Brookes Westshore Private Boarding School

• Location: Victoria, Canada,
• Year of foundation: 2018,
• Number of students: about 300,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of studying: mixed.

Brookes Westshore School is a Canadian private school offering programs for grades 4-12.

Despite its rather short history, the institution has earned many awards and accreditation, thanks to which the International Baccalaureate diploma program is taught here. The school employs a team of qualified teachers, each of whom sincerely cares about the students, creating a creative, informative atmosphere in the classroom and providing academic support both in the classroom and during extracurricular activities. All teachers are specialists in their subject areas, have the highest qualifications, and regularly take advanced studying courses.

Brookes Westshore School is one of the schools in the Brookes Education Group educational network, together with institutions located in various countries, including India, and the United Kingdom. Educational institutions are united by a modern approach to education based on the comprehensive development of each student: high-quality academic knowledge, applied skills in specialized fields, broad views on the world, sustainable goals and their achievement are the most important aspects of the educational process.

The Brookes Westshore School campus offers excellent conditions for study in Canada, sports, creativity and social activities: a variety of specialized classrooms and studios, modern equipment, and outdoor areas create an atmosphere in which students can focus on their talents and ambitions. The small size of the school creates a special family atmosphere where every student is important and valuable.

Nadya Shupta

Regional Marketing & Recruiting Manager at London International Academy (until 2021)

What aspects and criteria do parents consider when choosing a school, in addition to academic success?

Accommodation conditions, sports opportunities, catering and additional clubs and clubs organized by the school, proximity to the school of residences or host families are very important.

Students are provided with comprehensive support in studying the academic program - teachers take care of students not only within the lesson, but also outside of school hours. Students can request assistance in two forms: counseling services for admission preparation and tutoring in subjects, including English for international students.

The educational institution has departments focused on teaching children of different school ages: preparatory department for middle classes, middle and final classes. Thus, the school teaches from grades 4 to 12.

Students can choose the most suitable learning format for them: with or without accommodation. When choosing a school residence, the student is offered another choice — the time during which he wants to stay in the residential building: five or seven days a week.

Cozy and comfortable residences have been prepared for students at Brookes Westshore School: rooms are designed for two people, and each room has a magnificent view of the surrounding landscapes and lake surface.

Accommodation in a school boarding house involves:

• New residential building with 75 rooms with modern renovation,
• The room accommodates two students who share a bathroom.,
• The floors are divided by gender: there are separate floors for boys and girls,
• A comprehensive dining room offering three buffet meals a day,
• Modern kitchen with all necessary appliances for preparing snacks and drinks,
• Shared lounge space on each floor.

Subject list: Art, design, foreign language, healthy lifestyle, human and society, literature, maths, Natural science

Extracurricular activities organized after academic classes provide students with a variety of opportunities to gain important leadership skills and personal growth. Brookes Westshore offers more than 30 leisure development areas in order to inspire students to lead a healthy, balanced lifestyle and encourage students to explore programs they previously had no confidence in implementing. Students will learn new skills, develop physically, creatively, and academically, as well as socialize with friends and relax after class. Each semester, the leisure program includes new activities based on the interests of the students.

In recent years, the constant favorite sports of students are:

• Basketball,
• Volleyball,
• Kayaking,
• Rock climbing,
• Golf,
• Horseback riding,
• Swimming.

Many training sessions are held at the sites of the institution's partner organizations. Only the national basketball and volleyball teams, the Griffins, train in the gym on campus. They participate in the island's championship, reaching the final game for the provincial cup.

Sports activities also include frequent hiking trips — students can explore Mount Washington, Hornby Island, Torfino and the beautiful coast of Vancouver Island under the guidance of teachers. Students can develop their talents and try new activities in the school's thematic communities.

Groups of like-minded people united by common interest and ambitions regularly gather in studios, workshops, and outdoor areas of the campus in order to discuss their business and organize an event.

The list of such communities includes:

• The UN Model,
• Visual art,
• Photo,
• Ceramics,
• Robotics,
• Theatrical art.

Many clubs take part in Brookes Westshore School events: music concerts, theater performances, exhibitions of works, and community events.

• Accredited International Baccalaureate school, offering a high school diploma program,
• 100% university admission,
• Half of the student community is represented by students from more than 22 countries,
• The ratio of teachers to students is 1:15, the average class size is 20 people.,
• More than 40 extracurricular development areas,
• In addition to the basic studying programs, seasonal short-term courses are taught here.

Established in 2018, Brookes Westshore School is a newly built campus with academic, administrative buildings. They have prepared:

• Academic classrooms with interactive whiteboards, projectors,
• Scientific laboratories of specialized subjects,
• Art studio with natural light,
• Social spaces for recreation, self-study, group work,
• Cafeteria
• Residence.

Students have access to sports fields located off-campus: tennis courts, football and baseball fields, hockey fields, swimming pool and many other areas are visited in a group with a coach.

The location provides students with a rare opportunity to go hiking on weekends, engage in outdoor activities, as well as enjoy the vibrant sights of the city center - the campus is located at an equal distance from natural beauty and historical sites, while there are public transport stops near it.

The academic year lasts from the beginning of September to the end of June, consisting of three semesters.:

• Autumn: September-December,
• Winter: January-March,
• Spring: April-June.

Throughout the year, students will find a balanced schedule: classes and extracurricular activities are held on weekdays, rest is provided on weekends, national and international holidays, and vacations.

The list of additional expenses will include services such as:

• Registration fees upon admission,
• Accommodation, meals,
• Additional academic support,
• Some extracurricular activities, trips,
• School uniform,
• Some books, stationery,
• Pocket expenses.

Extras:

• Uniform 500 CAD
• Registration fee (for a programme/course) 250 CAD
• Application fee 2500 CAD

Future students will have to go through several registration stages:

• Filling out the online form,
• Payment of the registration fee,
• Provision of the required documents,
• Receiving an invitation to the next stages based on the results of the application review,
• Passing the interview,
• Receiving an official invitation to enroll,
• Payment for the program,
• Arrival at campus for accommodation in residence, start of training.

From year to year, the school demonstrates excellent results of its graduates - 100% of high school students receive places in higher education programs at leading universities in the country and abroad. The list of institutions includes:

• New York University,
• Boston University,
• McGill University,
• University of California at Los Angeles,
• Ryerson University,
• University of Toronto,
• Drew University,
• Acadia University,
• Parsons The New School of Design,
• McMaster University,
• Emory University,
• University of Ottawa,
• University of San Francisco,
• Pratt Institute.

International applicants wishing to enter Brookes Westshore School must provide:

• Personal documents: passport, medical insurance and health certificates, visa or residence permit,
• Official transcripts for the last two years of study,
• Letters of recommendation from past school teachers,
• Language test results: TOEFL (from 65) or equivalent.

The documents must be translated into English and certified by the responsible authorities.

The institution offers both scholarships and financial assistance programs to families in difficult situations. Scholarships are awarded to students who are successful in their studies, extracurricular activities - the award covers part of the cost of the academic program, other expenses for one academic year.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision