Eton is one of the most famous schools in the world. Its graduates include 20 of the 48 British prime ministers, the kings of Nepal and Thailand, several Olympic champions, countless bankers, many writers, composers, dozens of military generals and even several show business stars and the current heir to the British throne, Prince William. By the way, my colleague George Callaghan spoke about him in. But today George will tell us how this school managed to achieve such a special status.

There is a saying in British high society: “Everyone goes to Eton. Except for those who go to study at Harrow, of course.” Eton has always been an elite school, although studying there has never been super exclusive in social or financial terms. Many aristocrats and millionaires chose other, lesser-known schools in Britain for their children.

I myself was not born into an aristocratic family; I am bourgeois by origin. A few generations ago we were generally considered working class. In addition, I am not yet English, but Irish, nevertheless, I entered Eton in 1990.

At that time, I was greatly impressed by the school building itself - a magnificent architectural ensemble surrounded by hundreds of hectares of land, on which, thanks to the efforts of landscape designers, chic well-groomed gardens and deserted fields whimsically replaced each other. Eton is located on the banks of the Thames, a river of great importance in the history of England. London is only 25 kilometers from here, and Windsor Castle is so close that its shadow practically reaches the school grounds.

History of Eton

Eton was founded in 1440 by King Henry IV, who was only 19 years old at the time! He was a very religious monarch, even despite his young age, so the goals of creating an educational institution were appropriate. Boys who entered Eton prayed daily for the souls of the king's parents, as well as for himself, until the 1970s, when this ritual was abolished by the school authorities.

Eton initially enrolled about 70 students from poor families. The boys lived in a boarding house called “college.” Gradually, children of wealthier parents began to appear here; they paid fees to enroll in school. These guys lived separately from the poor, in their own student town, or "Oppidium" in Latin. Over time, the number of those who studied on a paid basis exceeded the number of free students several times; the ratio was approximately 1200:70, not in favor of the latter.

Henry IV also became the founder of King's College, Cambridge, so that poor children from Eton could easily continue their education there. Then many did it with pleasure, but today few people enter King's College in Cambridge after Eton; future students would rather choose some other Cambridge college or even go to study at Oxford.

In those days, the Eton curriculum was very narrow: boys studied Latin, ancient Greek and Hebrew in order to read the Bible in the original. Among foreign languages, classes were also taught in French and Italian; the schedule also included classes in history and geography, but, unfortunately, there were practically no classes in mathematics and other exact sciences. There was also a choir at Eton and even music classes, but the boys still devoted most of their free time to sports.

By the 18th century, Eton had firmly established itself as one of the best British schools. Henry IV donated a lot of land to the Eton leadership, which it temporarily leased, and used the funds received to build new buildings and improve the living conditions of students. Also, aristocrats whose children successfully attended Eton regularly made generous voluntary donations to the school's foundation. The graduates who became bankers, famous lawyers, or achieved recognition and financial well-being in another field did not forget about their alma mater. Eton was a kind of talent forge for the political society of England. Even as teenagers, schoolchildren had a good understanding of government affairs and were not afraid of public speaking. They had a lot of time to practice this: there weren’t very many lessons, so the guys didn’t sit for hours at a desk. At some point, Eton was practically divided into two schools: those who entered here on a free basis - the middle class, the children of workers, noticed for their phenomenal intelligence, were very different from the "paying students", members of aristocratic families. Some of the latter, of course, were very good and achieved success in their studies, but for the most part they were rich lazy people who did not need to worry about whether they would pass the next exam. Their position in society ensured that expulsion was impossible, and the future, in any case, would be bright.

At first, most students came to Eton from London or Southern England, but soon representatives of wealthy families from all over Britain began trying to get here as one of the most desirable schools in the country. For example, one day such a huge number of boys from noble families of Scotland appeared at Eton that Prime Minister Gledstone decided to found his own school there called Glenalmond, where these same representatives of the Scottish elite could study without leaving so far from home. His efforts, of course, were not crowned with success; he failed to surpass Eton.

Meanwhile, British flags appeared one after another on all continents: members of the Government of the English Colonies were all Eton graduates, so soon the news of the unique school spread throughout the British Empire. In the 1880s, the first foreign students appeared at Eton, these were the sons of the Indian Maharaja.

At the end of the 19th century, mathematics and other exact sciences were finally introduced into the curriculum to the required extent. Eton still remained under the authority of the English Church, but Catholics and even Jews now had a chance to try to enter there.

Up until the 1960s, getting into Eton was generally not that difficult. To do this, you just needed to have good connections; intelligence was a minor thing back then. The annual course cost approximately £10,000 in today's money. And this, by the way, is even less than what many much less famous schools asked for at that time. The vast majority of Eton students at that time were the sons of school graduates.

It was then that the school got a new director. Anthony Chenevix-Trench made the admission process significantly more difficult. Now the boys could not get into Eton just because their father had once studied here. Of course, graduates of previous years were not happy with the innovations and dozens, if not hundreds of protests were organized during Chenevix-Trench’s lifetime, but he confidently moved forward, introducing more and more new reforms. Among other things, he also raised tuition fees and used the money to improve classroom facilities. In 1967, the first black boy attended Eton. His name was Dilibi Onyeama, the son of a Nigerian judge from the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Later, Dilibi even wrote a memoir called “A Negro at Eton,” where he spoke in detail about all the troubles and misadventures that beset him at this elite school. It’s true that Oneyama was often subjected to various kinds of insults, but what is certain is that no one ever beat the boy or mocked him.

Around the 1970s, a general boom began among Indian and Chinese Britons - everyone wanted to go to Eton, the school management had nothing against it - mixed classes were then in high esteem. In addition, studying in the same class with foreigners was cheaper, so those who were in a difficult financial situation could use this option. Only one circumstance remained undeniable - only boys could still enroll at Eton. During the year, Eton students participated in several activities with St George's Girls' School and Wycombe Abbey, but, unlike many other schools, the school never accepted girls into its classes.

Eton today

Nowadays there are also Russians studying at Eton, mostly Muscovites. Back in the 1990s, a Russian at Eton was either a descendant of a Russian emigrant who fled the country during the October Revolution (like Dmitry Tolstoy), or the result of an interethnic marriage, when a British gentleman took a Russian lady as his wife. Now these are real Russians who were born and live in Russia.

Eton has an excellent theater; it can even be compared with the famous London West End. There are dozens of sports fields, a gym, a squash court, tennis courts and even its own athletics stadium. Also, on the school grounds there are two swimming pools: indoor and outdoor, and there is a lake where rowing competitions are held; by the way, at the Olympic Games in London, rowers swam here!

Some of the buildings in the complex were built back in the 15th century, but they do not look their age at all.

Tuition at Eton costs around £31,000 a year. To be honest, this is not the largest figure among all British public schools, and some of them sometimes do not have half the status that Eton has. Many boys are allowed to pay less than full tuition, but only if their financial situation really does not allow them to do so. Despite the fact that most of Eton's graduates are millionaires, not all the boys who study here are the sons of rich families. Some of them are classic representatives of the middle class.

The school hosts dozens of events, from chess competitions to sailing regattas. Every year several plays are staged in the theater and musical concerts are held. There is even an analogue of the Russian military department - CCF (Combined Cadet Force). CCF provides military training to students, although the training is only offered for a few weekends a year and participation is entirely voluntary. Thus, only about 25% of boys join CCF. It's a pity, but few people dream of becoming a military man these days.

The chapel is one of the most magnificent historical buildings in the school complex. Most often, students visit it in the morning. There is a school church choir operating there throughout the year and it is truly amazing; the guys have even recorded several albums, which, by the way, are selling well.

Almost all teachers at Eton are Oxford or Cambridge graduates. Most of them graduated with honors, and some even received a doctorate. There is practically no turnover at Eton; teachers have been working here for years, if not decades. There is even a joke among them that once you get to Eton, you risk staying here for the rest of your career.

Currently, about 40% of Eton students are children of graduates or those whose relatives attended the school in the past. Only 10% are from ethnic minorities, and the remaining half of schoolchildren are ordinary British citizens. By the way, in addition to Russians, there are also a lot of Americans and Germans at Eton, although according to official information, there are an order of magnitude fewer foreigners studying here than in many other British schools.

It is not surprising that such a successful educational institution also has enemies. The left wing of the British Parliament considers studying at Eton to be in bad taste and often uses this argument in the fight against David Cameron, the current Prime Minister of England and an Eton graduate. Evil tongues relish with pleasure the details of the failures of representatives of the Eton diaspora, splashing saliva mixed with envy and malice. It is important to understand that an education at Eton does not guarantee a good position, if only because there is a small layer of people in England who deliberately discriminate against Etonians. And many people still have the image of Eton in their heads as a school for rich and stupid daddy's boys.

To its credit, the academic results of Eton students are simply amazing. About a quarter of them easily enter Cambridge or Oxford. Compared to the 0.3% of average Brits who do this, this is an impressive figure! Etonians also choose colleges such as Durham, Edinburgh, Harvard, Bristol or Imperial College London for further study.

Many boys who graduate from Eton become bankers or lawyers, some connect their fate with creativity, play on stage or in films, and even fewer choose a diplomatic or political career. The heart and soul of Eton still belongs to the Conservative House of Parliament of England, and David Cameron, the current Prime Minister, is one of the best representatives of the school's diaspora in big politics. Another famous politician from Eton is Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

Eton is truly unique in terms of its history, cultural and educational heritage, educational programs, and social adaptation of students. What attracts the endless stream of applicants there? As the Etonians themselves believe, this is inner strength of spirit. Every Englishman knows that countless ordinary boys educated at Eton have achieved amazing results. And everyone wants to do the same. Eton graduates form a closed international club among themselves, where there is always room for friendly communication, partnership and mutual assistance, and most importantly, they know how not to stop there. These guys always move forward, no matter the cost.

The photo shows British Prime Minister David Cameron (second from left in the second row) and the current Mayor of London Boris Johnson (sitting on the steps on the right in the first row). The photo was taken in 1987.

Peculiarities: Eton College is one of the prestigious schools for boys, which is part of HMC and the Eton Group, which unites Eton College, Bryanston School, Blandford, Dulwich College, Highgate School, King's College School, Wimbledon, The King's School, Canterbury, Marlborough College, Wiltshire, St Paul's School, University College School, Hampstead, . 18 Prime Ministers of Great Britain are graduates of the Eton Group. The aristocratic Eton School has been educating outstanding figures in all fields of human activity for five centuries. At the end of the 19th century, at the beginning The 20th century Conservative government consisted of 50% Eton College graduates. The school's prestige is confirmed by the fact that both of Prince Charles's sons graduated from Eton College - the school is a member of the G20 Schools association.

Eton College Location: Eton College is located in Windsor, West Berkshire in close proximity to Heathrow International Airport, 20 minutes by car and less than an hour by public transport.

Description: the school was founded in 1440. In total, 1,300 students study at the school. All of them live in the school residence on a full board basis. Eton College is renowned for its high academic results. All students pass exams successfully. In 2009, all students took the GCSE exam, and 71% of them received the highest grade A*. 80% of students passed their A-level exams with grade A.

64 of the 259 college graduates went on to study at Oxford and Cambridge universities. This trend has existed in the school for more than 20 years.

Accommodation: students live in 25 dormitories, with no more than 50 people in each house. Each student lives in a single room. The small number of students in each dormitory ensures the development of the child's individuality. The dormitories are regularly renovated and updated in accordance with the requirements of the modern world.

Admission conditions: To enroll in the school, you must undergo an interview with the school principal, pass several tests and provide recommendations and a report card from the school.

Learning programs: students are trained in preparation programs for GCSE and A-level exams. Studying at the school is divided into 5 blocks (years): F, E, D, C and B. Each student attends 35 core lessons per week and various additional activities and extracurricular activities. Each lesson lasts 40 minutes. Block F involves the study of English, two foreign languages ​​(French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Russian) and Greek, mathematics, science, geography, history, Latin, music, fine arts, computer science, physical education, theater arts, design and technology . Block E and D involves studying English, mathematics, 1-2 foreign languages, 2-3 natural science subjects, but no more than 10-11 subjects. Block C and B involves studying subjects that are necessary for entering the university.

Equipment: The grounds of Eton School are surrounded by a variety of sports fields. It is believed that Wellington's victorious battle with Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815 took place on the grounds of Eton's sports grounds.

Sport: Sport plays a significant role at Eton College. Eton College students can try themselves in a variety of sports: football, rugby, hockey, cricket, rowing, athletics, squash, racquets, fives, Wall and Field (a traditional and unique sport at Eton College. Experienced coaches teach more than 30 sports at Eton School.

School characteristics

Eton College was founded in 1440 by Royal Charter of Henry VI. It was created as an educational institution providing free education for 70 boys from poor families, who would subsequently go on to study at King's College, Cambridge.
Today, Eton is not just a private boarding school for boys aged 13-18, selected on a competitive basis. This is one of the most famous educational institutions in the world, a real forge of personnel for training the political, cultural and scientific elite of the country, the “cradle of leaders” and the best of the 9 oldest privileged schools in Great Britain. 19 British prime ministers emerged from Eton, including the first prime minister, Robert Walpole; Napoleon's victor at Waterloo, Duke of Wellington; the owner of one of the oldest publishing houses in the world, Harold Macmillan, and the current head of government, David Cameron.
Eton College has traditionally educated generations of British and foreign aristocrats, including members of royal families. The current heirs to the British throne - Princes William and Harry - also graduated from Eton.
The college's graduates included the writers Henry Fielding, Aldous Huxley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and George Orwell; famous actors Jeremy Brett (Sherlock Holmes) and Hugh Laurie (Worcester and House M.D.), famous scientists: physicist Robert Boyle, Nobel laureate 2012, geneticist John Gurdon, founder of macroeconomics John Keynes and many others.
In the 21st century, the goal of the college is to provide students with a modern education while preserving age-old traditions that have become an integral part of the legendary educational institution.

School location

The school is located in the small town of Eton on the left bank of the Thames, next to Windsor Castle, not far from Heathrow Airport, 30 kilometers from London.

Features of admission

Boys usually go to Eton at 13. To do this, you must register before the student is 10.5 years old and take a pre-test at age 11. It includes an interview, an intelligence test and a reference from a previous place of study. Around a third of applicants are offered a conditional place at Eton. It will need to be confirmed by passing a serious qualifying exam at the age of 13. A small number of boys who were not given a conditional place will be able to study at college if they win a competition for a royal or music scholarship.
Several young men can enter Eton at the age of 16 under a special program for scholarship holders from among students of British schools. Soon this opportunity will be provided to several students on a paid basis. The old system, under which a future Etonian was enrolled in college at birth, was abolished a few years ago.
It is extremely difficult for a foreign student to enter Eton: you must not only be fluent in English and have an excellent knowledge of English literature, but also have a whole range of skills and thinking skills developed in English schools. In Britain, there are educational institutions that provide targeted preparation for admission to Eton College from the age of 7-9. The only way to become a student at a legendary college is to take a preliminary training course at such a boarding school.

Number and age of students

The school has about 1,300 students, all on full board. The student to teacher ratio is 8:1. Age from 13 to 18 years.

According to the latest report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate, Eton provides an exceptional quality of education. College students achieve high academic standards through challenging learning, stimulating learning and first-class resources.
Surprisingly, the school does not engage in drilling and “coaching.” The administration is convinced that the so-called “additional education” (electives, courses, sports, clubs, social life, entertainment, etc.) is of great importance for educating the future political and cultural elite, since it promotes personal growth, development of leadership qualities and acquiring extremely important skills. Therefore, the academic load in college is less than in many other educational institutions (35 lessons per week lasting 40 minutes each), and academic performance is immeasurably higher. According to the schedule, boys have 7 lessons on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 5 lessons on Tuesday and Thursday and 4 lessons on Saturday. Between classes there are breaks for lunch, dinner, sports games and rest. Class sizes range from 10 to 25 people.
Eton College Principal Tom Little believes that two things make Eton unique: the unprecedented opportunities provided to students and the individual approach to each student.
Although the college is a private school (tuition costs around £30,000 per year), there is a strong scholarship system available to gifted students. Every year, about 130 students become scholarship recipients of various foundations. About 40 of them study absolutely free of charge, and some are even given financial assistance for purchasing uniforms or pocket expenses. One of the many scholarships was founded by the Igor and Natalia Tsukanov Family Foundation for musically and academically gifted children from Russia and the republics of the former USSR.
Since its foundation, Eton has been under the patronage of the royal family. Once a week, young men attend church (College Chapel), but students are accepted into the school regardless of religion. The college values ​​its reputation, therefore it reserves the right to suppress any cases of violence, alcohol and drug use and other facts of inappropriate behavior - up to and including expulsion from the educational institution. Fellows may also be expelled from Eton if they do not live up to expectations or violate the school's rules of conduct.
Eton is not just a school. This is a whole world, a real state within a state. Citizens of this state wear special costumes approved back in the 19th century (black tailcoat, vest, striped trousers and a snow-white tie). They use a language full of words and expressions that only they understand in everyday communication, and play sports games not known anywhere else in the world. The college not only owns dozens of ancient and modern buildings. He even owns his own island - Queen's Eyot and his own lake - Eton Dorney.
Life at Eton is rich, varied, interesting, challenging, sometimes even grueling, but above all, extremely rewarding. It is difficult to imagine a school that could offer greater opportunities.

Academic preparation

Studying at Eton is divided into 5 blocks, each lasting 1 year.

Subjects in the 9th year of study (Block F): English language, English literature, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, at least two modern foreign languages ​​(optional: French, German, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, Spanish), Latin, theology, history, geography. Subjects of the aesthetic and practical cycles are combined into a single block - MADPID. It includes music, art, design, physical education, ICT, drama. They are taught in double lessons three times a week in rotation mode. That is, students do not study all 6 subjects at the same time, but master the program for each of them over the course of a year. Some boys also study Greek from 1 to 3 years of age if they wish. In this case, their MADPID cycle study program is halved. Students may choose to study Mandarin Chinese or Arabic outside the regular schedule. In addition, there is a weekly class hour and occasional blocks of lectures. By the end of the year, students must decide on the subjects they will study for their GCSE exams.

Subjects for 10-11 years of study (Blocks E and D): students, along with studying compulsory disciplines (English language, English literature and mathematics), must choose 8 other subjects (at least two natural sciences and at least one foreign language). Subjects to choose from: biology, chemistry, physics, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Latin, Greek, classical civilizations (either Roman or Greek), theology, geography, history, art (painting, sculpture, ceramics), design and technology (materials science), music, drama. As a rule, Etonians study all three sciences and at least two foreign languages.

Subjects for 12-13 years of study (Blocks C and B): in the first year of study, students choose 4 subjects; in the second, most students continue to master them, although this is not a mandatory requirement. Some disciplines are divided into 2 parts, the study of which ends with AS and A2 exams (at the end of blocks C and B, respectively). For a number of A-level subjects and all Pre-U courses, exams are expected only at the end of block B. Eton College offers the following A-level subjects: Art, Latin, Greek, Industrial Design, English Literature, Economics, Political Science, Ancient history, music technology, Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese, theater studies, geography, history (Middle Ages, Modern Age, Modern), mathematics, higher mathematics, chemistry, physics, theology.

Subjects under the Pre-U program: art history, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, music, biology,
The “Perspectives” course, which includes issues of religion, philosophy, and ethics, is compulsory for all students in blocks C and B.

School specialization

Eton offers a classical education based on the study of Latin, Greek, ancient history, modern foreign languages ​​and mathematics. The college also provides ample opportunities for mastering aesthetic subjects.
About 98% of graduates annually enter higher education institutions, of which about 30% go to Oxford and Cambridge. Eton graduates choose a wide range of specialties. English, history, economics and management, foreign languages, theology, and philosophy are always popular.

Academic results

Eton continues to demonstrate the outstanding quality of its students. Exam results in 2012 according to the college:
A-level - grades A*, A, B - 96%; A*, A - 82%; A* - 36% (2012 report data)
Pre-U (in languages ​​and music) - grade 1 (above A*) - 18%, grades 2 and above (between A and A*) - 52%, grades 3 and above (equivalent to A at A-level) - 83 %
GCSE - grades A* - 76%, grades A*, A - 96%, A*, A, B - 99%

School equipment and student leisure

School equipment. Eton College is one of the best equipped schools in the world. His offices and laboratories can be the envy of the best universities on the planet. The design department has a set of necessary machines, tools and materials for working with wood, metal, plastic and electronics. Modern computers are equipped with the latest image processing programs and computer-aided design systems.
The college has two music school buildings, in which, in addition to classrooms, rehearsal rooms, a concert hall, and an organ room, there is also a recording studio, a computer lab, a studio for rock bands, and an electrical room for learning to play the guitar.
About 20 theatrical productions are produced at Eton every year under the direction of a specially hired professional director. Performances take place in a full-fledged theater (The Farrer Theatre) with 400 seats, equipped with grates, an orchestra pit and a rotating proscenium. Backstage there is a rehearsal room, theater workshop, costume room, dressing room and spacious dressing rooms. The theater is equipped with a highly professional sound and lighting system, audio and video equipment. For intimate events, there are also two small venues - Caccia Studio with 100 seats and Empty Space with 50-80 seats.
Several school libraries are well stocked with books, CDs, periodicals, electronic resources, computers and office equipment; they also have a collection of rare books and manuscripts. Hungry boys can be offered tea, coffee or hot chocolate.
Every student is required to have a laptop or tablet computer as they are an integral part of the learning experience at Eton. The entire campus is equipped with high-speed Internet; Wireless access is available in every dorm room and in almost every classroom. In their activities, teachers and administration use mainly computers running Microsoft Windows, but there are also ultra-modern representatives of the Apple Macintosh family for teaching music technology, art and design.
For rowing and triathlon activities, in 2006, an artificial reservoir was built on the territory of the 400-acre park - Lake Dorney - which is equipped with a world famous rowing channel, used during the 2012 Olympics in London and recognized as the best Olympic venue. Eaton spent £17 million on this project alone.
For athletics, students use the huge TVAC (Thames Valley Athletics Centre) sports complex. The center includes indoor and outdoor athletics tracks, sports and gyms, 4 international standard courts for squash and racquetball, courts for badminton, basketball, futsal, netball, shot mat bowls, indoor swimming pool and much more.

Sport. At Eton College, all sports activities are divided into “major” and “minor” sports. Depending on the season, the first include: football, rugby, rowing, hockey, athletics, cricket, tennis. In addition, a wide range of other sports is offered: badminton, basketball, bridge, canoeing, chess, croquet, cross-country, Dragon boating, Eton Fives, eventing, fencing, golf, martial arts, mountaineering , polo, racquets, sailing, shooting, skiing, squash, scuba diving, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, wakeboarding, wallgame, water polo, gymnastics, windsurfing. Students choose their favorite sports in each of two categories and practice them for 1 to 3 hours daily, six times a week.

