GoUni Tips - Education

Hi everyone! If you have seen our videos, you would know that GoUni was invited to Adcote School for Girls, an all-girls school located in the northern part of England. Our GoUni team was very impressed with this school in general, especially the welcoming vibes from its current students. Therefore, P'Peach (#StephenOppa 😉 ), the managing director of GoUni, will gather up some photos and write a review exclusively for this school as it has been a long time since she has done some blog-writings herself. Additionally, she will share some personal thoughts and experiences from this visit! For those of you who are looking for a place to study or an education agency to assist you in finding places to study, look no further! We, GoUni, is the right person for you! 💘 We will help you right from the start :)

Note:  Images in this blog are only reserved for GoUni and are not allowed for any other commercial use unless permission is granted 

The main content of this blog will mainly be about P'Peach's experience during GoUni's visit to Adcote School last month. If anybody wants information on a key fact basis e.g. education system, course structure, criteria of enrolment, please scroll down to the top end of this page or click here to consult GoUni. 

If you are interested in studying at Adcote, whether it is only for the summer period, exchange programme, or for a permanent relocation, GoUni will provide you with any information you may need. GoUni has offices in both Thailand and England (Bangkok and London) You can contact us via 0203735 7100 (UK) and 029677003 (Thailand) or email us at: info@gouni.co.th 🙏

Let's begin! 😊 Since we stepped foot into the school, we felt a sudden British atmosphere right away! If you want to study in an authentic British school, with brown bricks-made buildings, surrounded by green fields, you should always aim to study in the boarding school that situated in the countryside of the UK 🏡 It might not be ideal for those of you who like city lights and crowds as it would probably be boring for you. But generally, this kind of school gains much popularity from parents as it tends to be safer and calmer if compared to the city. 😂)

But schools in the countryside are not always isolated and dull as many of you think!  Adcote School is located in Shrewsbury, which is in the northeastern part of England, only 1-hour drive from Birmingham, the second largest city in England. Shrewsbury might appear to be a small city, but it is indeed not! There are plenty of big shops, malls and restaurants located around the city, while able to maintain the British vibe. You can also find your favourite shops like HM and Topshop here 👗👟 😊

However, Adcote School is not in the city centre. You have to take a cab from the centre for around 10-15 minutes in order to get there. If compared to the traffic condition in Bangkok, this is nothing 😂  Once you reach the school, you will notice many green tall trees around the building. We visited this school during the winter, but imagine the atmosphere during spring or summer, it would certainly be very pretty! 🌸 🌷 The first thing that came to my mind was "you can't skip classes lol".

Once we entered the building, we were fascinated with the architectural design of the building, which did not disappoint us! Adcote School was listed as Grade I: Buildings of Exceptional Interest in England! If you are a Harry Potter fan like me, you would certainly fall in love with their building! 💕

We were given opportunities to observe many classes inside this school. The most outstanding thing we could notice was that the size of each classroom was rather small. There were around 15-20 students per class! That means every student had a chance to participate with the teachers. On the other hand, the teachers utilised the proactive approach, in which they interacted with many students. Students themselves were allowed to have open discussions about the topic with the teacher and other students. This style of teaching is rather different from the Thai style, in which students aren't given opportunities to ask many questions, which makes Thai kids very shy. This is a very good opportunity for someone who want to improve their creative thinking and boost their confidence 😀 Even in science class, students were using tools and equipment in the lab. 😃

As we walked pass the science lab, we noticed that the students were doing science (Physics, Chemistry) experiments by themselves, while the teachers were there closely and always kept their eyes on every student ⭐️/ They also asked students questions about the experiment, allowing kids to think outside the box and understand the nature of each substance naturally. When students are given hands-on experiences to experiment stuff, they would be able to memorise and remember that information by heart. Every student in class was fascinating with what they were doing. There were hardly any students who were bored or fell asleep during class. 🤓

Another great thing about British education system is that students are allowed to manage their own schedules, and independently select modules they are passionate about. Each student learns about 4-5 subjects per year, which is great for both teachers and students.😆

As I looked around the classroom, I saw a Periodic table attached to the classroom wall. I told one of the students, "In Thailand, all students need to memorise this table as part of the assessment."

She was surprised and asked me, "Why did you have to do that?" 😂

After the science class, we then popped around to see computer classes next door. During that time, the kids were studying about coding for robotic and machinery purposes. I was very impressed that students at a very young age, were taught on how to do programming and coding already. This is a truly a digital era 😎 I felt so old 😳

😂 It was so fascinating to see a very well-dressed teacher, with suit and tie, teaching students on how to use drills. Apart from that, I also saw a little girl engraining on coding. 😆 SO CUTE! 💜

A Thai student who studies at Adcote School told me that she felt very privileged to be studying at the all-girls' school that pays great attention to science subjects. Compared to other schools where there are boys, she felt that subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) are only catered for men.

After that, we went outside and wandered around the garden area of the school. It was so beautiful that it reminded me of films like Alice in Wonderland and Narnia 😂 A girl told me that this area is used as a relaxing place where students can chill out, have a chat and read books.

I also saw a large tennis court 🎾  Later, someone told me that girls at Adcote School are very athletic! There are many students who went on national level sports competitions such as horse-riding, tennis, gymnastics and so on.

