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21
SUNDAY MAIL • March 25, 2012
special report
PrivateEducation
An overview of some of what is available in Cyprus
Should you go private?
In pressing times everyone is taking a closer look at how they spend
their money. Is education an area you should be cutting back on?
By Tracy Phillips
N A RECESSION, people tend to be a bit more
careful about spending
money, and a bit choosier about what they spend
it on. So is it worth paying for private education?
I guess the answer very
much depends on what you
are hoping to get out of it.
Some people are looking for
better teaching standards,
I
academic excellence perhaps, a different social mix,
a broader curriculum, or
maybe just smaller classes
and lots more after school
activities with good facilities. In Cyprus, it could be
as simple as the opportunity
to learn in English and take
UK examinations or the International Baccalaureate.
The rest will not necessarily
be guaranteed just because
you pay for education. But
here a few reasons why you
might want to consider it to
be worth the money:
1. Let’s deal with the language issue ﬁrst. If it is your
intention to send your children to the UK or the US
for university, then it is a
deﬁnite advantage for them
to have been taught in English, especially if they are
surrounded by native English speakers. They can get
a place at university without UK or US qualiﬁcations
or the IB, but universities
will want to know that the
student’s language skills in
English are good enough to
cope with the course.
On the other hand, most
parents, who send their children to study in an English
language curriculum school,
want them to maintain a
high level of communication skills in their native language too. So it is important
to ask about which languages are on offer and to what
level. Private schools in Cy-
prus are relatively small, so
if students want to study
Greek and English, they
often do not have a choice
of studying any other modern languages as well, at
least not without giving up
other subjects. It is also important to know how nonnative speakers of English
are supported. In classrooms where the language
of instruction is English but
many students are not native or near-native speakers
of the language, teaching
can be held back.
2. Many parents believe that
small classes are something
worth paying for. Often private schools do have much
smaller classes than state
schools. This is a good thing.
While it is clearly not the
case that bad teachers can
suddenly teach just because
the classes are small, it does
TURN TO PAGE 22
22
March 25, 2012 • SUNDAY MAIL
PrivateEducation
Should you
go private?
continued from page 21
English School graduates aim for Russell Group universities
The English School
continues tradition of
excellence in education
THERE CAN be no doubt that the English School stands
apart, and belonging to The English School family not
only provides one with the resources and skills to reach
one’s full potential and become a critical-thinking member of global society, but also creates friendships and
memories that last for a lifetime. However, special pride
is taken by the school in its tradition of offers from top
Universities, with the UK being the students’ most popular choice for their studies.
The school is pleased to be able to say that it has placed
41 of its students at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge), over the last six years. This year offers
have been received by Maria-Nectaria Antoniou (Law),
Stephanos Constantinides (Economics), Andreas Hadjigeorgiou (Medicine), Nicolas Mavreas (Medicine) and
George Panagopoulos (Natural Sciences).
Acceptance at the renowned Russell Group Universities
is the students’ primary aim, and the latest ﬁgures show
that over 70 per cent of the school’s students are currently holding offers from one or more of the universities of
this prestigious group and it anticipates that this number
will increase within the next few weeks, when the cycle of
offers comes to a close.
It is worth mentioning that despite very strict competition, English School students are this year holding 10 offers for Medicine, with the school positive that more will
be received. Medicine has always been a popular choice
for English School students, and there are currently 46
graduates studying Medicine.
The Board of Management, the School’s Management
and Staff wish to congratulate the school’s students on
their excellent level of offers, which once again proves
that the English School is justiﬁed in its claim of ‘Excellence in Education’.
mean that good teachers
can give your children lots
more time and individual
attention. However, just because you pay for education,
it does not guarantee the
school employs only good
teachers. There are good
teachers in state schools
and bad teachers in private
schools. But, it seems it is a
lot easier to get rid of bad
teachers in private schools
than it is in the state sector.
It is interesting to ask private schools how they support poor teachers and see
if they admit to ever having
had any!
3. As regards academic results, schools these days
are very open about their
exam results. They usually
display them on their website. But this is not necessarily a great way to judge
value for money. Many private schools select the pupils they want in the ﬁrst
place and only take those
they consider academically
able. So sometimes the less
selective schools actually
do better academically with
their students, even though
this is not always obvious
from the results. Nor will
the results reveal how many
parents at the school are
paying for private lessons
on top of school fees. Anec-
Social mix: children at private schools
are likely to meet other children from
a wider range of countries than at
local school
dotally, though, it is easy to
ﬁnd out, as there seems to
be a big market in private
afternoon lessons in Cyprus.
In which case, you might
ask yourself, why would you
pay for both?
4. There is no guarantee
that your child will do well
academically in any school,
no matter how much you
pay. However, one thing
No matter how much you pay, there are no guarantees of good results
5. Finally, the social mix of
the school and the culture
of the school is something a
lot of people think is worth
paying for. Some private
schools in Cyprus offer a
truly international environment with opportunities for
the students to meet and
learn from other students
from all around the world.
As well as opportunities to
travel and engage in international events abroad, it
is important that they have
opportunities to engage in
a wide range of activities at
home, such as music and art
and sport.
These are some of the
things parents are looking for, when they pay good
money to private schools. It
is possible to ﬁnd them in
Cyprus, but parents need
to be clear about what constitutes value for money for
them. Then ask the right
questions, to make sure you
will get what you are looking for.
Visit www.englishschool.ac.cy
ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS 2012-2013
The English School Entrance Examinations for 1st Year candidates, for the year
2012-2013, will be held on Saturday 21st April 2012.
The following places will be offered:
96 places for 1st Year Greek speaking candidates
24 places for 1st Year English speaking candidates
Registration of candidates is now open and will continue until Friday, 30th
March 2012 through our website www.englishschool.ac.cy. Candidates that
have no access to the Internet will be able to register at the English School
Main Office from Thursday 29th March 2012 up to Friday 30th March 2012,
between 8.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.
Completed registration forms must be accompanied by a copy of the candidate’s
Birth Certificate, two recent passport-size photographs, and the fee of €120.
Specimen material and further details are available on our website
www.englishschool.ac.cy
that private schools can do
well is to monitor progress
and communicate with parents on a regular basis. Especially if the school has an
intranet or a portal and a
good website. It is reassuring to know that you can
walk into school at any time
and teachers are always
willing to talk to you or reply to emails. So it is useful
to ask how quickly any kind
of underachievement will be
picked up and how long the
school would wait to get in
touch.
ANNOUNCEMENT
The Board of Management of the English School, Nicosia, wishes to announce
that the school is offering financial assistance ranging in value from €2,500 to
€7,500 per annum for pupils entering the school in Form 1.
The criteria for the award of the financial assistance will be:
1. The annual gross income of the family which must not exceed €40,000
2. The overall assets of the family
Financial Assistance will continue for all seven years (until graduation) provided that:
(a) The financial position of the family remains the same
(b) The pupil’s academic performance satisfies the school and his/her conduct
is excellent
Application forms for the financial assistance are completed after the announcement of the results of the Entrance Examination.
Last day of registration for the Entrance Examinations is Friday 30th March 2012.
23
SUNDAY MAIL • March 25, 2012
PrivateEducation
Study across borders
At UCLan Cyprus students can complete part of the degree
here and part in the UK, or anywhere it has a campus
THE NATURE of university
education in Cyprus has always had a strong international focus.
The statistics for Higher
Education in Cyprus are very
revealing. Around 21,000
students entered Cypriot
universities in 2009-10, while
another 20,000 chose to go
abroad to study, of which
8,000 went to study in the
UK. Thus, an extremely high
proportion of the Cypriot
student population chooses
to study overseas, but these
numbers are not replaced
by the same number of international students choosing to study in Cyprus. The
island is a net exporter of
students.
There is also a challenge
for students and their families posed by the European
economic situation. The
costs of study in another
country are rising, and the
UK is raising student fees
to up to £9,000 per year. It is
becoming more expensive to
study abroad, and yet many
Cypriots still want an international study experience
and qualiﬁcation, largely
from UK universities.
Cyprus’ newest university,
UCLan Cyprus, will meet
these challenges. The uni-
versity will bring the costs
of a UK degree down, in
terms of fees, accommodation, subsistence and travel,
by offering Cypriot students
the opportunity to study for
a UK degree in Cyprus, at
a lower fee than in the UK,
but with the additional option of transferring to the
UK for part of their course,
if they so wish.
Students will have the
choice of studying their programme entirely in Cyprus,
or of transferring for part of
their studies, for up to two
years, to UCLan in the UK.
In later years of operation,
students would also be able
to transfer to other overseas UCLan campuses. This
model of transnational education is a new one, and provides maximum choice for
students in terms of which
country they study in. They
would not experience any
interruption in their academic studies, as the modules of the courses would be
the same at each university,
and delivered in English at
each site.
The university will be also
popular with UK students
who will be able to split their
years of study between Preston and Larnaca, or take
their entire UK degree here
in Cyprus. Non-Cypriot families with accommodation or
ﬁxed term employment in
Cyprus may be particularly
interested in the opportunity that UCLan Cyprus will
afford students in terms of
the ability to switch years of
study between both countries without interruption to
their studies.
