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St. Clare's, Oxford is a registered educational charity based in Oxford

St. Clare's was founded in 1953 as a centre where students from Europe could resume contact with Britain after the war. From this, the present College has evolved with the aim of promoting international understanding and academic excellence in a community where students from different countries live and study together, and while doing so learn about and from one another. In March 1999 St Clare's acquired the Oxford Academy, a long-established English language school, now fully integrated and incorporated. An expanded range of activities is now offered on the two sites.

St Clare's also provides a variety of short courses and educational services under its Educational Services and Short Courses division.

During the academic year, there are over 40 full-time and around 40 part-time teachers, and over 100 administrative, residential and support staff.

"St. Clare's, Oxford" operates as a charitable company with a board of governors/directors chaired by Peter Oppenheimer, Student (i.e. fellow) of Christ Church, Oxford and Director of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies.

Its overall mission, reflecting its origin, is

and this characterises all the diverse operations of the College, and Short Courses and Educational Services division.

St. Clare's celebrates its 50th anniversary (golden jubilee) during the academic year 2002-3. In this connection, three jubilee themes have been identified:

• Development and implementation of a master plan for central premises and facilities (on a 10 year timescale)
• Increasing funding for scholarships and bursaries
• Developing our understanding and awareness of global citizenship (over 5 years)

St Clare's - the College

St Clare's offers courses to up to 400 students throughout the year, except over Christmas, in three areas:

• at pre-university level
  (International Baccalaureate, pre-IB, University Foundation Year, Enrichment Year)
• at university level
  (Liberal Arts courses for university students from US universities and elsewhere)
• in English language

Pre-university and university level programmes operate during the academic year only, while English language courses are offered throughout the year.

Our activities take place at two locations, about 1km apart:

The Banbury Road campus - the base for courses for young adults aged 16 and over. Pre-university level courses take place at this site, which also houses some Liberal Arts teaching, English language courses for those under 18, and general administration.

The Bardwell Road Centre is the adult centre of St Clare's, where English language courses for people aged 18 and over are based. Most Liberal Arts teaching also takes place at this site.

In total up to 400 students of over 50 nationalities will be studying at St Clare's at any one time. They will range in age from 16 to over 70. Most will be residential in College accommodation, while some will live at home, and others with local families.

Around 250 students are following academic year courses at PRE-UNIVERSITY LEVEL, the largest programme (with around 200 students) being the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). This is a two-year course leading to the IB Diploma, an entrance qualification for all British universities and for most other universities in the world. Students come from a wide range of countries (about 45) and cultures, with about 35% being native English-speaking, many of them students who have chosen to come to St. Clare's because of its more adult atmosphere and the lively nature of the IB programme. Students take six subjects, including two languages, undertake a research project, a course in critical thinking (Theory of Knowledge) and extra-curricular activities to embrace creativity, action and service. The IB is taught in over 1000 schools and colleges worldwide.

St. Clare's began teaching the programme in 1977 and is one of the principal IB Diploma institutions in the world in terms of student numbers, staff expertise and examination record. We celebrated our 25th year of offering the IB in the academic year 2001-2. Almost all students proceed to higher education in Britain, or elsewhere.

There is also a one-year Pre-IB course for around 20 students who need some additional academic preparation before starting the two-year IB diploma course. This also attracts students wishing to spend a year or part of a year in England before returning home to complete secondary education. This course overlaps with an English language course for 16-19 year olds, en route to completing their secondary education in English. Some subject studies in English are included in this programme.

The one-year University Foundation Course prepares students for study at British universities, in art/humanities, social studies or business. The course includes English language for students who are non-native speakers.

UNIVERSITY LEVEL courses in Liberal Arts are for students from the USA and elsewhere, who wish to supplement their university programmes with one or two semesters of study in England. For US students, courses count towards the degree they are taking at their home institutions. The Advanced Studies Programme (academic year) is for non-native speaking students who wish to improve their English language while also studying subjects in English. Students combine selected Liberal Arts courses, studied with American students, with elements from the English Language course. 40-60 students are enrolled on these two programmes.

St Clare's offers a wide variety of ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES, combining its own tradition of long-stay courses with short and professional courses previously offered by the Oxford Academy. Both St Clare's and the Oxford Academy were among the earliest language schools in Britain and were founder members of ARELS (The Association of Recognised English Language Services).

Courses for up to 150 older students (aged 18+) are based at the Bardwell Road Centre. Students range from graduates or undergraduates of foreign universities, attracted by the College's general facilities and activities which complement class work, to mature professionals taking short intensive courses. Long-stay students with strong English and an appropriate academic background often join the Advanced Studies Programme. Separate short and long English courses are offered, and an increasing number of students take 1:1 courses. Short general and specialist (Business and Medicine) courses for adults aged 23+are also offered.