Mugs. Two orchestras, two brass ensembles, many chamber, jazz ensembles and rock groups, church and concert choirs, training in playing various musical instruments, including organs of the highest class (in total, about 800 schoolchildren study music at Eton). Boys can join one of the 50 societies and clubs operating at the college. Among them: astronomy, architecture, entrepreneurship, politics, photography, poetry, Model UN, medicine, publishing your own newspaper and many others.

Entertainment activities. An evening of board games, excursions, concerts, trips to the bowling alley and paintball club, visits to theaters and exhibitions, music and singing competitions, sports competitions. The school participates in activities under the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme. The United Cadet Corps, better known as the Eton Rifles, has been active since 1860.

Accommodation and food conditions

Accommodation: residence. All boys attending Eton live on the school grounds. Each arrival joins one of the 25 dormitories, which are the center of college life. Each “house” is headed by an experienced senior teacher, assisted by two more teachers, a housekeeper and a whole staff of service personnel. Each boarding house houses about 50 boys. Senior students participate in self-government by holding the positions of House Captain and Game Captain. Each child has a separate room, which he has the right to arrange according to his own taste. Sixth Form students have their own kitchens.

Meals: full board. Half of the dormitories eat three meals a day in the school canteen - Bekynton. The second half of the houses have their own dining rooms with chefs. In both “houses,” children are also provided with light snacks in the morning; at lunchtime, they can make their own sandwiches or something more serious.

Individual attention: Each student has a class teacher for a group of 6 people, who is responsible for the academic success, upbringing and comfortable living of the child. The teacher meets with a group of his students once a week, and also individually as needed. The mentor draws up a personal growth and development program together with the student and monitors its implementation. He organizes leisure activities for students - from excursions and performances to games and intimate conversations. In the last two years of study, high school students are allowed to choose their class teacher as they wish. For the safety of children, the Internet is filtered and turned off at night. A medical center with qualified staff operates daily on the school grounds, and there is a registered nurse in each dormitory.

Term dates Trimester dates – academic year 2018-2019

Course fee Course cost per person – academic year 2018-2019 in pounds sterling

Additional charges:

• Registration fee - £390
• Entry fee - £2,000
• Guardianship Agency Registration Fee
• Guardianship
• Deposit in the amount of the cost of 1 trimester
• Testing - 20,000 rubles
• "Chancellor" services for school admission

Eton is a college that has the status of the most prestigious secondary educational institution in Britain. Boys aged 13 to 18 years old are accepted for training here. According to the rules of the educational institution, all students are required to live in a boarding house, which is located in a fenced area. On average, about 1,300 students stay here throughout the year.

Eton (college) and its history

A specialized school for boys was founded back in 1440 by special decree of King Henry VI. Initially, the purpose of opening an educational institution was to prepare boys from noble families to study at Cambridge University.

During the medieval period, the college was known as a place where Spartan educational methods were practiced. Students were required to adhere to the strictest rules of conduct. Currently, the attitude towards students here has softened significantly. However, maintaining self-discipline is still considered an essential trait that a true gentleman possesses.

Eton College in England is famous for its famous alumni. At one time, numerous offspring of royal families, nobility, public and government figures successfully graduated from the educational institution. In particular, over the entire history of the institution, 20 future British prime ministers emerged from it, including the most recent, David Cameron. Other famous people who studied at the college include writers Aldous Huxley and George Orwell, famous actor, composer Thomas Arne, and naturalist and explorer Lawrence Oates.

Eton (college): where is it located?

The educational institution is located in Berkshire, 30 kilometers from the center of London. The main buildings are located near the banks of the Thames River. Windsor Castle is located nearby the college.

Equipment

Today, the British College Eton is equipped to the latest standards. There are high-quality laboratories of chemistry, physics, and biology. The educational institution operates a center for the development of innovative technologies. The establishment has a design center and a recording studio. On the territory of the institution there is a theater whose hall can accommodate about 400 people.

Eton is a college where all conditions for sports are created. Students have access to numerous playgrounds, green fields, a large indoor swimming pool, as well as a whole host of specialized equipment. Docks are concentrated close to the Thames, where students come to row and canoe.

Accommodation

As noted above, Eton is an exclusively male college. For them, accommodation is organized in a boarding house format. In other words, students are not allowed to be accommodated outside the college.

There are more than 20 residential buildings on the territory of the educational institution. Each student receives a separate room. At the same time, the guys are accommodated according to age categories. The behavior of students and living conditions in residential buildings are constantly monitored by the so-called housemaster.

Admission conditions

What are the conditions for admission to Eton (college)? Admission here is possible when the applicant reaches 13 years of age. Until the middle of the last century, parents registered their children in educational institutions from birth. Today this option has been cancelled. This made it possible to give everyone a chance to go to college.

Eton is a college that is known for being quite competitive. There are on average 3-4 applicants per place here.

The procedure for entering the college differs from other educational institutions in the country. First of all, the application, in which the student expresses a desire to be here in the future, is submitted at the age of 11. After 2 years, if the request is approved by the management of the institution, the guys undergo an interview, after which they pass the entrance exam. Moreover, boys who apply for a place in college are required to present the rector with a positive reference from their previous educational institution.

Only a third of the total number of applicants manage to get into Eton College. Receipt may occur with some delay. Thus, the best applicants who did not pass the competition end up on the waiting list. Subject to the availability of a place, such applicants receive a corresponding mail notification of an invitation to the college.

Extracurricular activities

The college pays increased attention to organizing exciting and useful leisure time for students. An individual approach is applied to each student, aimed at developing inclinations and talents. From the widest list of various circles, clubs and sections, guys have the opportunity to choose an activity to their liking.

Thus, Eton College in England offers students the following clubs:

• archeology;
• astronomy;
• singing;
• cooking;
• chess;
• computer science and electronics;
• business;
• foreign languages;
• applied arts;
• oratory skill.

Among the available sports sections, it is worth noting athletics, basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, badminton, martial arts, horse riding, rowing, rock climbing, swimming, fencing.

Cost of education

The annual tuition fee here is $55,600, which equates to 35,700 British pounds. Eton also has enough students who don't pay a penny for their education. All of them are holders of a royal scholarship.

Upon admission to an educational institution, students may be charged an additional fee, which goes towards registration and confirmation of a place in the building for accommodation. Separate amounts can be paid by parents of students for additional lessons, organization of excursions and entertainment events, appointment of a guardian, and medical insurance.

Scholarship

You can get into Eton, the college whose photos are presented in the material, on a music or royal scholarship. In both cases, there is serious competition between applicants.

Students who wish to receive a Royal Scholarship are required to obtain the highest grades in mathematics and English exams, as well as have good scores in science. In particular, in order to be enrolled in free education, applicants must pass history, theology, geography, and Latin. If a young person successfully passes all these tests, he is exempt from the general admission exam.

As for the music scholarship, applicants who have extraordinary talent can receive it. The student's academic achievements are also taken into account.

Structure of the educational institution

How is Eton (college) organized? The structure of the institution is based on a special coefficient, in which there should be one teacher for every 8 students. In the first year, there can be up to 25 students in one class. By the last course, their number is reduced to 10 or even less. The remaining students drop out due to non-compliance with the requirements of the institution, poor discipline, and unsatisfactory learning results.

The college is managed by its head. Assistants to senior management are tutors who contact students directly and report on progress and any incidents.

A uniform

What kind of clothes are you allowed to wear to Eton (college)? The institution's uniform consists of a formal vest, over which a black jacket is worn. In addition, every student is required to wear pinstripe trousers. This suit is complemented by a white tie. An alternative to the latter is a white butterfly. However, only senior students have the right to use it in combination with the uniform.

Incentives and sanctions for students

Eton College is known for its well-established student reward system. Work done perfectly is noted by the tutor. High performance in a particular subject is awarded a special diploma by the head of the college.

If a student has presented an outstanding work to the teacher, the latter, by decision of the supreme council, can be sent to the archives of the institution. This way, new Eton students can familiarize themselves with it in the future. This form of rewarding success has been in effect here since the beginning of the 18th century. However, works submitted to teachers are extremely rarely recognized as outstanding. In order for the work to be awarded and sent to the archive, teachers must obtain an appropriate decree from the college administration.

Guys who come to class late must sign the register. Given the systematic nature of such violations of discipline, students are subject to certain sanctions at the discretion of the tutors. In case of serious misconduct, students are removed from classes and summoned for a personal conversation with the head of the college.

However, the requirement to attend classes on time applies not only to students, but also to teachers. For example, if the teacher is late for 15 minutes, those present in the class are free to go about their business for the duration of the lesson.

Physical punishment

From the very beginning of its existence, Eton was known for using corporal sanctions on students, both for specific offenses and for no objective reason. For example, in the Middle Ages, teachers organized random beatings of students in order to intimidate them and maintain discipline. Such events were traditionally organized on the Friday before the weekend and were known as "flogging day."