UCLan Cyprus will open
in the Larnaca district this
year. Construction of the
modern, €53 million campus
began in January, and the
university will open its doors
to its ﬁrst cohort of students
on October 2, 2012. UCLan
Cyprus is the ﬁrst of a series
of new overseas campuses
to be developed in partnership with UCLan. At least
two others are planned, one
of which will be in Bangkok,
Thailand.
The partner University of
Central Lancashire (UCLan), based in Preston, is
the seventh largest university in the UK, and has
a
growing
international
proﬁle. The university has
35,000 students – including
5,000 international students
– and employs over 2,000
academic staff, and is thus
well placed to support the
development of UCLan Cyprus. UCLan will collaborate
with UCLan Cyprus to provide well-tested UK degrees
through the secondment of
staff, research activities and
expertise, and will also quality assure the programmes
to ensure that these meet
the same standards as are
applied at its Preston campus.
UCLan Cyprus will initially
offer courses in Law, Business Administration, the
Hospitality and Tourism industries, English Language,
Computing and Mathematics, and will increase its
portfolio of programmes
once established. All courses will be taught in English,
and meet the quality standards required by both the
Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture and the UK
Quality Assurance Agency.
The courses will be based on
the UK University system
and mirror the same courses delivered in Preston, so
that students transferring
between the two campuses
will notice no difference in
their curriculum or studies.
The university will add
to Cyprus’ growing Higher
Education sector and assist the Cyprus government
Impressive new campus: work has already begun on the
€53 million site
in further establishing the
island as an educational
Centre of Excellence in the
region through the recruitment of international students, particularly from the
UK. The university will also
establish a number of international research centres
to support its postgraduate programmes and offer
PhD level study. All this will
provide a university culture
that is a blend of the best of
UK and Cyprus universities
for its students.
At a time of economic
hardship across Europe,
UCLan Cyprus offers an attractive alternative for local
students to studying wholly
in the UK.
24
March 25, 2012 • SUNDAY MAIL
PrivateEducation
Educational excellence at
The Senior School
High quality school inspires young people to think and care
OVER THE last nine years,
The Senior School has established itself as a high quality secondary school in the
heart of Nicosia. Founded in
2003 as a natural extension
to the primary department,
The Junior School, The
Senior School relocated to
its current premises in Strovolos in September 2007
with 350 students now on
roll. It offers an individualised education programme
for students aged 11 to 19
years; that is to ‘A’ Level and
university entrance.
It provides a challenging,
well structured, studentcentred educational programme.
Teaching
and
learning follows the latest
research into how young
people learn, using strategies such as ‘Assessment for
Learning’ and technology
such as ‘Interactive White
Boards’. Each student’s
progress is carefully and regularly monitored to ensure
that every child is working to
her or his potential, and if a
dip in performance is noticed
there are effective strategies
to intervene so as to get the
student back on track. It is a
friendly, community school,
with very strong links between staff and parents. Additionally, it has an active
Student Council and Parent
Teacher Association.
Following the English National Curriculum, all lessons are delivered in English. Students also follow a
Greek programme, in line
with Ministry of Education requirements, taught
at three levels: for foreign
learners, for students with
a basic knowledge of the
language, and for ﬁrst language speakers. A number
of candidates are accepted
annually from Greek Dimotiko following entrance exams. Language support is
provided for children speaking English as an additional
language. Applications are
also accepted for entry into
other years if places are
available.
Students follow a broad,
yet challenging study programme. Over 20 different
subjects are offered at both
The Senior School’s curriculum allows
students to reach their full potential
Senior School Entrance Exams will be held on
Thursday April 26. Deadline for applications is
Tuesday, April 24. If you have any questions,
please contact the School on 22 660156 or
contact@theseniorschool.com. Or visit the
school website at www.theseniorschool.com and
complete an online application
I/GCSE (Years 10 and 11),
and ‘A’ Level (Years 12 &
13). The Senior School is
a recognised examination
centre for CIE, EDEXCEL
and AQA. As well as offering the traditional subjects,
it is one of the few schools
to have a strong Performing
Arts Department (Drama,
Music and Art). Languages
are also a strong feature of
the school - English, Spanish, Italian, French and
Greek are language options
currently
available.
For
those who prefer more vocational subjects Accounting,
Business Studies, Economics and Travel & Tourism as
well as P.E. are offered.
A wide range of clubs are
available including Duke of
Edinburgh, Model UN, orchestra, drama, choir and
sports activities. Anyone
who saw the recent production of Dracula Spectacula
will be familiar with the high
standards and commitment
of the children.
The Senior School provides a challenging, yet
supportive programme allowing all students to reach
their full potential so each
young person can face the
challenges of a constantly
changing modern world, optimistic of success. As a notfor-proﬁt organisation, the
ﬁnancial surpluses generated are invested back into
the school.
“the informed choice
for secondary education”
The Senior School Entrance Exam is being held on
Thursday, 26th April at 1.30pm
We are now accepting applications to Year 7 for academic year 2012-13, as well as for older year groups
where there are places still available.
Please feel free to call 2266 0156 or apply online at www.theseniorschool.com
Closing date for applications Tuesday, 24th April 2012
Students wishing to study AS/A2 levels in our 6th Form
are invited to join our vibrant student body in September.
We offer:
> A wide range of AS/A2 level subjects: Maths, Literature, The Arts, The Sciences, Accounting, Business, Economics, Travel & Tourism, The Humanities, Greek, French, Spanish, PE, Computing
and more.
> A positive learning environment with well qualified and experienced teachers
> The first School in Cyprus with a flourishing “Faculty of Arts” covering Drama, Music and Art at AS & A2 Levels
th
> Computerised & supervised 6 Form Private Study Suite
> Personalised and individualised student support
> Careers and UCAS entry advice
25
SUNDAY MAIL • March 25, 2012
PrivateEducation
Children are
accepted
from
kindergarten
up
ISOP leading the way in
education for 25 years
The International School of Paphos is the only registered
and Education Ministry approved private school in the area
THE International School of
Paphos (ISOP) has fulﬁlled
25 years of outstanding service and is this year celebrating this achievement. Since
1987, it has been providing
high-quality education, with
individualised attention towards each student. By following a broad academic
curriculum and innovative,
ﬂexible forms of learning,
ISOP promotes the acquisition of thinking skills, laying
the foundation for students
to become critical, independent thinkers.
The changes taking place
on socio-economic and ﬁnancial levels, both across
Europe and worldwide, have
not left the school unaffected. Consequently, ISOP
is constantly redeﬁning its
goals and objectives, its
teaching practices and the
philosophy of its curriculum;
thereby enriching teaching
materials, based on international developments.
The aim is to provide students with the opportunity and means to make utmost use of their personal
strengths enabling them
to develop into socially responsible citizens who will
embrace lifelong learning.
The school provides a stable
and positive environment for
teaching and learning; one
that recognises the value of
All these factors have contributed to 25 years in which
the school has performed as
a pioneer, pervading many
areas that determine the
quality of educational services.
ISOP has outstanding
sports facilities
diversity and co-operation.
One of its goals is to consistently maintain the high expectations of students and
the objectives they set for
themselves. Valuable partners in and contributors to
this effort are not only the
students and staff, but also
their families and members
of the community.
The School departments
The International School of
Paphos caters for children at
Kindergarten, Primary and
Secondary Levels. The school
curriculum, though modelled
on the British National Curriculum, is also supported by
the spirit which governs the
corresponding Greek Curriculum, thus responding to the
100 Aristelous Savva Street,
Anavargos, Paphos, Tel:
26 821700, Fax: 26 942541,
info@isop-ed.org, www.
paphosinternationalschool.com
multiculturalism of its students. Through the IGCSE
examinations, ‘A’ Levels, and
the recognised school leaving
certiﬁcate which is awarded
upon graduation from ISOP,
students are afforded the
skills to cope with their future academic and professional requirements.
Entrance examinations for
ISOP are held throughout
the year for students who
come in from abroad or from
other private schools. Students coming in from public schools are evaluated on
speciﬁc dates in spring.
Child-centred evaluation
The collection of authoritative information relating
to student performance is
necessary for the successful
implementation of targeted
educational policies.
In the ﬁeld of assessment
and targeted teaching, ISOP
initially introduced IGCSEs
in 1995 and, more recently,
has moved towards the innovative method of student
assessment known as
APP – Assessing Pupils
Progress.
The student evaluation
consists of a mechanism of
continuous monitoring and
mediation in the shaping
of the school’s educational
quality (performance, development of skills, development of students’ socially
acceptable behaviour). It
takes note of deﬁciencies,
suggests
improvements,
monitors their implementation and acts as a feedback
mechanism for the educational process by constantly
focusing on the student as
the central focal point.
Education environment
In building its modern facilities, ISOP has ensured
each student has the necessary breathing space to feel
comfortable, both within
the classroom and outside,
and to function properly in a
friendly environment.
Modern facilities
Include: a luxurious self-contained Kindergarten com-
plex; well-lit and spacious
classrooms; science & IT
laboratories; spacious art facility with an internal gallery;
a fully equipped music room;
media room for multi media
presentations and video/TV
screening; library; bookshop;
cafeteria; covered and open
play spaces for each school
section; elevators and ramps
connecting all levels; central
heating and air-conditioning;
interactive boards.
