• English plus Academic Subjects: To combine English with other school subjects.
• Personal Language Training: For highly focused, individual learning.

Students who want to go to university in the UK, USA, or Europe can take the University Foundation Programme. This program lasts 28 or 35 weeks.

Students with very good English can combine language classes with university-level subjects. This is part of the Undergraduate Programme. It's great for students taking a Gap Year. It helps them get ready for more studies or learn new subjects.

University Foundation Programme: Your Path to University

Many students who want to go to UK universities choose the University Foundation Programme. This program helps you get ready for university. It runs from September to June (35 weeks) or late October to June (28 weeks). You can also start in January.

St Clare's also has a Pre-Foundation Programme. This is for students who need to improve their English and study skills. It helps them before they start the main University Foundation Programme. In 2021, the college was highly praised in an inspection report.

Exciting Summer Courses

St Clare's offers shorter English Language courses in spring and summer. These courses last from 2 to 6 weeks. They combine English classes with fun activities and trips. Students can live in college homes or with local families.

Courses for Different Age Groups

There are courses for:

• Adults (17+ years old)
• Teenagers (15–17 years old)
• Juniors (10–15 years old)

For teenagers with advanced English, there are special academic courses. These include:

• Art and Digital Design in Oxford: Using the new art studio built in 2015.
• Business in Oxford: Learning about the business world.
• Science in Oxford: Using the new science labs built in 2014.
• Fantasy Literature in Oxford: Exploring exciting fantasy stories.

Famous Former Students

Many successful people have studied at St Clare's. Here are a few:

• Andrea Agnelli, a businessman and former chairman of the Italian football club Juventus FC.
• Ariane Mnouchkine, a famous stage director.
• Cristina Odone, a journalist, editor, and writer.
• Deborah Warner, a director of theatre and opera.
• Katharina Otto-Bernstein, a German-American filmmaker.
• Princess Salha bint Asem of Jordan.
• Ragnar Tørnquist, a game designer and author.
• Sally Brampton, a journalist, writer, and magazine editor.
• Tom Adams, an entrepreneur.