The British School of Washington

[Anonymous]

I would like to hear ALL feedback (positive and negative) from parents with kids in this school. I am especially interested in hearing from people who's children started there at 3 and are currently between the ages of 3 and 5. Although hearsay can sometimes by helpful, I'd REALLY love to hear from parents whose children actually attend (or at least did in the past) the school. Thanks !

[Anonymous]

We haven't started yet, but we will be entering the Nursery (Age3) in January. However, we have attended every event possible (New Orientation, Back to School Night), leading up to the opening of school, & we are MORE than impressed. The quality of the teachers, the curriculum, the diversity, and the facilities. We can't wait to start. Remember, it's pretty much a new school in a new facility, & there's so much opportunity for growth, & it'll be exciting to be there & be a part of that.

[Anonymous]

OP Here,Thanks for your feedback !
I am also looking at enrolling my son in the nursery program in the Fall. I've heard a lot of complaints about lack of a playground space. Did that concern you at all ? Will your child attend full day or mornings only ?

[Anonymous]

PP here: My child will attend full day. I initially heard the issues about the play area, too. But, they have since completed their new playground. I think it's primarily for the older kids, but I believe the nursery & reception classes will get their time, as well. It's a fairly new school, so things are still developing. Sports was another concern for me, but I see that's starting to ramp up, too. Everything has a starting point, right? I hope you decide to attend. I have very high hopes for the school.

[Anonymous]

We have a child who did nursery last year and reception class this year. We're very happy with the school in general. I'm sure you will get more facilities at other schools, but the overall experience has been good for us. As far as playground equipment, the nursery class go to Guy Mason Park once a week. The new 'big kids' playground seems adequate to me. They have gym class twice a week. Music lessons are available.

[Anonymous]

OP Here- Thanks to all that have posted, it is really helping a lot with our decision making process....

[Anonymous]

Bump

[Anonymous]

Question for folks. Where are the other students (or their parents) from? I've read all their literature about % international and % american, but where exactly are the international folks generally from? UK?

We are an international family (non UK) and seriously considering BSW for when our child turns 3....

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

In my child's class, less than 5 kids have a British parent. Other than Americans, there are families from all over Europe, Japan, Australia, Africa, ... everywhere, really!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question for folks. Where are the other students (or their parents) from? I've read all their literature about % international and % american, but where exactly are the international folks generally from? UK?

We are an international family (non UK) and seriously considering BSW for when our child turns 3....

Our child's class had a number of families not from the US or UK--several from different Western European countries (e.g. parents from Italy, Germany, the Netherlands) as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. We were impressed by the international mix.

[Anonymous]

I recently visited the British school and spent the morning there with my child in the 3 year old nursery class. I was impressed by the teachers and the facility. There is a lot of play and learning going on. The classroom is engaging on every level and students each get one-on-one time with the teachers. Beside all the activities you'd expect to see in a nursery - art, books, puzzles, pretend play, building blocks, sand & water tables, etc. there is a smart board that is used for various activites. Teachers are firm and kind and command the children's respect and adoration. The children are from all over. I was happily surprised to see many American kids. There are 2 outdoor playgrounds - one for the older children and one for the 3 and 4 year old classes. The playground for the older kids is great. The one for the younger kids is a bit sparse, but enough to keep them running around and seemingly having a great time. The teachers didn't just supervise the playground, they all played with the children the entire time they were outside.The British school is a great option for families looking for a positive, nurturing, fun and educational nursery school experience for their children, without all the craziness of the D.C. preschool application process. Did I mention I really liked this school?!!