Outstanding sports facilities
ISOP features a closed
sports centre built to modern
standards and seating more
than 400 spectators. It has
facilities for tennis, basketball, volleyball and handball.
The sports facilities include
and indoor swimming-pool,
football ﬁeld, running track
and facilities for athletics,
outdoor courts for basketball and volleyball.
ISOP’s premises are found
only ﬁve minutes away from
the centre of Paphos, south
of Mesa Chorio and next to
the Anavargos village.
@ , ( 9 :
ENTRANCE EXAMS
for Year 7 Secondary School 2012/2013
Friday 27th April, 3.00 p.m.
&
Saturday, 28th April, 9.30 a.m.
For entry forms, samples of examination papers or any other information,
please contact the Admissions Office by Wednesday,
25th April from 7.30 a.m. until 3.30 p.m.
Registrations for all other classes,
Kindergarten, Primary & Secondary, accepted until 30th June 2012
SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED TO TOP STUDENTS
@,(9:
Strong Foundations, Bright Future!
100 Aristotelous Savva Avenue, Anavargos, P.O.Box 62018, 8060 Paphos
E-Mail: info@isop-ed.org Web Page: www.paphosinternationalschool.com Tel: 26 821700 Fax: 26 942541
REGISTERED WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & CULTURE
26
March 25, 2012 • SUNDAY MAIL
PrivateEducation
New lease of life for French learning
French-Cypriot school will open its doors in September, a
collaboration between the French and Cypriot governments
FOR MORE than 20 years,
the Arthur Rimbauld school
has welcomed children of all
nationalities from kindergarten to high school but the experience is about to be taken
to a new level with the move
of the school to a location
near the Hilton, where it will
operate as the French-Cypriot school.
Students will be given a
quality education by experienced teachers within the
framework of French programmes. Resolutely turned
towards Europe, the school
puts great emphasis on languages (French, Greek, English, Spanish, German). It
offers a modern education
while making a point of passing down fundamental values
such as tolerance, respect
and civic spirit.
The French-Cypriot school
will cater to students of all
nationalities from the age
of three (Kindergarten) to
15 (“Seconde”). The school
teaches French programmes
and offers two streams: a
French stream and a bilingual French-Cypriot stream.
Students, whatever their nationality, can choose either
stream.
Primary school
Pupils from both streams are
grouped by classes based on
age. Every week, all pupils
have 12 to 14 hours of French
learning - of the language and
learning activities - provided
by a French teacher of the
French national Education
system.
All pupils also study English
together. Sometimes, pupils
are split:
•Together they all study
French, French History, Geography, Mathematics, English, Spanish or German, Arts,
and Sports (Arts and Sports
can be taught in French, English or Greek)
•Separately the students
from the bilingual stream
study SVT, Physics and Technology in Greek (though
For registration and information contact Mrs
Philippou, on Tel: 22 665318
choose between preparation
for the French baccalauréat
or for the Cypriot Appolytirio.
The French-Cypriot School,
as per the similar binational
schools in other countries,
will obey a strict teaching
for the students following
the Cypriot curriculum, the
teaching of local history. For
these teaching subjects, following the requirements of
the Cypriot Ministry of Education, the Parents can not
object.
rule: the educational contents will be the ones deﬁned by the French Ministry
of Education. Neither the
school’s Management Board,
nor the Parents’ Association
can inﬂuence the contents.
Otherwise the school cannot
be accredited by the French
Authority.
The only acceptable adaptation is about the teaching
of the local language, and
The French-Cypriot School
project will offer new opportunities to children. As per
the current school, they will
beneﬁt from quality teaching
from pre-school up to their
graduation according to the
requirements of the French
Ministry of Education. In addition the school will offer the
possibility to follow Hellenic
courses in order to prepare
for the Apolytirion.
The school teaches French
programmes and offers two streams:
a French stream and a bilingual
French-Cypriot stream
•Pupils from the French
stream continue their activities in French or English
•Pupils from the bilingual
stream continue their activities in Greek, with a graduated Cypriot teacher
Pupils from the French
stream study Greek for two
and a half hours per week.
Secondary school :
As for the primary school,
students from both streams
are in the same classes:
based on the French programmes.
•They study Greek and Cyprus History in Greek (based
on the Cypriot programmes)
•All students go through the
Diplôme national du Brevet
(end of 3rd)
Lyceum
From the “Seconde”, students pursue either the
French stream or the bilingual stream.
After “Seconde”, students
The French-Cypriot school
will remain a reference for
educational contents, but
also offer an even larger openmindedness to the Cypriot
culture.
French schools abroad are
all managed according to the
same pattern: a non-proﬁt association or foundation. Such
associations / foundations are
tripartite: the hosting government (Cyprus), the French
government and the Parents’
Association
According to the agreement
signed between the two states
the premises will be provided
and maintained by the Cypriot government. The current
school buildings could not
cater for the split of the educational system required by
the new school. The existing
location is not equipped with
all necessary facilities, sports
facilities for instance.
As of today the Cypriot government has made the choice
to house the French-Cypriot
school in part of the buildings of the former Higher
Technical Institute (HTI) in
Aglantzia, near the Athalassa
Park. The Cypriot Ministry
of Education is in charge of
the refurbishment works in
coordination with the needs
deﬁned by the current school
headmaster.
French Cypriot School
A window on the world,
A compass for the future.
REGISTRATIONS
KINDERGARTEN (children born in 2007, 2008, 2009) and FIRST GRADE (ﬁrst year of elementary school, children born in
2006)
Conditions for admission:
- Admission after interview with parents
Registration Dates: 28 February to 14 May 2012 (make appointment with Mrs. Philippou at 22 66 53 18)
MIDDLE SCHOOL (Class of 5th-1st class of Cypriot Gymnasium - children born in 2000)
Conditions for admission:
- Interview with the student and his/her parents (make appointment with Mrs. Philippou at 22 66 53 18)
- Admissions Examinations: a test of proﬁciency in the Greek language, a test in mathematics and a test of English.
Exam Registration Dates: 28 February to 20 April 2012 (register after the interview)
Examination Date: Wednesday, 25 April, 14:30-17:30
Exam results given: Wednesday 9 May
School Registration Date: Monday 14 May (make appointment with Mrs. Philippou at 22 66 53 18)
For registration in any class other than those listed above, please contact the school secretariat (Tel : 22 66 53 18)
Email: secretariat@efar.info / Website: www. efar.info
27
SUNDAY MAIL • March 25, 2012
PrivateEducation
Get a degree from
University of the West
of England in Cyprus
Alexander College to unveil a new modern campus in time for next academic year
SINCE IT was established
in 1991, Alexander College
has been dedicated to fostering the individual success
of its students and their development as responsible,
well-rounded and informed
citizens of the world. Its philosophy is to provide lifelong
learning by equipping students with the essential academic tools required to promote personal growth and
professional
development
during and beyond their
studies. Alexander College is
a learning-centred institution
and as such, utilises a wide
range of learning aids from
both internal and external
sources to provide students
with an environment that is
challenging, practical and
supportive of their personal
and academic needs. The
college’s main objectives are
to maintain the delivery of
high quality and unique academic programmes, training
opportunities, and services
through constant evaluation
and upgrading.
Alexander College works in
close collaboration with the
University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol to offer
access on to highly competitive UK undergraduate and
postgraduate degree courses.
The courses are delivered
at Alexander College (UWE
Larnaca Campus), which allows for a more convenient
and considerably less costly
student experience without
compromising the standard
of education. Once studies are
completed, a UK degree from
the University of the West of
England is awarded. According to The Guardian’s UK University Rankings 2012, UWE is
the highest ranking UK University offering degrees in Cyprus.
The College offers a selection
of courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Additionally, short or single
unit courses are offered to
people who want to improve
or learn a new skill and start
a new career. Undergraduate
honours degree courses take
three years to complete and
cover the areas of Graphic
Design, Interior Architecture,
Landscape Architecture, Photography, Fine Art, Business
Administration and Finance
(offering nine ACCA exemptions), IT Management for
Business, LLB Law, and Criminology. Postgraduate courses
can be completed in 12 to 16
months and include the subjects of Interior Architecture,
Photography, Graphic Design,
Educational Leadership, and
MBA.
All courses are recognised
by the Cypriot accreditation
body (KYSATS) and students
are entitled to a state grant up
to €3,417. Additionally, Business Administration degree
students gain nine exemp-
tions out of the 14 ACCA exams. This allows the student
to sit the remaining ﬁve exams
to achieve the ACCA professional qualiﬁcation.
Alexander College offers guidance and assistance to help its
students fulﬁl their goals upon
graduation and start a professional career, and has developed excellent relations with
the private and the public sector to help the employability of
its students. Members of the
private and public sector participate in discussion panels
during project reviews. This is
challenging for students who
want to receive recognition
from guest visitors.
The ﬁnal show, held at the
end of every academic year,
is another way to promote
students’ work and offer professionals an opportunity to
examine their creations and
come in contact with them on
a one-to-one basis.
