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Brookhouse School

Website www.brookhouse.ac.ke
Address Brookhouse School, P.O. Box 24987
City Nairobi
State Kenya
Postal Code 00502
Phone (+254) 20 24 30 260 / (+254) 722204413
FAX (+254) 20 243 0269
Grade Range EYU - Year 13
Min Grade Kindergarten
Max Grade A Level
School Type Cross Phase
Student Body Coed
Profile

Brookhouse is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school catering for students aged from two to nineteen. We are a global member of the Round Square group of schools worldwide, and this is reflected in every aspect of the school's activities. Brookhouse is accredited by the Council of International Schools CIS. There is an emphasis on academic achievement, but we also aim to make school life varied and enjoyable.

The school has a friendly atmosphere and a real sense of community, with a strong professional rapport between students and teachers. Classes are small, with an average class size of sixteen. The small classes allow us to deal with each child as an individual, and to encourage self-expression, self-confidence, self-motivation and self-discipline. We have no long list of school rules. We believe that one word, 'respect' embraces all that we wish to instill in our students in terms of behaviour.

We ensure that every student is aware of our expectations of them: we expect them to complete all work to the best of their ability; we expect them to respect the teaching staff and their fellow students and we expect them to contribute to school life by participating in sporting and cultural extra-curricular activities and events. We expect good manners and a smart appearance.

Curriculum

At Brookhouse, we follow an adapted form of the British National Curriculum. This means that up to and including Year Nine, our students study a range of subjects, including: Mathematics, English, Science, Geography, History, Art, Physical Education, Music, Drama, Languages and ICT/Computing. After Year Nine, students have to make more specific subject choices as their programme focuses in specialisation. In Year's Ten and Eleven, students follow a two year course leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education or IGCSE examinations. If students achieve five (5) good passes at this level they can then go on to study for the Advanced Level General Certificate of Education or GCE A-levels, which are acknowledged as a gold standard for entry to universities around the world. Throughout their schooling, students also follow courses in Physical Education/Games and in Citizenship, which includes Critical Thinking, General Studies and PHSE (Personal, Health and Social Education) to ensure their wider development; these are not examination subjects. At Brookhouse we differ from the British National Curriculum in the following ways:

 Our students have the option to study two languages in addition to English. Most commonly, these are French and Kiswahili. German, Spanish and Chinese are also available. "¢ We teach Physics, Chemistry and Biology as separate subjects to IGCSE, whereas in the UK some schools offer a combined science course.

At IGCSE level, we offer a wider range of subjects than some schools in the UK. For example, at Brookhouse students can choose to study Economics or Business Studies if they wish. The range of subjects on offer at A-level is extensive compared to most British curriculum schools, with the range of traditional options augmented by subject choices like Music, Law, Drama, Psychology, Sociology, Economics and Business Studies. In the Preparatory section of the school students take tests in English, Mathematics and Science at various stages. In addition they undertake a major examination at the end of Year 8 to mark the transition to Secondary School for Year 9 at age 13+. Such testing allows us to monitor pupils' standards and to track their individual progression in learning. Parents are sometimes uncertain when comparing the Kenyan KCPE/KCSE system to the British system. This confusion is not helped by the fact that at Brookhouse we follow a northern hemisphere academic year, from September to July, while the Kenyan system runs from January to December. Most students who join Brookhouse from the Kenyan system do so either after their KCPE or the KCSE exams. Students joining us after KCPE would typically enter Year 9 depending on their KCPE total marks. After KCSE examinations students can join Year 12 but we usually require an average of a grade C+ or above. These students will have missed a term (because our school year begins in September), but our teachers are used to helping students catch up. Experience has shown that these students can go on to achieve outstanding A-level grades. After KCSE, students also have the option of joining the International Foundation Year (IFY) programme as a focused route toward applying for UK university entry. Details of the course and entry requirements are listed separately. Also available is the BTEC course in Music, details of which are outlined in a separate brochure. The table included in this document clarifies the crossover from the Kenyan 8-4-4 system to the British system, although this can only be viewed as a rough guide as many individual circumstances affect which class a student may be placed in.

Standards are high at Brookhouse, as we endeavour to make the learning experience a positive one for each child. We regularly remind our students that every one of them is a unique contributor, and hopefully when they leave Brookhouse, they do so with fond memories.

Location

Brookhouse is located in a pleasant, leafy environment about 10 kilometers to the southwest of Nairobi city centre. The school is adjacent to Nairobi National Park and one of the entrances to the park is almost opposite the front gates of the school.

Access from the city is via Langata Road, and then Magadi Road; the school is just a couple of hundred metres along Magadi Road on the right. The campus is very pleasant, with the Preparatory and Secondary schools separated by playing fields. The swimming pool, gym and aerobics studio, tennis and basketball courts are in the southeast corner of the campus. We have irrigated playing fields, providing a year round playing surface for football, rugby, cricket and field hockey.

The school buildings overlook landscaped lawns, where students often study under the shade of the jacaranda trees. The classrooms are purpose-built, with all the facilities one would expect in any major international school, including science and computing laboratories, fine art and music studios, and a state-of-the-art drama auditorium. Brookhouse is in a quiet location, conducive to learning and a safe place for our boarders to live.

Head of School Michelle Forsyth John O'Connor