There was one spot in the garden that I especially liked, which was the place where students can sit and lay down. Historically, this spot was where a former Adcote School's head girl met her future husband. During a school ball the only event where boys are allowed, they had a first kiss here and she was purposed right at this spot many years later! 💚

Then, I spotted the school gym, where girls were studying PE (Physical Education). The gym was tremendous!! I saw tiny girls doing gymnastics while using super big trampoline during the training session. Fun fact, British people were raised using trampoline for gymnastics training since a very young age! :) 😝

In the red corner, girls were doing gymnastics. In the right corner, girls were seriously playing bench ball 😂An Adcote student told me that before beginning the PE class, every student would be asked whether which sports activities they would like to do, such as badminton etc. When everyone agrees on the consensus, the teacher will start introducing the techniques on how to play that particular sport.  That way, students will automatically enjoy PE lessons. 🏈🏐

This situation reminded me of my time at St. Joseph's when every student hated PE class! 😂

Moving on to the art class, where we visited art studio at Adcote School, I fell in love with this school, its attitude and the high-quality education even more 💘From the very fist step, I heard the slow music playing in the background whilst students were sketching and painting. 😲 I thought to myself, how cool is this school!

While walking around the studio, I noticed that students were sketching and painting in different ways. Then, I asked one of their teachers and found out that at the beginning of the term, students will be taught about the foundation of doing artwork, once they all know the basic approach of sketching, students will then be encouraged to draw whatever they want 😆

"I think students will excel and develop whenever they are encouraged to do things their hearts desire. If they are forced to do what they don't like or do not passionate about. They will not be inspired. Hence, their true potentials won't reveal."

After hearing this, I wish Thai education system would share the same value regarding this. 😂

Among all artworks, I especially liked this one the most. This one belonged to a British girl, in which she designed a picture of her Chinese friend. She designed the entire concept from the computer before painting on the canvas. She coloured the shade of her friend's skin by mistake, so she decided not to continue with this work 😂 If anyone watches the full video clip, you will see the model of this picture! Let's see whether you can find her...

Here comes Textiles class, besides sewing, Adcote also teaches students how to design work according to different concepts. Each student will have their own unique and individual projects based on their interests.👗

This class seemed to be quite popular amongst Asian students, probably because of the fact that the fashion industry is becoming more favourable. (The same goes with maths,😂 as Asian students tend to have business-oriented career goals). One of our GoUni staffs who had a fashion degree has confirmed that Adcote students' skills are quite good.👏🏼

But not everyone who takes this class wants to pursue their careers in fashion. Jamie, one of our Thai students who personally take this class said, she wants to improve her creative-thinking in hope that it will benefit her for other career choices, such as exhibition and event-planner.

In cooking class, on that day students were baking french pastries. While I was observing, I thought of the cooking shows like Martha Stewart or British Bake Off 😂 They were pretty serious and detail-oriented.

During the short break, many young girls went to play outside in the field. A sizeable group of students went to another room to sing in the choirs and play with their favourite musical instruments. They were really good! 🎼 🎹I🎤  I was very impressed with how intense curriculum this school provides for students, both academic and extracurricular activities.   😆

During lunch, the foods were quite good. I really liked the Elderflower juice, which was the drink made from flowers. It had a mild taste which I really liked. 😃 🌸 I was blown away with a variety of food selection this school gave to students, from soup, salad, to desserts. I was there on Friday, which was quite lucky because they were serving one of the most British food you could find in England, fish & chips!  It tasted better than the other fish & chips I had elsewhere in London.

This school always pay great attention to each student's diet requirement. For example, some girls do not eat meat or some students were diagnosed with diabetes, therefore they can't eat sweet beverages, i.e. juice. This is another aspect that Thai school does not really emphasise on.

The trip wouldn't have been this pleasant, if it wasn't because of Marta and Elena (Year12) who were basically our tour guides, showing us around the school. They answered every question that we had with regards to the school's education system, social life and so on. Thank you very much for both of them :) 😇

Marta and Elena were House Captain from two houses. Adcote School is divided into different houses exactly like Harry Potter! 😆 Each different house represents different colours. For example, Marta's house was green, whereas Elena's house was yellow. These two girls are determined to be the Head Girl in the next year (Year 13) also!

Apart from the housing system like Harry Potter, at Adcote School, students will receive different badges when they have succeeded in something. For instance, if they win netball competitions or volunteered in any activities. This will motivate them to participate in school activities and be active all the time. Doing these things will allow them to enhance social skills, boost their confidence and create more experience. It will benefit them when they apply to the universities in the future.

I was very impressed with the student's determination in being excellent in both academic and activities. The education system will allow students to thrive for the best 😎 At Adcote School, there is a long list of programmes which encourage students to thrive in different aspects. For example,  The Next Generation of Women Leaders programme. 💘

EXPENSE

• Year 7-9 (age 11-13 years old) - annual tuition fee accommodation and food included = £26,190
• Year 10-11 (age 14-15 years old) -annual tuition fee accommodation and food included =£28,890
• Year 12-13 (age 16+) -annual tuition fee accommodation and food included  = £28,890

If you are interested in attending Adcote School during the summer, or on an exchange programme, please contact:  Contact GoUni Team for any additional information.

SCHOLARSHIPS

FOR THAI STUDENTS AIM TO ENROL FOR YEAR 7-9

• Amount: £7,275 annually
• Qualification: Age 11-13 years old who have good prior GPA

FOR THAI STUDENTS AIM TO ENROL FOR YEAR 10-YEAR11 (GCSE)

• Amount: £16,050 for 2 years
• Qualification: Currently studying Y9, aged 14-15 years old and has passed the interview and exam process

FOR THAI STUDENTS AIM TO ENROL FOR YEAR12-YEAR13 (A-LEVELS)

• Amount: £16,050 for 2 years
• Qualification: Currently studying Y11, aged 16 years old+ and has passed the interview and exam process

GoUni is ready to provide information and application process about Adcote School. We have offices in both Thai and English who will assist you right from the UK visa application to find accommodation in the UK. Please contact us at 0203735 7100 (UK) or info@gouni.co.th