The facilities at Alexander
College are designed to provide
students with valuable practical resources and real working
environments. College facilities include several computer
labs, a fully stocked library, auditorium, printing and stationery shop, classrooms equipped
with presentation facilities,
art and design studios, an allday cafeteria and snack bar,
administration/reception area
and an International Student
ofﬁce. The college premises
are also covered by wireless
Internet facilities in all areas
and are fully air-conditioned
throughout.
The college will be moving to
its new premises by June 2012
and the building will be ready
and functional for the following academic year. State of the
art technology will complement the new facility, raising it
to the highest standard.
The college will spread over
four ﬂoors, covering an area
of over 3,000m², with purpose
built graphic design, interior
and landscape architecture,
and photographic studios.
Computer labs, an auditorium,
lecture rooms equipped with
digital presentation facilities,
a library and resources centre,
internet stations, staff and faculty ofﬁces, a modern refectory, and a relaxing roof garden
complete the scene.
Alexander College believes
that the education offered is
unmatched, created in an environment of challenge, professionalism, collaboration and
fun. Its experience through
the years has shown that graduates maintain a good reputation and a positive impact in
the community. By strengthening the academic and social
experience of students, Alexander College invests in their
future which consequently
helps to fulﬁl the college’s ambitions, goals and vision. The
student remains the heart of
its success and achievement.
28
March 25, 2012 • SUNDAY MAIL
PrivateEducation
Old academic establishment takes
strides to recapture its glory days
Terra Santa College offers individualised education
for all ages from Kindergarten up to Lyceum
NE OF the oldest
educational establishments in Cyprus,
Terra Santa College
is making giant strides towards recapturing its past
glory as the ﬁnest and most
respected school on the island. The school, through
the careful implementation
of acknowledged quality indicators, is now in the ﬁnal
stage of a restructuring process that will guide it towards
improving standards over
time and lead towards the
betterment of the achievements of its students. Overall, these positive developments are already having the
anticipated impact on the
school improvement plan
that is rapidly being put into
effect.
O
History
The school was established
in 1646 in old Nicosia by a
group of monks of the Order
of Franciscan Fathers. They
called it Terra Santa School
(School of the Holy Land)
and it ﬁrst functioned as a
Primary School. In 1955 the
school moved to its new location in central Nicosia, in
the heart of the Acropolis
area. Housed in an immaculate building, it provides
an ideal environment for
both learners and staff. The
school comprises a Kindergarten (three to six years
old), Primary School (six to
12 years old), gymnasium (12
to 15 years old) and Lyceum
(15 to 18 years old).
General
The pupils of the school are
privileged to study in a truly
multi-ethnic and multi-cultural environment. Pupils
from all communities and
religious groups of Cyprus
blend harmoniously together
creating an earthly haven of
peaceful coexistence in their
effort to achieve academic
excellence and to promote
the motto of the founders of
the school: Virtue, Diligence
and Creativity. The School
Leaving Certiﬁcate is recognised by the government of
Cyprus as equal to government schools’ Leaving Certiﬁcate. It is also recognised
as an extra GCE by universities of the UK.
Individual attention
This is the essence of the
thinking of the founders
of the school which today
forms the milestone of our
thoughts. The school strives
to give children the kind of
individual attention which
is not available in public
schools or other big private
schools. Individual attention
is the critical component in
Terra Santa’s educational
philosophy. It is a philosophy that is squarely rooted
in classical Graeco-Roman
educational tenets.
Small classes
Terra Santa College believes
in small classes which unquestionably create conditions that encourage learning
and form the ideal environment for individual attention. Classes have on average 10 to 15 students. Small
classes where teachers and
pupils know each other well
seem to encourage learning.
It’s much easier to ﬁnd out
how a child learns and what
makes him tick academically
and in every other way when
you can get to know him.
Another advantage is that
small classes permit more
academic ground to be covered. The child is exposed to
more information and learns
more because he receives
more individual attention.
school adheres to the curriculum of the public schools
as it is emerging through the
rigorous debates that involve the ongoing academic
reforms. On top, extra hours
are offered for mathematics,
English language and Italian
language. In year four, the
range of subjects suggested
by the Ministry of Education are offered as well as
Individual
attention is
the critical
component in
Terra Santa’s
educational
philosophy
e-mail: terrasantacollege@cytanet.com.cy
web: http://www.terrasantacollegecyprus.org
the ability to follow certain
subjects to the IGCSE level
of Edexcel. These subjects
(which will be studied up to
the GCE level) include mathematics, physics, chemistry,
biology, economics and accounting (LCCI).
Not just one school
Terra Santa College is really
three schools in one. The
Academic proﬁles
of each student are
carefully monitored
Curriculum
The school curriculum has
been developed to provide
pupils with the necessary
qualiﬁcations to continue
with higher studies at universities abroad (mainly the
UK and Italy). Italian is rigorously taught at Terra Santa, in all classes, and pupils
gain good communicative
and writing skills of the language as well as the external
qualiﬁcations needed to see
them secure places at Italian universities. Many pupils
have turned to the University of Cyprus as of late as well
as other private universities
of the island.
Kindergarten also offers the
opportunity to children to
stay in the afternoon and
for those that decide to stay,
the school provides lunch.
In the primary school, the
ofﬁcial language is Greek,
but, great emphasis is given
to English and Italian to lay
the foundations for those
who decide to continue with
external, English-language
exams, such as GCEs or
even the exams of universities from Hungary and the
Czech Republic.
Why choose Terra Santa?
1. The school thrives on its
tradition and history of excellence.
2. It offers a safe and ideal
learning environment. The
pupils are closely monitored
so that any problems that
may arise are tackled immediately.
3. The academic proﬁle
of each and every pupil is
closely scrutinised so that
corrections are made where
needed.
4. As a non-proﬁt making establishment, the school asks
for very low fees compared
to other private establishments. These fees are furthermore generously subsidised by the government
for members of the minority
religious groups of Cyprus.
This is because the school is
considered to be a community school.
5. The school has great spaces for all sorts of activities,
including sporting ones.
Entrance examinations
They will be held on Monday
April 23 at 15:30. Applications and past papers can
be obtained from the Secretary at: 12 Lycourgos Street,
1519, Acropolis, Nicosia.
Registration for all classes
for school year 2012-2013 is
also possible, provided there
are vacancies.
What is taught?
For the ﬁrst three years, the
Child
centered
learning at
Lighthouse
THE LIGHTHOUSE is a
progressive,
ability-based
primary school created by
a multi-disciplinary team of
professionals. It is a not-forproﬁt, student-centered organisation whose mission is
to provide holistic education
using the world’s best performing schools as models.
The Lighthouse uses Custom, Original, Responsible
and Emotional (C.O.R.E.)
learning.
Custom education means
each child can have a personalised education plan
that motivates, challenges,
engages and inspires. This is
the essence of child-centered
education because it adapts
the curriculum to the child.
Original schooling is about
nurturing the unique, creative and divergent abilities of
students while encouraging
them to be strategic/critical
thinkers and independent
problem-solvers.
Furthermore, the school uses alternative pedagogies such as
cross-subject or experiential
learning and project-based
education to ensure every
one succeeds one way or another.
Responsible education is
about helping students de-
velop (for themselves) the
values and life-skills necessary to be better people and
active citizens. The school facilitates the conditions necessary for children to deﬁne
and apply the values/morals
needed to co-operate and
self-discipline.
Emotional education develops emotional intelligence
(EQ) which is self and otherawareness. This improves
self-esteem and interpersonal relations because for academic success what goes on
in the heart is just as important as concerns of the mind.
29
SUNDAY MAIL • March 25, 2012
PrivateEducation
Celebrating 90 years of
excellence in education
American Academy Nicosia extracurricular activities
this year included a trip tο CERN headquarters
HE American Academy Nicosia, one of
the oldest schools
on the island, with a
special place in the development of education in Cyprus,
celebrates its 90th year.
The school provides the
highest
quality
education in a caring environment for children from 3 to
19. The school welcomes
T
students from all cultural
backgrounds. This multinational environment creates
a stimulating atmosphere
which broadens the global
perspective of students.
Throughout its long history,
the school’s foundations
have been based on Christian principles which aim to
develop the physical, spiritual and moral attributes of
each student.
The school follows the
British National Curriculum starting in pre-school
with Early Years Foundation
targets through to GCSE,
IGCSE, AS and A2. The programmes of study are cohesive and integrated, facilitating transition between the
Key Stages. This challenging
and stimulating curriculum
A multinational
environment
creates a
stimulating
atmosphere
is enhanced by extracurricular activities which encourage the students to extend
their knowledge into areas
outside their daily academic
classes allowing them to enjoy learning and develop in-
The American Academy Nicosia
Founded 1922
ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS
FRIDAY 27th APRIL 2012
The American Academy Nicosia announces that
the Entrance Examinations for the school year
2012-2013 will take place on Friday 27th April
2012 from 3.00-6.00p.m.
Registration of new students has begun and will
continue up until Thursday 26th April 2012.
For further information regarding material to be
examined, sample papers and application forms,
please contact the school at 22-664266.
3A Michael Parides str., P.O.Box 21967, 1515 Nicosia
Fax: +357 22-669290
terpersonal skills needed in
today’s society.
Annually many events and
trips are incorporated into
the curriculum. In the current year some of the activities offered have included
students participating in
the MEDI-MUN in Berlin
and Cyprus.
