Welcome to Sidcot School! At Sidcot, we are an international boarding school at heart. We welcome students and staff of more than 30 different nationalities to live adventurously and learn together. Currently, our German students make up about 20% of our international cohort so, while you will get to experience lots of different cultures and languages throughout the School, you will also feel truly at home.
Why Choose Sidcot International Boarding School?
The International Baccalaureate
At Sidcot, we have a vast range of course options available to our students, allowing them to pursue their passions and achieve their best. One of our most popular courses for German students is the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. This is often a preferred choice as it is a challenging course that aims to develop students holistically and prepare them for university. It is also a globally recognised qualification, allowing our students to continue their studies in the UK, Europe, and beyond. Find out more about all your Sixth Form course options here: The IB, A Levels, BTEC, and EPQ.
Extracurricular Opportunities
Outside of academics, we encourage our students to discover new passions and develop existing skills in our award-nominated extracurricular programme. Every Thursday afternoon, all students take part in the Programme of Activities for Sidcot Students (PASS) or Sixth Form Games. Activities range from popular favourites, like surfing, snowsports, and football, to fun alternatives, such as circus skills and candle making. One of the most popular extracurricular opportunities is our equestrian programme. Whether new to horse-riding or an experienced pro, we have the facilities and team to help you achieve. In a nutshell, students have the option to ride the school horses or bring their own to board, have access to on-site management and care, will be encouraged to compete in national and international competitions, and can partake in lessons during PASS, afterschool, during lunch, or within study periods.
Our Quaker Values
Our Quaker heritage is fundamental to how we live and how we learn. Quaker values underpin all we do at Sidcot, from shaping our Learning Wheel pedagogy to creating an environment that allows student voice to thrive. While many students who join us do not come from a Quaker background, they often comment on their positive experience with Quakerism at Sidcot, truly feeling an environment of respect, integrity, equality, and community.
Boarding
At Sidcot, we have created a true 'home away from home' for our boarders. Students are cared for by a small, supportive team in one of four boarding houses. They often share rooms, helping to establish lifelong friendships, and are encouraged to decorate! We also ensure there is never a dull moment for our boarders, with a full agenda of boarding activities and weekend trips outside of regular school hours, ensuring they make the most of their experience with us. Find out more about boarding, including taking a virtual tour of the boarding houses, here.
Short Term Courses
Several of our European students choose to come to Sidcot for a short-term experience. This can range from one term to one year, and provides a brilliant opportunity to experience British culture, develop your English language skills, and promote independence by living abroad. As your short-term experience is coming to an end, there is also the option to extend your stay, which many of our students choose to do, having built strong relationships with teachers, boarding staff, and friends, and found themselves thriving academically and socially. Contact our friendly Admissions Team to find out more about our short-term options.
The Arts
The Arts are a very popular choice at Sidcot, with courses ranging from Music, Drama, and Textiles to Fine Art, Photography, and Ceramics. Students enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, such as our Artsmark Gold-awarded Arts Centre, and have access to a vast range of extra-curricular clubs and enrichment opportunities, including trips to St Ives, London, New York, and Edinburgh. With our holistic approach to learning, students from Year 7 through to Sixth Form are encouraged to be curious, discover their passions, and take the lead in their learning, supported throughout by specialist teachers. By developing a strong sense of self and independence, alongside outstanding technical skills, students regularly achieve impressive results at GCSEs, A Levels and IB, going on to study at top creative programmes around the world. Find out more about The Arts at Sidcot.
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Frequently Asked Questions
We are conveniently located just 15 minutes from Bristol Airport, with direct flights to locations around Germany, including Berlin, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Munich, Hamburg, and Stuttgart. This makes travel to School for students and parents alike very easy! We arrange minibus and taxi transfers from the airport to ensure students travel safely, and for students flying into London Heathrow, we also arrange coach transfers.
If you’re applying for an international student place, you can either apply directly or through an education consultant (or agent). If you’re contacting Sidcot directly, without using an agent, the admissions process for international students is the same as for UK students and can be found here. If applying via agent, they will work on your behalf to move the application process forward. A key component of the application process is entrance assessments in English and Maths, which determine whether a student has the required level of English to participate in school life and whether they can cope with the curriculum. These tests can also be taken as part of a visit to Sidcot, where families can enjoy a tour of the school, and meet other students (including international students), as well as teachers and Boarding staff. On these occasions, there would also be an interview with the Head or Deputy Head. After this point, you will be contacted to confirm whether you will be invited to study at Sidcot and be asked to accept your place. Find out more about the full international admissions process here.
Overseas students joining Sidcot School without a UK passport (and planning to stay with us for more than 6 months) must apply for a child study visa and will receive specialist international student visa support from the School. Students joining Sidcot for less than 6 months and who do not usually need a visa, will need to register for an Electronic Travel Authorisation. If, at any point, students decide to extend their stay at Sidcot, we can assist them in applying for their visa. Find out more about international student visas here.
During their time at Sidcot, all of our international students must have an educational guardian. This may be a relative or family friend who meets the criteria to be a guardian, or it may be a professional guardian. The guardian provides a link between parents and the school. They provide support and advice to the student and have several responsibilities including: arranging travel to and from the UK in conjunction with the parents, making sure the student does not leave the school early or arrive late, providing a home at half term, and taking responsibility for a student during an emergency. Find out more about guardians and how you can find one here.
Our boarding community at Sidcot strives to create a supportive, respectful, and inclusive environment where each boarder can flourish academically, socially, and personally. We believe in fostering independence, resilience, and compassion while nurturing a sense of responsibility and integrity. Our boarding experience is designed to help boarders develop the skills, values, and friendships to last a lifetime. If you want to know what boarding life is really like, check out our boarding reviews here, and take a tour of our boarding houses here.
Upon being offered a place at Sidcot, you will receive detailed information on what you need to bring with you to School and what is provided or can be bought by the School on your behalf. This will be tailored to you, but general joining information for boarding students can be found here.
Do you have more questions? Then, please get in touch with our friendly admissions team, who will be happy to help!