Prior Park’s Programme for Short Stay Students
All international students who join the College for less than a year (1, 2 or 3 terms) will be required to take the Prior Park Short Stay Award. This award has been designed to encourage short stay students to be engaged in all aspects of school life during their time at the College.
The programme is split into four areas - Academic, Language, Enrichment, Community – and criteria for the award varies according to which year group the student is in and tailored according to the student’s level of English.
Students will be assessed on their contribution to Prior Park throughout their time at the College. Awards are graded Gold, Silver or Bronze dependant on the progress made across each section of the award and each grade can be achieved, regardless of length of stay.
Throughout the programme, students are monitored by designated staff, who will also offer support and guidance. Awards are certified by the Headmaster and presented to students at the end of their stay.
This programme has been specifically designed to ensure students, who are only here for a short time, integrate quickly with their peers and fully into the school, enabling them to make the most of the many opportunities on offer at Prior.
Students will sign up for subject choices with the Director of Studies during the induction process at the school.
Short Stay Programme for students entering Years 7, 8, 9
Short Stay Programme for students entering Years 10 & 11
Short Stay Programme for students entering Year 12
Prior Park International Diploma
The aim of this diploma is to promote internationalism at the College and we encourage all our students to take part, British and International.
The International Diploma has three levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Students must complete a minimum number of tasks to achieve each level of the award. The more tasks they complete, the higher the award. The tasks are grouped into different categories and the tasks must be chosen from a minimum number of categories.
The majority of tasks involve interacting with other students, and students can only complete them with other students that they do not know or do not know very well.
Anyone doing the diploma must complete a portfolio with evidence of all the tasks they have done, which are checked by a member of staff, and write a summary of what they have enjoyed and learned on their diploma journey. A guidance teacher is assigned to support students along the way and check the final submission of their portfolio.
The categories are:
- Learning about different cultures in the wider world
- Promoting different cultures and languages
- Soft skills (people and communication skills)
- Promoting and experiencing different cultures through food
- Leadership
- Promoting different cultures through social events
- Experiencing different cultures through music, film, literature and poetry
- Helping yourself and others
- Promoting cultures through sport and games.
Example from one student's diploma portfolio:
