British School follows on Rashi's Heels

Local Boston Paper - August 2000
By Shawn Michael Smith

A private school specializing in the British education system is opening here this fall after a sister school experienced rapid growth in Washington D.C.

Movers were still evacuating Rashi School furnishings from the former St. Mary's School building at 400 High St. yesterday when Julie Saville rolled a suitcase full of books into the empty principal's office. As Head of School, Saville plans to re-open the building's floors on Sept, 12 under the new sign "British School of Boston".

The school will accept students aged 3-11 this year and add a grade a year to senior level of high school. The school day extends from 8.45 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. with some pre-school and after-school care.

Full-year tuition is $12,000. Thirty students are already registered. English businessman Robert Findlay is founding the British School of Boston and the British School of Houston concurrently this fall, according to Saville. His British School of Washington grew from 25 students to 250 students since he opened it in 1998.

As the operator of an education relocation company, Findlay identified a need for schools based on the national curriculum guides of England. Corporate executives returning to England after several years abroad saw their children struggle with England's standardized tests. The British system identifies students by skill level rather than by grade level, according to Saville, and teachers maximize individual attention. Class sizes range from seven to 20 students. But the British style also appeals to Americans, and about half the students in the Washington school and half of those signed up fro the Dedham school are American students.

"You don't have to be British to go to the British School" said Saville. She said the four teachers hired for this year are British and were selected in London from a pool of 400 applicants. She recruited students by advertising in Boston newspapers and magazines, by direct mail and by through parent meetings at the site.

Student uniforms combine the colors red, white and blue.

"We have really high expectations in terms of what children can achieve," Saville said. "We have a well-ordered environment. It's not rigorous, but it's relaxed and focused."

Interested parties can ask for Saville at 1-888-845-0981. The school's E-mail address is admissionsbsb@britishschool.org.