What skills will I learn?

ISC class sizes are very small and lessons are taught by teachers that are highly experienced in teaching English as an Additional Language. The average class size is 6, which means that progress is very rapid, even for those pupils that have little English when they arrive at our school. One of the strengths of the ISC at Kent College is that it offers bespoke timetabling for all its pupils. The bespoke timetables offer flexible English language courses, including intensive programmes, examination courses and phased access to mainstream subjects.

ISC pupils indicate that they greatly value the support they get to develop specific language skills they need to succeed in their other subjects. The bespoke timetabling means that we can often meet the pupils’ subject choices.

ISC pupils are enthusiastic and committed learners that enjoy full integration into tutor groups, sports and the co-curricular activity programme. Most ISC pupils are boarders in one of the five boarding houses on the Senior School site. While over 350 of our students are from local British families, our 200 strong boarding community provides a home away from home for students from up to 40 different nationalities around the world. English is expected to be spoken in all areas of the school and if pupils share a room with another student, they will most likely not be of the same nationality. This ensures that English will be their common language.

ISC pupils partake in Chapel and assembly services, are active at the school Farm and act as school Prefects as well as student Heads of House for Boarding. Plenty of opportunities to develop key leadership skills, and other skills!

Preparing for the future - ISC Examinations

The ISC prepares international students for British examinations, such as IGCSE ESL in Years 10 and 11 and IB English B in Years 12 and 13. Depending on the level of English, preparation classes or bespoke 1:1 programmes are available for the Cambridge PET, FCE, and CAE examinations. These English language certificates are very useful if the student wishes to go on to study at an English speaking university (in the UK or abroad) and needs to have evidence of the level of English. Many international KC students in Sixth Form are prepared for the IELTS exam as they often require a certain IELTS score to enter the university programme of their choice. ISC students often achieve grades that strengthen their university applications.

YEARS 7 - 9

• Students are accepted into the ISC with a level of English between beginner and lower intermediate.
• The students study English as an Additional Language (EAL) intensively as well as having a reduced timetable with subjects such as Maths, Art, French and possibly Science depending on their level of English.
• Integration into the mainstream curriculum occurs when their English is of an appropriate level. Students are given support in the ISC in their mainstream subjects through reinforcement of keywords and concepts. This enables them to make progress in these subjects, particularly when they join subjects after the beginning of the school year.
• Teaching is conducted within a personalised timetable suited to the student’s ability and speed of learning.
• Our small caring environment ensures individual attention is given. The teaching groups are small, from 3 to 10 students per class. 1:1 EAL lessons offered on a bespoke basis and at an additional fee.
• The teaching focuses on the four skills, reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as vocabulary and grammar.
• Students learn through a variety of activities including projects, literature, media, cultural visits and games.

YEARS 10 - 11

• Students are accepted into the ISC with a low intermediate level of English.
• They are taught English intensively for one term, two terms, a year, or 2 years, depending on the time of the year and their level at entry. It is possible to take the IGCSE ESL examination in one year depending on the level of entry.
• The teaching focuses on the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking as well as grammar and vocabulary.
• The course prepares students for the IGCSE ESL (B2) exam or the Preliminary English Test (PET B1) at the end of year 11 and for entry to the Sixth Form (where they will be in an IELTS class).
• There are six IGCSE ESL / PET lessons per week, additional group EAL lessons added as required. 1:1 EAL lessons offered on a bespoke basis and at an additional fee.
• Cross-curricular support is also provided within the lessons if needed.

YEARS 12 - 13

• The lessons focus on the IELTS examination or the Cambridge examinations (B2 First and C1 Advanced).
• We support students to help them reach the grade they need for university entrance.
• Students attend four lessons per week, or more if required. 1:1 EAL/IELTS lessons offered on a bespoke basis and at an additional fee.
• Cross-curricular support is given through weekly academic ‘drop-in’ clinics, besides the subject support provided by the academic clinics in other departments.
• The ISC also offers the IB subject IB English B, both at Standard and Higher Level. Students attend 8 lessons per week.

Meet the Head of the ISC..

Ms Josephine Velthoven BA MA LLM (Nijmegen) PGCE (Amsterdam) NPQH

Ms Velthoven is Head of the International Study Centre at Kent College. She is a passionate, student-centred educator, continually seeking to improve English language learning and to help students to excel.

Ms Velthoven leads a team of qualified and enthusiastic EAL teachers who have many years of experience teaching international students English and helping them to reach their full potential.

She is a versatile teacher, having earned a BA in Philosophy and an MA in English/American Studies from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands before moving on to postgraduate studies at St Louis University in the USA. Upon returning to Europe, she gained an LLM and a PGCE in English Language and Literature from the Free University of Amsterdam.

Since heading the International Study Centre and becoming a Senior Leader at Kent College, Ms Velthoven has been awarded the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and has used her expertise in the EAL field to set up an International Study Centre at another school in the MIST group. Ms Velthoven has a special interest in Cambridge Assessment English certificate programmes (FCE, CAE and CPE) and in specialised English language courses, such as Legal English, Business English and Medical English.