Primary and Secondary
students travelled to Limassol to visit the Degas exhibition and returned full of enthusiasm and ideas to use in
their own art work.
More recently, the A-level
Physics students travelled
to Geneva for a four-day trip
to visit CERN, the European
Centre of Nuclear Research.
The trip was a huge success.
CERN was fascinating as it
gave the students an insight
into the world of particle
physics and how everything
in our universe is inﬁnitely
complex and yet everything
in creation works together
perfectly. All of these activities contribute to the
school’s philosophy in offering a creative and active
learning environment for
students, which ultimately
encourages them to become
self motivated learners.
Students graduate from
the school with British qualiﬁcations and an Apolytirion,
which is accredited by the
Ministry of Education and
Culture and recognised by
universities throughout the
United Kingdom, Europe
and the US.
30
March 25, 2012 • SUNDAY MAIL
PrivateEducation
Making the right choice Be the best you can
CHOOSING the right school is one of the
most important responsibilities parents
face. The Falcon School is proud to be able
to look at its graduating class each year, and
feel that the parents of students have made
the right and responsible
choice in sending their children there.
Founded in 1976, the Falcon School offers continuous education for girls and
boys of three years and
eight months to 18 years
old, in an active, inquiring learning environment
with extensive facilities for
studying languages, the sciences, the arts, music and a
wide range of sports. The
school is very aware of its
duty to provide students
with a broad and balanced
curriculum, aiming not only at high academic standards, but also at the fulﬁllment
of each student’s potential, wherever their
individual gifts may lie. A very full extracurricular life, encompassing cultural and
creative activities as well as a very full sports
programme is offered.
Falcon students and teachers are members of a multi-cultural, multi-racial school
community which looks to the future, while
cherishing traditional values. Its aim is to nurture
critical thinkers and lifelong learners, able to adapt
and work together, responding to the social and
technological
challenges
of the modern world. All
students follow a core curriculum which provides a
sound academic basis, and,
as they progress through
the school, they are able to
choose optional subjects
which interest them and for
which they show aptitude.
English is the language of
instruction and all students are prepared for
British curriculum IGCSE and GCE A level
examinations.
The school community is tight-knit and,
owing to its small class sizes, teachers know
their students very well. News of successes
spreads fast. If difﬁculties arise, teachers
are able to react speedily to students’ needs.
There is regular contact with parents, formally through scheduled full reports and
parent-teacher meetings, and informally
on an ad hoc basis via telephone contact or
email.
Each year the school is proud to celebrate
the high level of achievement of all its students, from the youngest members of the kindergarten class to the young men and women of graduating classes taking up places at
prestigious universities around the world.
The school
community is tightknit and, owing to
its small class sizes,
teachers know their
students very well
Falcon aims to
nurture critical
thinkers
Open evening for prospective
students and parents: April 4, 6.30pm.
Visit: www.falconschool.ac.cy
The Falcon School
Entrance Examinations
Monday 23rd April – 2.00 pm
Prospective Students and Parents Evening
Wednesday 4th April – 6.30 pm
Join us to find out about our School
and our 35 years of educational experience, nurturing:
A
Exxcceelllleennccee
miicc E
Accaaddeem
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ow
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Visit our website at www.falconschool.ac.cy
Contact us at falconschool@cytanet.com.cy or on 22-424781
THIS YEAR, Logos School
proudly celebrates its 39th
anniversary. As one of the
oldest English schools in
Limassol, it has a wellestablished reputation for
solid academic and moral
standards. It is high praise
that
former
graduates
choose this school for their
own children.
‘Be the best that you can
be’ is a philosophy that has
deﬁned Logos School from
its inception. Students from
kindergarten to A-Level
are urged to reach for their
highest potential not only
academically, but in every
aspect of their life. The staff
is committed to promoting educational excellence
along with personal, moral
and social dignity. It is the
school’s ambition to create an environment which
blends professionalism with
Christian warmth and genuine care for individuals.
Logos strives for ﬁrst-class
academic results from all
children, from age three
to 18. Primary classes follow the British curriculum
while secondary students
work towards their Cambridge IGCSE, AS and ALevel exams. The following
IGCSE subjects, which are
among the most popular
chosen internationally, are
all offered at Logos School:
English (First and Second Language), Literature,
Mathematics (Core and Extended), Geography, History, French, Greek, Business
Logos strives for ﬁrst
class academic results
from all children
Studies, Art, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, IT, PE and Religious Studies. It is proud of
the Cambridge examination
certiﬁcates earned by students in the past and conﬁdent that future years will
see similar successes.
With a student body of just
over 300 pupils, Logos has
the luxury of small class sizes with plenty of individual
attention. Primary classes
do not exceed 24 (with no
more than 20 students in the
early years) and the higher
level secondary courses often provide tutorial-style
instruction for less than ﬁve
students. Over the years, the
intimate atmosphere has
been a trademark of Logos
School.
Many families choose Logos
School because of its strong
reputation in Limassol as a
school that is devoted to the
whole child. The school believes that its role in developing young people who are
truly prepared to make a difference in their world means
instilling discipline, respect
and integrity. It takes moral
development seriously and
refuses to compromise in
the shifting sands of today’s
values.
Looking to the future, the
governors of Logos School
are committed to building a
brand new school on a new
site with ﬁrst class facilities to further enhance the
learning experience of our
students.
31
SUNDAY MAIL • March 25, 2012
PrivateEducation
Child led learning experience
Let your child benefit from a true Montessori education at Little Gems
UCKED away in Engomi, one can ﬁnd
Little Gems Montessori Nursery – the
only nursery school in Cyprus accredited by the Montessori Evaluation and Accreditation Board (MEAB),
UK - a genuine Montessori
setting committed to deliver Montessori education
through the recognition of
meeting the standards and
criteria of a Montessori accrediting body. Accreditation is an important aspect
in educational establishments, and parents can rest
assured their children are
attending a genuine setting
at Little Gems Montessori
Nursery.
Many people have heard
of Montessori but may not
necessarily know what it
entails. Therefore an accredited setting reduces the
possibility of nurseries calling themselves Montessori,
where they do not follow the
T
Montessori philosophy and
method of teaching.
Little Gems Montessori
Nursery seeks to provide a
loving, caring and stimulating environment in which
children may learn, grow and
develop under the guidance
of caring teachers, other
parents and their peers, following the Montessori philosophy and method. An
environment where children
will ﬂourish, build independence and grow in conﬁdence
in a family atmosphere.
The ethos of a Montessori
school is that the education
is pupil-led. Children learn
and progress at their own
pace, developing independence and an understanding
of the world around them.
At Little Gems Montessori
Nursery children are offered
these unique opportunities
of self-development by virtue of specially trained staff
as two areas of Montessori
teachers’ expertise lie in being skilled and careful observers who notice readiness
within the child and, creating a beautiful and carefully
prepared environment.
The aims and objectives
at Little Gems Montessori
Nursery are:
• To promote the development of happy, conﬁdent and
well-balanced children
• To provide for children
aged 2-6 years old in Cyprus.
As Cyprus is a multi-cultural
society it will aim to meet
the needs of children from
Children learn
and progress at
their own pace,
developing
independence and
an understanding
of the world
around them
diverse cultures and backgrounds
• To foster and promote emotional well-being, a positive
self-image, self-conﬁdence,
self-esteem and a feeling of
community
• To allow children to enjoy
their childhood as the unique
time it is, to play, to laugh, to
relate and to unfold their potentialities
• To offer a holistic approach
to the child’s development
• To lay solid foundations for
future schooling where chil-
dren are allowed to follow
their own nature, supported
by healthy boundaries.
The Montessori approach
to education is a holistic approach, which aims to foster
the child’s unique skills, curiosity, spontaneous questioning and positive self-esteem.
Teachers follow the children’s interests that are supported by an uninterrupted
work cycle, which gives the
child the freedom for individual development in noncompetitive surroundings.
The carefully planned and
prepared environment is
rich in quality materials with
clear purposes combined
with personalised, high social interaction where the
children have both freedom
of movement and choice.
The approach brings a wonderful calmness and a low
buzz to the classroom, which
is often commented on by
visitors. Moreover, these aspects foster trust and friendship between children and
practitioners rather than the
more common teacher-child
scenario.
Little Gems Montessori
Nursery aims to create a
close relationship between
home and nursery to make
parents feel as welcome in
the nursery as their child is.
Regular parents’ evenings,
discussion evenings, work-
Classroom
settings are
not as rigid as
in traditional
schools
For further information please call Carola on:
22 351319 or 99 950070, littlegemsmontessori@
gmail.com, www.littlegemsmontessori.com
shops etc. are held to make
parents feel further involved
in their child’s learning and
development.
A question often asked by
parents is: ‘How will my child
ﬁt in to mainstream education after attending a Montessori setting?’ Studies carried out in the UK and USA
have shown that children
beneﬁt from the Montessori
way of learning as they are
better prepared to enter a
mainstream classroom due
to their ability to work individually as well as in groups;
having been encouraged to
make decisions from an early
age; being problem solvers;
having been encouraged to
exchange ideas and discuss
their work freely, and; having
good communication skills.
