UK > London > TASIS - The American School in England

Since 2010. Previously head of Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee - an independent, co-educational day and boarding school. He has twenty-four years of experience in education and has worked as an administrator at the University of California, Berkeley, Babson College and the Frontier Academy in Colorado. Married to Betsy, they have two daughters and two sons - the youngest a junior at TASIS.

The academically demanding IB Diploma programme is proving popular with students and their families. The 34 IB candidates in 2010 averaged 33 points. The AP (Advanced Placement) results also reflect academic success: in 2008-9, 87 per cent of all 138 students taking 300 AP tests in 21 subjects made a passing grade of 3 or better (31 per cent 4s and 34 per cent 5s). The middle 50 per cent range of SAT scores achieved by students graduating in 2009 were: maths 550-690; critical reading 540-680; writing 560-670. NB 21 per cent of the students that took the SAT tests speak English as a second language.

Students are expected to meet the challenge of a tough academic regime and are given great support through frequent advising and daily opportunities to see teachers during the tutorial periods. Class sizes are small (average 12) taught in bright open classrooms. Computers are everywhere and students can connect to the wireless network anywhere on campus. As reflected by their outstanding results, students are well prepared and classroom interplay is definitely on an AP level. The faculty take their jobs very seriously and the kids take up the challenges. Wallflowers beware!

Special Education Needs: No specific programme but dedicated Learning Resource teachers access and bolster those with mild specific learning problems (fee based).

ESL students can join the international section in the Upper School; ESL support is done privately in the Lower and Middle Schools (fee based). Classes in history, science and literature are closely linked with those of the mainstream courses and the aim is to cover the same content, while meeting the needs of the international students. As their skills improve they may move into the mainstream classes.

A beautiful gym and endless playing fields host a dynamic sports programme. Many of the sports found in the US are offered. The under-14s through the under-18s participate in International Schools Sports Tournament competitions throughout Europe and even set the standard in volleyball and basketball. Intramural, after school and Saturday morning sports are popular and even though they are not mandatory, it seems everyone plays something.

Art is everywhere and when you are in the arts wing you can feel, see and hear the energy. The kids are enthusiastic about what they are creating and are good at it too. The staff, be it music, theatre or art, are definitely doing a good job. All arts programs are performance based – plays, musicals, art shows and recitals are all student led and supported. The Travel Study Program takes the students outside the classroom around England and Europe. Daytrips to the London theatres, galleries and museums, weekends in Paris and one-week study trips to Spain, Greece and Austria are among those on offer.

The school doesn't look like a real school, rather the school you always imagined. The 34-year-old campus is an enchanting jumble of cottages, gardens and a manor house, all overlooking a pond, in the ancient village of Thorpe. Boarders live in un-dormitory like rooms and mix easily with day students.

The lower and middle school students eat in their own lunch room, well supervised; the staff and upper school students share a light filled dining room overlooking the gardens. The food is healthy, tasty and varied. New buildings are well designed and blend easily with the historic buildings.

Easy-going, sophisticated and self assured, largely American, but over 50 nationalities are represented, even some Brits. The dress code (uniforms) is respected. Classroom exchanges are lively, no one is afraid to express his or her ideas; in fact here it is ‘cool to be smart’. The kids are motivated and focused.

Parents, for the most part American and international families (usually diplomatic and corporate) looking for a college prep curriculum, are a big part of the school. Spouses are often not here long enough to get involved in their careers so they focus on the school, and the school is delighted. Saturday sports, classroom support, welcoming committees just to name a few of the activities available. As the head of the Upper School said, ‘The school is a better place because of the parents’. They can even use the very well equipped fitness centre. Nationalities mix well; this group doesn’t have time to lose, so they take advantage of an up and running social scene.

Responsibility for yourself and for others is stressed from the Lower School on up. Tolerance is a given with a student body so diverse. Student turnover means that bullying is not a problem, and if it occurs, the staff and students work it out with counselling support available if needed. The students are expected to work hard, and they try not to disappoint their teachers. An open door policy with the heads of all three divisions and regular brainstorming with faculty means that problems are tackled early. Community service is important, from supporting the local Salvation Army, to fundraising and hands-on work in an orphanage in Romania or sponsoring a Tibetan school child for a year.

As arriving families usually choose the area for the school, the Admission department gives great support with housing and neighbourhood information. The Parents’ Council takes over with events like “Mid-year Orientation for New Families” or “Navigating the College Application Process”.

With such a mobile student body, kids ease into the routine, be it mid-year or at the beginning of term. Since the admission process is competitive, the pupils catch on very quickly; if not, the staff deals immediately with adjustment problems. Students transferring out do well at other schools, but sometimes choose the boarding option when in the Upper School, rather than leave. The IB Diploma programme and the ESL programme are attracting more international families, giving the school a more worldly flavour.

Selective. They are looking for children who are consistent, motivated and well rounded. About a 30 percent turnover due to a population of corporate and diplomatic families, but mostly during summer break.

College counselling actively starts in Grade 11 but awareness starts earlier. An eight-week course helping with the ins and outs of the application process provided for juniors. Dedicated college counsellors and the staff stay abreast of the US and British universities and are successful at guiding the students and parents to a well thought out range of schools.

Graduates go to the top and second tier colleges (Brown, Duke, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Tufts), from small liberal arts schools to large state universities across the US as well as the best universities in the UK (55 per cent go to the US, 25 per cent go to the UK and 20 per cent go to universities across the globe). In the lower years the students stay unless the family is transferred, and even then if they are old enough (14 or over), some switch to boarding.

School originally owned by a private family, now owned and governed by a not-for-profit Swiss foundation with an executive board based in the UK. Fees cover tuition, books, IT, some materials, lunch and the cost of most curriculum related activities and field trips, and in the case of boarders, weekly linen service, travel insurance for school sponsored trips and the Fall travel week. A one-time only development fee of £750 towards an ongoing building and maintenance programme.

Academically challenging American and international boarding and day school. Caring and committed staff producing great results all set in an arcadian setting; what more could you want?