FAQ
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Is the British American School of Charlotte appropriate for American students or just for children from Great Britain and other countries?
Do you accept children who do not speak English or do not speak English fluently?
Do you teach "British English" or "American English"?
Is there an after-school programmes available?
Is there a dress code or uniform requirement?
ENROLMENT
What is the deadline for enrolment applications?
How do you handle admissions of students from varying educational backgrounds?
TRANSFERRING TO AND FROM THE BRITISH SCHOOL
If a child is transferring to the British School from an American school or pre-school will he/she be behind others in his/her grade?
If a child has to transfer to a traditional American School, will he/she be on par educationally with other students in his/her grade?
EXPECTATIONS FOR PARENTS
What level of involvement is expected from British School parents?
Does the school require or expect parents to assist in fundraising?
Is there a parent council or advisory group at the British American School of Charlotte?
CURRICULUM
How does the British School differ from other American schools?
What is the British School's curriculum?
What type of extracurricular activities (clubs, athletics, etc.) does the British American School of Charlotte offer?
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Is the British American School of Charlotte appropriate for American students or just for children from Great Britain and other countries?
The British American School of Charlotte is open to children of all nationalities. Charlotte has a small international population amongst its primarily American student body. Many American families are drawn to the British American School of Charlotte because of the differentiated curriculum and the exposure to many different cultures in the classroom. No matter what their background is, each child is supported to reach his or her maximum potential regardless of whether his or her previous experience of school has been in a British-style educational environment.
Do you accept children who do not speak English or do not speak English fluently?
Yes, as long as children are able to make themselves understood. During the evaluation process, the British American School of Charlotte assesses each prospective student's ability to access the curriculum, including language ability. In general, BASC only accepts children with limited English abilities at the very youngest years, but many students in school are those whose native language is not English. ESL support is available through the school.
Do you teach "British English" or "American English"?
Both. Many of the teaching materials are British but American resources are used across the schools so that students are introduced to the differences in both language and spelling. At the youngest ages, this is part of their introduction to the international world. BSA students are taught to be consistent in their spelling.
Is there an after-school programmes available?
A supervised After-School Care Programme is available to all BASC children from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. during the school term. After-school activities include outdoor and indoor play, art projects and competitions. A light healthy snack and drinks are provided
Is there a dress code or uniform requirement?
Yes, the British American School of Charlotte has a school uniform for all students. School uniforms eliminate distractions from the classroom so the focus can be on learning.
ENROLMENT
What is the deadline for enrolment applications?
Because of such an international student body and students that relocate throughout the year, the British American School of Charlotte has an open enrolment policy and accepts applications throughout the academic year as long as space is available. The majority of students begin at the beginning of the academic year, but BSA schools are able to admit children as and when a space is available throughout the year.
For more information about the upcoming dates and deadlines, visit the Admissions webpage.
How do you handle admissions of students from varying educational backgrounds?
All children are assessed prior to entry. If it is found that a child has gaps in his or her learning, the student's programme is tailored to give extra support. Occasionally a student will be required to obtain additional external support if there are gaps that the school cannot accommodate. Because all lessons are differentiated by ability, the British American School of Charlotte is able to easily accommodate varieties in ability and knowledge. The school's curriculum encourages exploration of student background as a starting point for many lessons so diversity is definitely an advantage.
TRANSFERRING TO AND FROM THE BRITISH SCHOOL
If a child is transferring to the British School from an American school or pre-school will he/she be behind others in his/her grade?
All children are assessed prior to entry. If it is found that a child has gaps in his or her learning, there is a programme in place to give extra support.
If a child has to transfer to a traditional American School, will he/she be on par educationally with other students in his/her grade?
In most cases, children transferring from the British American School of Charlotte will be one to two years ahead of their peers in the American system.
EXPECTATIONS FOR PARENTS
What level of involvement is expected from British School parents?
The British American School of Charlotte prides itself on creating a close liaison between home and school. There are open lines of communication between the school office, teachers and parents. Parents and guardians are given access to a secure parents' section of the school website which provides access to school news, forms, class contacts and student report cards. Parents are asked to continue to stay updated through the website as well as through email communications from the school' staff. There are also opportunities throughout the year for Parent/Teacher Conferences.
Does the school require or expect parents to assist in fundraising?
The British American School of Charlotte does not do any active fundraising. All income for the school comes from tuition dollars.
Is there a parent council or advisory group at the British American School of Charlotte?
There are two active parent groups at the school. The Parent Representative Group, made up of one or two parent volunteers from each class, support the non-academic activities of the classroom, helping to organize class parties, recruit volunteers for field trips, etc. There is also a School Consultative Group (SCG), a group elected by the parent body consisting of parents and community members and staff. The SCG works to support the school in developing effective partnerships with parents, teachers, staff, and the local and international community.
CURRICULUM
How does the British School differ from other American schools?
BASC offers academically challenging, differentiated, international education to children. The programme is academic from the earliest years, so children are introduced to reading, writing and mathematic concepts at an earlier age than in most American schools. Many of the school's youngest students tend to be academically more advanced than their peers at American schools.
Unlike many American schools which stream children based on ability level, students at the British American School of Charlotte receive differentiated instruction in all of their lessons. All teachers are trained to respond to a variety of learning styles and are experienced in dealing with varying levels of aptitude. In this way, teaching and learning within the classroom is differentiated so that every level of ability can receive the support, encouragement and extension work necessary for optimum progress.
Internationalism means not just providing international content in the curriculum, but also benchmarking teaching, learning and assessment to international standards and exploring diversity within the school community thereby preparing students to be contributing global citizens.
BASC teachers are well-rounded, independent professionals with a dedication to learning. All teachers have a current UK teaching degree (and 'qualified teacher' status in the UK), a minimum of two years teaching experience and an ongoing commitment to training demonstrated by their own self-directed learning program. BASC has been able to recruit teachers of the highest calibre who form a team of dedicated educators at each school. The appeal of teaching in the U.S. allows BASC to recruit from an extensive pool of qualified professionals who are specifically looking to teach abroad. This has enabled BASC to be highly selective and offer teaching positions to only the most experienced, highly qualified and committed teachers.
What is the British School's curriculum?
The British American School of Charlotte offer a high-quality British-style of education that prepares students to meet the growing challenges of a rapidly changing world. Students benefit from an academic programme based on a unique combination of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and the UK National Curriculum. The combination of these distinctive curricula provides a comprehensive, international programme of study which aims to equip every student with the essential skills for lifelong learning and meet individual learning needs. The school encourages independence and self-discipline in an atmosphere of mutual respect and appreciation of diverse opinions and cultures. The curriculum determines the precise content that will be taught and provides attainment targets for student learning, including how that performance will be assessed and reported.
Visit the Classroom Experience section of this website for more information about the school's curriculum.
What type of extracurricular activities (clubs, athletics, etc.) does the British American School of Charlotte offer?
Children from Year 1 and up are able to participate in extracurricular activities each day. All after-school clubs and athletics are offered by the school's staff and include a wide variety of activities which change per term. View the current clubs and athletic teams offered.