The opening hours at Little
Gems Montessori Nursery
are 8am to 12.30pm. An early
drop-off from 7.15 is offered
and an extended day is operated with exciting themes
from 12.30 to 3pm. A ﬁveweek summer school is offered throughout the month
of July.
32
March 25, 2012 • SUNDAY MAIL
PrivateEducation
Life long learners
HE American International School in
Cyprus inspires students to become enthusiastic life-long learners
who value integrity, cultural
diversity and the pursuit of
excellence. Using an American and International Baccalaureate curriculum, its
qualiﬁed teachers prepare
students to be creative, critical thinkers and socially responsible world citizens.
T
The International
Baccalaureate and High
Academic Standards
The IB Diploma is a comprehensive and rigorous two
year curriculum leading to
an external examination for
students in their last two
years of high school. The
aim of the IB programme is
to develop internationally
minded adults who promote
international understanding
through a shared academic
experience. Students who
satisfy its requirements demonstrate a strong academic
commitment to learning
both in mastery of subject
content and in the development of attitudes and skills
necessary for future success
in a world that has become
increasingly globalised and
competitive. Courses are offered through the following
groups: Mathematics, Sciences, Individuals and Societies, English Literature,
A Second Language and the
Elective Arts. The Extended
Essay opportunity prepares
students for scholarly writing expected at university
level. The Theory of Knowledge class teaches students
how to critically examine an
issue while the CAS Component supports their individuality. The IB Diploma
is highly respected by all
The American International School in Cyprus inspires
students to take on skills that will remain with them for life
Students graduate with an International Baccalaureate
universities world-wide and
accepted in the UK, as well
as the USA and Canada, and
has the widest reach internationally.
The American International School in Cyprus is
committed to a number of
internationally-minded governing statements and beliefs
which shape its approaches,
outlook and policies. The
AISC Human Rights Policy
which can be found at www.
aisc.ac.cy governs all interactions in the school including staff and students and
the way it approaches conﬂict and decisions. In 2010,
its Human Rights Policy
Numerous
extracurricular
activities are
offered
The Theory of Knowledge
class teaches students how
to critically examine an issue
while the CAS Component
supports their individuality
The American International School in Cyprus
• Accredited by the Middle States
Association of Colleges & Schools,
USA and the International Baccalaureate (IB)
• University Acceptances Worldwide
• Greek Language Program for Native and Foreign Speakers and 25
other Foreign Languages offered
• ESL (English as a Second
Language Program)
• Highly Qualiﬁed Teachers
Tel: 22316345 – Fax: 22316549
Address: 11 Kassos Street, 1086 Nicosia
Website: www.aisc.ac.cy
International Baccalaureate Tradition Since 1994
• IB classes for the last two years
of High School
• Highly trained and experienced IB
teachers, and examiners.
• Students graduate with double diploma:
American Diploma and IB
Contact our IB Coordinator by phone or email cmcgartlin@aisc.ac.cy
for more information, or visit our website www.aisc.ac.cy
Your International School in Nicosia
There are still spaces available for students who meet our admission requirements.
Contact the Admissions Director Ms. Barakat at sbarakat@aisc.ac.cy for admissions packet or telephone the school.
was developed by parents,
staff and students and particular attention was given
to everyone’s freedom from
being set apart or mocked
because of national origin
and accent, race, gender, religion, culture, social class,
intelligence, sexuality, physical strength, handicap, size,
features, friendship groups
and age. The Human Rights
Policy ensures everyone at
AISC has a right to safety
and security and the community values the importance of not making any
one sector of the school feel
undervalued or underrepresented.
25 Foreign languages
offered in 2012
From September 2012, AISC
will be offering 25 foreign
languages in its international language programme to
support 21st century skills.
AISC believes that multilingualism is a critical factor
for intercultural awareness
and understanding as well
as post-secondary studies
and career advancements.
College preparation and
career navigation
Great care is taken in university counseling at AISC and
the counseling department
uses Naviance Software as
a family-school connection
in guiding students in making plans about course and
faculty selection, the university application and career
inventories. For each year
in grades 9-12 students take
a seminar class which includes teaching study skills,
stress management, resume
building, career research
and career assessments, development of the personal
statement, searches for summer school enrichment programmes, transcripts and
individualised guidance for
the completion of UK and
North American and international university applications. Parents are given their
For more information
about AISC,
contact: Ms. Sandra
Barakat, Director of
Admissions,
Tel: 22 316345
child’s Naviance account to
continue the dialogue about
future careers and planning
for college/university. AISC
is also a PSAT, SAT and ACT
Testing centre and provides
SAT preparation throughout
the year.
Service learning
Service learning is central
to the school’s programme.
Students, from all divisions elementary, middle and high
school - are involved in service to others and encouraged
to volunteer. They may be
helping to clean up community parks or learning how to
plan a charitable event. In
the middle school and high
school students are actively
engaged in a buddy system
in school, and in outside
agencies to assist community members. Students learn
how to instill a sense of giving. AISC believes that students become well-rounded
through experiences and exchanges with others.
Extracurricular activities
and leadership programmes
AISC students have the opportunity to get involved in
Student Council Leadership
Programmes, Model United
Nations, Robotics Clubs,
Math Counts Competitions,
Athletic Teams and Activities, Knowledge Bowl trips,
and the Central European
Schools Association Athletics and cultural events,
Duke of Edinburgh, Chess
Club, Photography Club,
Yearbook Club, and numerous more activities to enrich
students’ lives.
AISC provides a world
class education. It prepares
students for a bright and exciting future.
33
SUNDAY MAIL • March 25, 2012
PrivateEducation
English private school with
an international outlook
The Heritage Private School offers a friendly yet disciplined
environment for school age children in the Limassol area
THE AWARD-winning Heritage Private School and Institute is an impressive sight
in the hills along the main
Limassol to Troodos road,
and continues to build on its
successes.
With 800 culturally diverse
students aged 2½ to 18 on
roll, the school is truly international in its intake and
philosophy. “We are proud to
hold the prestigious British
Council International School
Award for ‘outstanding development of the international
dimension’ in the curriculum,”
says Dr Kypros Kouris, Director and Secondary School
Headteacher. “We were also
delighted to be selected as
the only business from the
education sector to represent
Cyprus in the 2011 European
Business Awards”.
This academically selective
school aims to provide the
same high quality of education as a well-respected UK
private school, yet with very
competitive fees. The school
is approved by the Ministry
of Education and Culture in
Cyprus, and by the UK’s Department for Education. All
teaching is in English, and the
school uses the UK National
Curriculum and standard assessments, including Year
9 Cambridge Checkpoints,
IGCSEs, AS and A Levels,
ECDL qualiﬁcations, French
DELF and Greek competency
examinations. The Heritage
is a University of Cambridge
International
Fellowship
Centre, and a centre for the
University of Cambridge International
Examinations
and Edexcel International
Examinations. Limited class
sizes give a high level of attention and support for each student, and regular homework
consolidates and enhances
learning.
“Our school is a caring community, aiming to develop the
full potential of every individual. Students are encouraged
to learn personal values to
guide them throughout life,”
says co-director of the school
and holder of the 2011 Cyprus
Business Woman of the Year
Award Zoe Kouris. “We help
the children to accept responsibility for their learning
from an early age, and to always be proud of their efforts
and achievements,” adds
headteacher of the Kinder-
garten and Primary School
Gary Butcher. The School
therefore nurtures an ethos
of friendliness, social responsibility, mutual trust and respect within an environment
that is appropriately orderly
and ﬁrm, with everyone knowing the standards expected
of them. Good behaviour is
encouraged through rewards
and commendations.
The well-qualiﬁed and experienced staff are kept up
to date with UK and EU educational developments and
standards, and visitors comment on the high level of interaction between teachers
and students. Many students
achieve exceptional examination results, some receiving
Cambridge or Edexcel High
External Examination Results for the Academic Year 2010/2011
We are very proud to announce the names of our students who have been commended with
the following academic awards following the results of the Summer 2011 examinations:
THE HERITAGE PRIVATE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Lisa Kowaleski: for the best overall IGCSE results
Sava Handjiev & Vladislav Lyadkov: for the best overall GCE AS Level results
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS
OUTSTANDING LEARNER AWARDS 2011
Lisa Kowaleski: First Place Best Across 9 Cambridge IGCSEs
and also Top in Cyprus for IGCSE Business Studies
Diana Kantarovich: Second Place Best Across 9 Cambridge IGCSEs
Gala Malbasic: First Place Best Across 8 Cambridge IGCSEs
Jay Massad: First Place Best Across 7 Cambridge IGCSEs
and also Top in Cyprus for IGCSE Mathematics
Anna Eliseeva: Second Place Best Across 7 Cambridge IGCSEs
and also Top in Cyprus for IGCSE English Literature
Alexander Galaktionov: Top in Cyprus for IGCSE English as a Second Language
Anastasiya Efremova: High Achievement IGCSE First Language Russian
Tor-Anders Larsen: High Achievement in IGCSE Global Perspectives
Mariana Hindeleh: High Achievement in IGCSE First Language Arabic
Aline Derlagen: High Achievement in IGCSE First Language Portuguese
Alkiviadis Avgoustidis: Top in Cyprus in A Level Business Studies
EDEXCEL INTERNATIONAL HIGH ACHIEVER AWARDS 2011
Philonas Demetriou: Highest Subject Mark in Cyprus (joint) for IGCSE Modern Greek
Lisa Kowaleski: Highest International Subject Mark (joint) in GCSE Fine Art
Cody-Leigh Bond: Highest International Subject Mark (joint) in GCSE Fine Art
Congratulations to our Students and many thanks to our Staff.