Practiced for Eton students until the 80s of the last century. Previously, rods were used for this purpose, which were used to beat students on their bare buttocks. Former head of education Anthony Trench, who ran the college between 1964 and 1970, decided to replace the canes with canes. From that time on, punishments were carried out not in front of the audience, but in the teachers' offices. The last demonstrative beating of a college student with a cane dates back to January 1984.

How realistic is it for a student from another country to get into Eton?

Due to the numerous requirements placed on the applicant and the length of the enrollment procedure, this is not so easy for a foreigner to do. An applicant for a place in a college from another country must be fluent in English, both speaking and writing tests. The same goes for knowledge of British history and literature.

The only real chance for a foreigner to enter Eton is to move to live in England no later than he reaches the age of nine. To learn to think like a Briton, the boy will have to undergo training at one of the local boarding schools. In this case, you will need to study according to a special program aimed at entering college.

Description of the school Training program Tuition fees

Eton College is a world-famous private boarding school, founded in 1440 by Royal Charter of Henry VI. Eton was originally created as an educational institution providing free education for 70 boys from low-income families, who subsequently went on to study at King's College, Cambridge. Today, Eton is not just a private boarding school for boys aged 13-18, selected on a competitive basis. This is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world, a real forge of personnel for training the political, cultural and scientific elite of Great Britain and other countries. The goal of the college is to provide students with a modern education while preserving the age-old traditions that have become an integral part of the legendary educational institution.

19 British prime ministers emerged from Eton, including the first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, Napoleon's winner at Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington, owner of one of the oldest publishing houses in the world, Harold Macmillan, and the penultimate head of government, David Cameron. Eton College has traditionally educated generations of British and foreign aristocrats, including members of royal families. The current heirs to the British throne, Princes William and Harry, also graduated from Eton.

Also graduates of the college were the writers Henry Fielding, Aldous Huxley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, George Orwell; famous actors Jeremy Brett and Hugh Laurie, famous scientists: physicist Robert Boyle, Nobel laureate 2012, geneticist John Gurdon, founder of macroeconomics John Keynes and many others.

Academic results

Eton College is renowned for its academic results. In 2017, 80% of students received only A* grades in the GSCE exams, and 96.2% of students received A*-A grades, which is a very high result.

According to the results of A-levels, 79.5% of students received only A* and A grades, of which 42.1% received only A* grades.

School equipment

On the school grounds there are dozens of both historical and modern buildings, the artificial lake Eton Dorney and the island of Queen's Eyot. Despite the fact that the history of Eton College goes back almost six hundred years, today it has more than modern equipment.

The school ensures that students have every opportunity to gain the best academic and practical skills. The school's classrooms and laboratories can easily rival those of the world's best universities. Computer classes are equipped with powerful processors and advanced software.

The college also has its own theater with modern lighting and sound equipment; center for the study of technological design and engineering; professional recording studio and much more.

The pride of the school is its libraries, where, in addition to the outstanding printed collection, audio and video resources, rare volumes and ancient manuscripts are stored.

Eton's sports infrastructure is also impressive. The educational institution is rightfully proud of its rowing canal on an artificial lake - this structure was recognized as the best among Olympic venues in 2012. Eton College students participate in triathlon and classic rowing on the rowing channel. Also for the use of students on the school grounds there is a huge athletics arena, which includes indoor and outdoor tracks, several gyms and sports halls, four racquetball and squash courts, basketball and badminton courts, football fields and a swimming pool.

Accommodation

In total, the school has 1,300 students, each of whom lives in a separate single room in the school residence. Students live in 25 dormitories, with no more than 50 people in each house. Each residence has its own caretaker who monitors the order and behavior of students. Everyone is free to create the interior of the room according to their own taste. Sixth Form students are accommodated in single rooms with a private kitchen.

The Economist has published an extensive piece on college and the realities of college that we would recommend parents considering Eton for their sons to read.

Education at Eton College is conducted according to the following educational programs:

GCSE

Students study compulsory subjects (English and mathematics) and a number of additional ones (foreign languages, geography, history, classical civilizations, drama, music, art, design, English literature, physics, photography, etc.)

A-level

Eton College offers the following A-level subjects: Art, Latin, Greek, Industrial Design, English Literature, Economics, Political Science, Ancient History, Music Technology, Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese, Theater Studies, Geography, History (Medieval, Modern, modern), mathematics, higher mathematics, chemistry, physics, theology.

Pre-U

Subjects in the Pre-U program: biology, economics, English literature, history, music, art history, and languages ​​- Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish.

The “Perspectives” course, which includes issues of religion, philosophy, and ethics, is compulsory for all students in blocks C and B.

The cost of one year of high school education is £38,730 per year. The price includes training, meals and accommodation. UK Study Center services for admission and guardianship are paid separately.