3 boarding schools producing top-class graduates

When it comes to offering an education that will equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to face an increasingly globalised future, boarding schools reign supreme. This is a natural result of their features, which typically consist of rigorous advanced-level courses, a wide range of extracurriculars and premium pastoral care.

This lets children explore their passions, instead of merely chasing grades. At the same time, they get to live and learn in a supportive community of peers, teachers and staff — all of whom are rooting for their success.

A good boarding school offers all this — but the best boarding schools have the added perk of providing students with the right foundation that will not only prepare them for college but also open doors to many possibilities and opportunities in their life and careers.

For a boarding school that shapes young minds to become successful graduates, check out these three boarding schools:

Annie Wright Schools offers IB curricula to students from Preschool to Grade 12. Source: Annie Wright Schools

Annie Wright Schools

Ranked the #1 boarding high school in Washington, Annie Wright Schools are renowned as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. Annie Wright is one of the few IB continuum schools in the US that offer IB curriculum to students from Preschool to Grade 12. This lets students pursue their curiosity and passions without interruption, as they follow a programming that emphasises student inquiry, intellectual risk-taking and global-mindedness.

Here, each student feels known, honoured, and inspired on their own individual academic journey, beginning in Preschool and culminating in the Diploma Programme for Grades 11-12. While pursuit of the IB Diploma is optional, all Upper Schools students do take IB classes at some point in their academic career. Annie Wright’s unique coordinate model means that two separate Upper Schools for boys and girls allow students to take classes in a single-gender environment, with ample opportunity to mingle and socialise outside of class.

Learning doesn’t stop in the classroom at Annie Wright. The opportunities for growth and development are endless with extracurricular and co-curricular activities for every student. From theatre and music to sports like soccer, tennis and golf, to clubs like Model United Nations and student-chosen electives, a plethora of activities encourage every student to explore the athletics and the arts.

After excelling in the classroom and on the field and stage, boarders return to their dorm rooms to develop deep friendships. In this home away from home for Upper School students — one of few boarding options for international students who want to attend school on the US West Coast — they’re cared for by doting and nurturing dorm parents who also lead them on many excursions and other offerings in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Click here to begin your student’s journey at Annie Wright.

At Branksome Hall, young girls build relationships that last a lifetime. Source: Branksome Hall Facebook

Branksome Hall

Since its founding in 1903, thousands have emerged from its picturesque urban campus in the heart of Toronto as great women. They go on to the best colleges and universities around the world. They make a difference in various fields and endeavours. They forge awe-inspiring careers and lives.

Their success is a direct reflection of the Branksome Hall experience. At this all-years IB World School, students take part in an academically-excellent programme in tandem with unmatched commitments to global engagement and well-being.

From Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, Branksome Hall girls receive the full benefits of the IB curriculum. Branksome Hall is the only independent girls’ school in Toronto to offer the International Baccalaureate exclusively. They study English, Mathematics, Sciences, Technology, Physical Education, the Arts (Drama, Music, Visual Art), humanities and a foreign language every year. Whichever subject they take, they are nurtured to become critical thinkers and effective communicators of their ideas and opinions. The result? Habits that last through a lifetime of shaping a better world.
As Karen L. Jurjevich, who has served more than two decades as Branksome Hall’s principal says, “Branksome Hall will change your life.”

Students at UNISUS International school develop the skills and confidence needed for college and beyond. Source: UNISUS International School

UNISUS International School

Overlooking Canada’s Lake Okanagan plus miles of beautiful vineyards and orchards is the 17-acre campus of UNISUS International School. This is where students from all around the world gather to gain a well-rounded education.

It is the only International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in the Okanagan Valley that delivers the IB programme. Here, learners can expect to be placed at the core of the school experience as they develop skills and dispositions to thrive in an increasingly globalised world.

The academically rigorous IB DP doesn’t just provide pathways to world-class universities, it also encourages students to think critically, challenge assumptions, consider local and global contexts, and develop research skills — all of which will be beneficial for both university and the workplace. This is made possible due to the broad scope of the IB DP as well as the small class sizes at UNISUS International School.

Outside of the classroom, UNISUS International School makes full use of its beautiful surroundings, which include some of the best hiking trails, lakes and ski hills in the world. Outdoor education here uses experiential learning and an ever-changing environment to instil confidence, resilience and life skills that will carry beyond their time at the school. To get the complete UNISUS International School experience, students can opt for the co-educational boarding programme once they reach Grade 7 — in a safe campus residence that provides 24/7 guidance and academic support.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International