Achiever Awards. The school
believes in educational continuity, so all may stay on for
Years 12-13, and relevant,
quality work experience can
be arranged. Students graduate with external examination
certiﬁcates, and with a formal
Leaving Certiﬁcate (Apolytirion). They are fully supported
with higher education applications, and typically, all leavers progress to university.
“Every student can excel at
something,” says Dr Kouris,
“so we offer many academic,
cultural, sporting and extracurricular activities to help
everyone increase self-esteem, maturity and ﬁnd their
own niche.” In addition, the
Summer School offers a valuable and rewarding experience during the vacation.
The Heritage Private Institute offers many subjects
including English, Greek,
Russian, ICT and sports
coaching, with a record of
excellent results, and many
other afternoon courses for
children and adults.
One of the bonuses of studying at the school is its stunning location with mountain
and sea views, and its show-
Clear view: the school
piece 1,500 seat outdoor
amphitheatre, which hosts
school and community dramatic and musical productions.
There is ample car parking
for the school run, and the
school also arranges a bus
service from various locations
around Limassol.
The innovatively-designed
curves of the main school
buildings contain well-lit
classrooms with interactive
whiteboards, heating and air
conditioning, to provide learning in comfort all year round.
Creative displays of work and
art exhibitions always enhance the walls. Performing
Arts are particularly strong
at the school, using specialist drama studios and soundinsulated music rooms. Out
of school hours, PATH (Performing Arts at The Heritage)
also offers classes in Music,
Dance and Drama. There are
well-equipped science and
computer laboratories and
a Learning Resource Centre
containing a well-stocked library, study desks and computers.
The school’s sports facilities
include tennis courts, ﬁvea-side football pitches and
cricket practice lanes. The
sports teams, particularly
the football and basketball
teams, enjoy great success,
and good sportsmanship and
team spirit are cultivated.
The School Cafeteria serves
nourishing,
home-cooked
food, and the diligent team
of cleaning and maintenance
staff ensure that the buildings and grounds provide a
clean, safe and healthy environment in which to work,
study and play.
An additional state-of-theart Early Years Building will
be opening in September
2012 to accommodate classes
from Nursery to Year 1, which
means that additional school
places are now available for
those age groups.
The Heritage Private School
4549 Palodia, Lemesos, Cyprus. Tel: 25 367018, Fax:
25 359377, administration@heritageschool.ac.cy,
www. heritageschool.ac.cy
34
March 25, 2012 • SUNDAY MAIL
PrivateEducation
Highgate celebrates with 20 years of
creativity, innovation and excellence
Importance is put on language learning as Greek, French and Spanish are offered
HIGHGATE
SCHOOL’S
motto, ‘Gateway to Learning’ is about nurturing children to become good people
through an education that
is inspirational in nature, holistic in perspective, global in
context and responsible in
practice. This is achieved by
providing a world-class education through a challenging,
well balanced international
curriculum in a dynamic environment. The children and
young people are encouraged
to sensitively embrace global
perspectives, respect diversity and individual needs, to
enable them to become empowered to act responsibly in
a complex, changing world.
The curriculum is designed
to be developmentally appropriate for each age group and
involves co-operation with
parents, family, community
and the world around us.
The school recognises the
importance of speaking more
than one language and so offers additional languages including Greek, French and
Spanish.
In a multilingual environment students learn from
each other, enriching and
broadening their awareness,
respecting their right to be
educated and to contribute.
Offering bilingual and trilingual programmes enables a
variety of opportunities while
it brings youth together, aspiring to be informed citizens of
today and the future.
Older students are provided
with a challenging curriculum
Psychology, Sociology and
General Studies and others.
As one of the ﬁrst schools in
Cyprus to include Careers
Education in the curriculum,
Highgate also teaches students how to best communicate their ideas at interviews
and choose subjects appropriately for their future studies.
Progress is monitored close-
of paramount importance,
and all staff and parents are
offered training with the leading experts.
Naturally, a school’s primary concern is education.
However, the school believes
that what is offered outside
the classroom is of equal value in developing the whole
child. As part of an interna-
Gateway to learning: the Nicosia school
to prepare them for life. Emphasis is placed on teaching
these transferable skills in an
age dominated by information
and where critical thought is
paramount. The stimulating
curriculum goes far beyond
the more traditional subjects
of Maths and Science, to include Drama, Photography,
Media and Film studies, European and Cultural Studies,
ly, where individual meetings
and support are provided to
both students and parents,
setting achievable academic
targets geared to the individual abilities of each pupil. The
school prides itself on the excellent pastoral care system
provided by a professional
team who listen, support and
prioritise every child’s well-being. Emotional health today is
tional European community,
the students’ perspectives
and horizons are broadened
through involvement in the
many after-school activities,
which include Comenius, Eco
school projects, as well as the
exclusive participation in collaborative projects with many
Foundations and schools
abroad, which include Kids
Save the Earth, Global Lead-
ership Foundation and the
Solar Tree Foundation. Highgate also hosts an islandwide
creative writing competition
with other schools and focus
is also given to the sporting
spirit which runs high as students compete in internal
and external tournaments.
A Sports Leadership certiﬁcate will also be taught next
year, enabling students to
become a qualiﬁed sports
assistant coach.
Forming close relations with
the local community, Highgate actively engages students in many activities. It
represents the International
Art Miles project, which enables the school to mural paint
in Cyprus and abroad. Working with the elderly in the local area and fund raising for
children in need are but a few
of the responsibilities of the
Pupils, Council. Other initiatives include the annual talent show, hosting social and
cultural evenings for parents
and students as well as having themed weeks such as Art
Week, Science Fair and Cooking Competitions. All of these
are fun as well as providing
students and staff the oppor-
tunity to meet and share beyond the classroom.
As a teacher training school,
Highgate has close collaboration with a number of universities both local and abroad.
The local European University is closely working with the
music department to organise a concert in June, called
One World. Continuous collaboration with Buckingham
University enables the school
to offer support and training
practice to many adults each
year.
The school’s ultimate goal
is to inspire and motivate
students to want to learn for
themselves so they leave with
a solid education that opens
doors for them which enable
them to succeed in their chosen career, with interests that
develop into lifelong passions,
lifelong friends and fond
memories. The school sees itself as a place where students
are well prepared for adult
life following in the well-established Highgate tradition
of tolerance and compassion,
and students are people who
are responsible, willing and
able to contribute to society
in a meaningful way.
35
SUNDAY MAIL • March 25, 2012
PrivateEducation
Traditional values at modern school
Xenion’s bright, lively and fresh thinking reflected in the physical environment
HEN YOU walk
into Xenion High
School you are immediately struck
by how big and stylish the
school is. Walking into the
original building, just off April
1 Avenue, you pass through
an airy reception area, made
comfortable with couches
and ﬂoral displays. From
here you continue out into a
paved courtyard with ﬂower
beds and fruit trees. Around
this courtyard are a second
classroom block and the amphitheatre, which seats 600
people in air-conditioned
comfort. Xenion High School,
while valuing the traditional
values of hard work and commitment, is nonetheless a
truly 21st century school.
The school was founded in
2001 by owner and director
Katelitsa Zouvani Phylactou and is recognised as a
private secondary school by
the Ministry of Education. It
is fully licensed as a school
and regularly inspected. The
school consists of three main
buildings; the main block,
which houses the administrative ofﬁces and secretarial staff as well as classrooms
and staffrooms; Block B, a
newer block of 30 classrooms
and the amphitheatre, an
indoor, purpose-built rehearsal and performance
space with an exam roomcum-dance space above it.
All classrooms and common
areas are air-conditioned,
pleasant and spacious. Each
classroom block has a fully
equipped computer laboratory and there are labs for all
three sciences in the original
building. The campus includes an Astroturfed ﬁvea-side pitch, volleyball and
basketball courts and offers
facilities for a wide range of
outdoor games and sports.
The school is modern, attractive and welcoming. This
may seem to be of secondary
importance when it comes
to education but there is no
doubt that the surroundings
in which we expect students
to learn are very important.
At Xenion High School this
principle is fully understood,
so everything about the
school is bright, lively and
fresh because that’s the kind
of thinking which is encouraged at Xenion.
By providing an attractive, well-organised and
purposeful
environment,
Xenion High School allows
and encourages each student to do their very best.
This emphasis on enabling
each individual to reach
their maximum potential
also informs the teaching at
Xenion High School. It is a
seven-year school and entry
is by examination in English, Greek and Mathematics. Classes are relatively
small, at around 20 students
maximum, and lessons are
planned to make sure that
students effectively cover
both Greek and English curricula. Classes are taught
in English and in Greek
by highly-qualiﬁed teachers, many of whom studied
and trained in Britain, and
Xenion students work towards both the Apolyterion
and towards gaining a signiﬁcant number and level
of passes in external exams
like IGCSE and A-Level. Xenion students are also entered for the international
W
English Language tests,
IELTS and TOEFL, which
are required by British and
American universities. This
affords them the choice of
going on to university not
only in Greece or Cyprus
but also in the UK, the USA
and elsewhere. Xenion pupils are regularly honoured
by Cambridge International
Examinations, a major governing body of IGCSE and
A-Levels, for their outstanding performance, scoring
the highest marks in Cyprus
and, occasionally, the world.
