Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill

Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill is a fully bilingual international school based in Wembley, London, England. It opened its doors in September 2015. It admits students from 3 to 18 years old and prepares them for the French Baccalauréat, the Bac français international (BFI), and the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme (IBDP).

Registered charity number 1160719, the Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill occupies the former Brent Town Hall, a conversion of a Grade II listed building.



History


The Lycée International of Londres Winston Churchill is an independent school founded by the French Education Charitable Trust in 2015. It is part of the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE), a government agency overseen by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.

It was named Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill on Saturday 24 January to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the former British prime minister Winston Churchill's death, on 24 January 1965. The Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill admitted its first group of students in September 2015.

In a ceremony attended by French president François Hollande, the school was inaugurated in September 2015.

In June 2018, the first graduating class took the French Baccalauréat. This followed with 92% of applicants to the UK gaining admission to a Russell Group university.

Curriculum
The French national curriculum provides the core of a bilingual international programme along with the early years programme for children entering pre-reception and reception years. Their students have the opportunity to sit for the French Baccalauréat, with or without the international option (option internationale du baccalauréat - OIB). The Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill is also an International Baccalaureate World School and offers an English International Programme starting from year 7.

In the school's early years programme to children entering pre-reception and reception years (3 to 5 years old) from September 2020, instruction takes place conjointly French and English by two native-speaker teachers present at all times.

The school is the first French international school in the UK to have been authorised as an IB World School. It offers students the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme (IBDP) to year 12 and 13. In 2018, the school launched its English International Programme for English-speaking students in Years 7 to 11; a tailored curriculum based on a model of inquiry and concept-based learning. In year 11, students also have the opportunity to take the English language and literature IGCSEs.

The school has diverse ethnic groups within its staff and students. The school cares for 900 pupils from 45 nationalities and staff from 16 different nationalities.

Service learning, Duke of Edinburgh Awards and linguistic trips
The school organises service learning trips to Laos and Nepal for première/year 12 students.

To complement compulsory study of German, Spanish or Mandarin as a foreign language, the school organises trips overseas, such as Guatemala or China.

The Lycée also has a LIL after school programme combined with the Duke Of Edinburgh's Award. This award has three different levels: the bronze award, silver award, and gold award. The participants have to complete four requirements depending on their level; 3, 6 or 12 months of a physical activity, 3, 6, or 12 months of volunteering for an association, 3, 6 or 12 months of enhancing a skill, and a walking expedition which will last two days and one night, three days and two nights, and four days and three nights, each requirement set with a personal goal.

Students participate in international competitions and conferences, sucha s Model UN, UNIS-UN, César des Lycéens, Mathquest and Astro pi challenge.

After school program and discovery classes
The school offers over 30 after-school programs including molecular gastronomy, coding and many more. In addition to the discovery classes, the school also offers a wide range of sports including rugby, handball, hockey, basketball, football, boxing, yoga, badminton, laser run, fencing, and many more. Child supervision (garderie) is also available to primary families.

Student life
School students have created student life in the school through numerous initiatives. These include the set-up of a student café, known as "la Cafet", which sells locally produced French pastries and serves hot/cold drinks. Students have also launched clubs like a debate society, an art society, a charity club and a green committee.

The emotional wellbeing department runs the "peer counsellor" programme, where secondary students train for an emotional wellbeing certificate. Furthermore, secondary students can apply for a "peer tutoring" program in which they will be assigned a younger student with certain difficulties in a subject, that they will help. Finally, students can also apply to be library assistants to help the librarian cover books, catalog them, put them away, and participate in the library's day-to-day life.

Campus
The school occupies the site of the former Brent Town Hall. The campus is set over five acres, with 12,000 square metres housing the three levels of schooling. It boasts multiple onsite sports facilities including a running track, three outdoor sports pitches and an indoor gymnasium. The new annex building houses modern science classrooms and a large, bright dining area. The former town hall building has been fully remodelled and modernised, while conserving its unique character.

In 2015, the catering partner of the school, Holroyd Howe, won the "Education Caterer of the Year" award, organized by the Foodservice Cateys.

Dress code
The school is the only of the 3 major French-British educational establishments in London to have a dress code. The dress code consists of a white polo, blouse or shirt, navy trousers, black shoes and a bordeaux, light blue, green or orange sweater. This policy was established to create a more cohesive and recognisable student body. It was also felt that a dress code would be more egalitarian. A sports uniform was also put in place, the students wear navy blue tracksuit bottoms or leggings as well as a sports shirt with the school logo and a bordeaux sweatshirt with the school logo.

Involvement
The school is a CIS Internationally Accredited School. The school is also a Common Sense School, committed to deep implementation of the Common Sense Digital Citizenship Curriculum and its dedication to helping students think critically and use technology responsibly to learn, create, and participate.

Ofsted report
The school's sixth form has received an "outstanding" rating from Ofsted. Overall, the school's rating was "good provider".