As well as promoting academic success, Xenion High
School encourages students
to become responsible, creative and active members
of society. The school ﬁelds
teams at local and national
sporting events and Xenion
pupils have many medalwinning performances to
their credit in swimming,
team games and track and
ﬁeld competitions. In fact,
one Xenion student is currently preparing to represent Cyprus in the 2012 Lon-
The school
is an active
member of both
the Leonardo
and SocratesComenius
programmes
don Olympics. Creativity is
fostered through Art, Drama, Dance and Music both
during school hours and as
extra-curricular activities.
Groups from Xenion participate regularly and successfully in local and national
cultural events and competitions. There is a wide range
of after-school activities in
the form of clubs, covering
themes as diverse as Journalism and Maths, which
stimulate interest and develop skills in all sorts of areas.
Xenion students are part
of the MERA programme,
which involves students in
scientiﬁc research and they
have won prizes in the annual MERA Awards. Social
awareness and responsibility are encouraged by means
of involvement with such
activities as blood donation
and charity fund-raising and
Xenion students are expected to see themselves not just
as part of the school but as
part of their community and
their country.
There is also an international dimension to education at Xenion. The school
is an active member of both
the Leonardo and SocratesComenius
programmes.
These are European initiatives which promote co-operation and understanding
between young people in EU
countries. As part of Leonardo, Xenion collaborates with
schools in England and elsewhere and exchange visits
are organised, during which
students take part in work
experience in a wide range
of professions. Comenius is
dedicated to the enhancement of education across
Europe and students from
Xenion, together with their
counterparts in ﬁve other
European countries, undertake long-term cultural
projects on subjects such as
Food and Tourism. Xenion
is also an active participant
in the European Youth Parliament and in MEDI.M.UN,
the Mediterranean Mini UN.
From the local to the national to the international
stage, Xenion High School
offers a balanced, stimulating blend of 21st century
progress and traditional
values which is based on a
sincere belief in the school
motto that ‘Knowledge is
Freedom and Power’.
Far more than academic achievement is given importance
36
March 25, 2012 • SUNDAY MAIL
PrivateEducation
Transplanting the student
experience to Cyprus
For more information
visit
www.uclancyprus.ac.cy
or call 24 812121
The first British
university on Cypriot
soil is set to open its
doors in October
to 500 students
By Natalie Hami
THE ISLAND’S ﬁrst British
university, the University of
Central Lancashire, Cyprus
(UCLan), will be opening its
doors to students this upcoming academic year 20122013.
The university, currently
under construction in Pyla,
will initially offer a four year
undergraduate degree in a
variety of studies including
business, hospitality, law,
computing and mathematics. Future courses include
sports management and digital design for fashion, among
others.
“The degrees will be recognised by both Cyprus and
the UK and we aim to attract
those who would’ve gone to
the UK,” said UCLan Cyprus
Rector Dr Lee Chatﬁeld.
UCLan in the UK is a major
UK university with students
and staff numbering around
35,000, putting UCLan in the
country’s top ten universities.
Despite opening its doors
here in the middle of a recession, Chatﬁeld said that “a
disadvantage can be turned
to an advantage”. He referenced the economic difﬁculties faced by the UK during
the 1980s: “universities responded by closing departments,
however,
UCLan
took the opposite approach
and bought into the market,
which helped us become the
seventh largest university in
the UK.”
This year was the ﬁrst year
more Cypriots chose to study
on the island (21,095) rather
than enlist in universities
abroad (20,051).
Chatﬁeld clariﬁed that as
the project is just getting
started they are going for a
“modest” building complex
as well as “modest” courses.
The university complex –
which is a three-storey building – will include a 350-seat
amphitheatre, library and
cafeteria as well as lecturing
areas and wi-ﬁ throughout.
There will also be an online
learning platform to support
all taught modules.
Plans for the future involve a student bar, union
and accommodation on the
grounds.
UCLan also plans to expand
on a more academic level, in
terms of being able to offer
masters programmes for its
students, as Chatﬁeld said he
noticed that there is a strong
tradition among Cypriots of
staying on for post graduate
studies.
Tuition fees for undergraduates will be €8,995 and €9,450
for postgraduates, which
includes the 10 per cent discount that students will receive each year.
The university will be able
to accommodate around 500
students and the teaching
will be in English.
Further advantages to setting up a British university
in Cyprus include giving both
Cypriot and British students
the opportunity to transfer
to either country to study the
same course if they want. “We
want UK students to come
here too as well as tempting
Cypriot students to the UK…
Modest: UCLan
Cyprus rector Dr
Lee Chatﬁeld
and the standards will be
identical,” said Chatﬁeld.
“To me it’s a Cypriot university but just a new type,”
he added, describing the
concept as “transplanting
the student experience” to
the island.
The signiﬁcance in its location is simply down to land
availability as well as the fact
that it is close to the airport
and close to Larnaca town. It
is currently under construction but according to Chatﬁeld is on schedule and the
building will be ready by August. “At some point in the
future we want to create a
slip road off the motorway so
students don’t have to come
through Pyla,” he added.
Within the next month
Chatﬁeld will start interviews
for academic staff for which
interest has already been
shown from mostly Cypriots
who are working abroad.
As of yet the only publicity
the university has received
has been via the international education fair that took
place in February. According
to Chatﬁeld some students
have already shown interest, however, he believes that
more interest will be shown
in July and especially August
when students begin to go
through clearing.
However he feels optimistic
that they will be getting a full
house of 500 students during
the ﬁrst year of its establishment.
In the current economic
climate another signiﬁcant
portion of the university’s
and Chatﬁeld’s activities will
centre around building up
links with employers. “Students must be able to look
beyond this being just a period to study… they need to
choose areas which would
make good careers too,” said
Chatﬁeld, adding that he
wants graduates to be able
to get graduate level jobs.
He clariﬁed that a lot of
the courses are intended for
this. “For example we’ve got
courses in tourism and hospitality because that’s important here,” he added.
Magic films shown to improve
children’s imagination in study
Differences are shown in
modular and linear tests
By Alison Kershaw
TEENAGERS are more
likely to score higher grades
in English literature, maths,
religious education and ICT
GCSEs if they sit exams at
the end of the course, rather
than in “bitesize” pieces,
research suggests.
A study by the British exams regulator Ofqual reveals
“statistically signiﬁcant” differences in results, depending on the type of course a
student took.
It found that for most of
the subjects analysed, the
difference was around 0.2 of
a grade.
The results were all adjusted for pupils’ ability, the
type of school they attended
and gender.
The study shows that in
English literature, maths,
information and communication technology (ICT) and
WATCHING Harry Potter
ﬁlms could make young children more creative, research
suggests.
A study by researchers at
Lancaster University has
found that showing youngsters ﬁlms that have a magical element can improve
their imagination.
It concludes that there
could be some educational
beneﬁt to exposing young
children to books and ﬁlms
about magic.
The small-scale study involved 52 four to six-year-old
children.
The youngsters were split
into two groups and shown
two 15-minute clips from
Harry Potter And The Philosopher‘s Stone.
The ﬁrst group saw clips
with a “magical” content,
such as witches and wizards performing spells, using
wands and ﬂying on broomsticks, while the second
group saw scenes with the
same characters, but without any of the magical content.
Afterwards, the youngsters
were given a series of tests,
including acting out different
scenarios, such as pretending to be a rabbit or a car;
thinking of different ways to
put a plastic cup into a bin,
and to think of other uses for
the cup, such as pretending
it was a drum.
The six-year-olds were also
asked to draw a series of real
and non-existent objects.
The children were scored
for their ﬂuency - the number
of alternative solutions they
found, and their originality.
For one test they were also
scored on their imagination.
The ﬁndings show that after watching the clips, the
group who watched the
magical scenes in general
scored “signiﬁcantly better”
in all three areas than their
peers in the other group.
The researchers, from Lancaster University‘s Department of Psychology, concluded: “Magical thinking
enables children to create
fantastic imaginary worlds,
and in this way enhances
children‘s capacity to view
the world and act upon it
from multiple perspectives.
“The results suggested
that books and videos about
magic might serve to expand children‘s imagination
and help them to think more
creatively.”
Magic: Harry Potter and the
Philosopher’s Stone
RE, candidates achieved
higher grades when they took
all of their exams at the end
of the two-year course - socalled “linear” assessment.
Youngsters who took
English and geography were
more likely to get a higher
grade if their qualiﬁcation
was split into modules or
“bitesize” units, meaning
they sat papers throughout
the course.
The report concludes: “The
analysis showed noticeable differences between
the subjects, with English
literature, ICT, mathematics
and RE speciﬁcations showing a small tendency towards
higher grades via linear assessment, while candidates
taking English and geography
speciﬁcations were more likely to achieve higher grades
via modular assessments.”