Students under 18 take separate English Language courses at the Banbury Road campus. During the academic year these are offered in terms (see above), and there is an extensive range of short summer courses.

Central teaching and administrative facilities at the Banbury Road campus are based in eight Victorian/Edwardian houses, with some purpose-built accommodation in their grounds, and include a hall, the Academic Resources Centre (which includes a library of over 30,000 volumes), four science laboratories, language laboratories, art studio, computer rooms, music rooms, dining room, café/bistro, teaching rooms and administrative offices. The Bardwell Road Centre comprises two very large Victorian houses, incorporating teaching rooms, English language library, self-access centre and computer rooms, administration, dining/common rooms and residential accommodation.

Up to 325 students live in College accommodation, some in Victorian houses close to central buildings, and others in senior, self-catering houses, with, in all cases, a resident warden/house manager.

The College has a planned capital development programme which has recently included the following major projects:

• Anne Dreydel House (Academic Resources Centre) opened in May 1995, a £650,000 refurbishment of an Edwardian house.
• Morris Rooms (suite of classrooms) opened in September 1995 (£200,000).
• Logan House, opened in July 1996 by the Rt. Hon. Douglas Hurd, which provides high quality self-contained accommodation (cost £1.6m) for around 45 senior students.
• Purchase and refurbishment of Hampden Manor, a 17th century manor house a few miles outside Oxford (self-contained flats for 22 students; may be used for limited teaching). (c£500,000 December 1996)
• Acquisition of lease and refurbishment of a house to form a new Social Studies department base (teaching rooms, computer suite, staff work room, Theatre Arts rehearsal/teaching room, single en suite bedrooms for students) (January 1998).
• Acquisition of the Oxford Academy - premises and business of an existing language school. (£2.1m March 1999)
• Acquisition of lease and refurbishment of a house to provide further residential accommodation (August 1999)
• Acquisition of a house adjacent to the central site. This has been refurbished to provide additional music facilities and classrooms, and opened in January 2002. (£1.6m)

A masterplan for the entire central site of the College is in process of preparation, working with two internationally renowned architects selected after a competition.

In trying to sum up our philosophy some years ago, we drew up the following statement, to which applicants for posts here should be happy to subscribe. Although this has not yet been reviewed to reflect our incorporation of the Oxford Academy (with more short stay, adult students), it still gives a flavour of the sort of organisation we are.

"St. Clare's is a small, largely residential college for students of pre-university level and above. The student body is international, though with a strong core of native speakers: the setting is Oxford.

We offer rigorous academic courses and an extracurricular programme with a strong emphasis on creativity and community service in an environment which is open, informal and supportive. Additionally, we aim to develop in our students a sense of responsibility for their own work and conduct and an understanding of the importance of moral and spiritual values in their lives. In particular, we wish them to grow in a knowledge and understanding of the needs of others and the environment, which are not just local but also international. Our well-qualified and experienced staff are open, understanding and international in outlook. Our relationships with students, based on high expectations and mutual respect, are warm and friendly. Above all, we share a common aim to develop in our students qualities and values which will equip them for further study, a fulfilled life and responsible world citizenship."

St. Clare's, Oxford: Educational Services and Short Courses

This division enables future and expanding developments to proceed independently of the College - physically and administratively. While the College's location sets a limit to its expansion, Educational Services can undertake activities at locations outside Oxford and the UK, on an unlimited scale.

Activities of the division include teacher training courses (principally for teachers of English or those introducing the IB), summer courses for young adults (16+) and young learners (10-16) in Oxford, an IB Summer Institute, for students and teachers associated with the IB Diploma, adult cultural or language and culture programmes (in Oxford), short courses at other locations, tailor-made courses for visiting groups, English language testing, and consultancy.

The "Language through Learning" project aims to assist teachers of subjects through the medium of English to students who are not native speakers of the language. By raising awareness of language issues and enhancing skills of teachers in using and developing language, the intention is to make them more effective in teaching their own subjects. Drawing on expertise from around the world the project will be the focus for particular development over the coming few years. A course devised as part of the project has been delivered in Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Peru, Ghana, Portugal, El Salvador and Turkey. St Clare's received government funding for development work on the project with a state school.

Courses use rented premises in Oxford and elsewhere, as well as the College's own facilities. Activities draw upon St. Clare's associates (engaged for specific purposes, but retaining continuing connections with us), freelance and temporary staff, and regular College staff.

IMPORTANT NOTES

1. SMOKING IS SEVERELY RESTRICTED ON THE PREMISES, AND ACTIVELY DISCOURAGED.

2. PARKING RESTRICTIONS ARE DUE TO BE INTRODUCED IN NORTH OXFORD IN AUTUMN 2002. STAFF MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE DIRECTLY TO THE COLLEGE IN THE FUTURE.

3. REFERENCES AND CHECKS

All offers of employment and contracts are issued subject to satisfactory references and satisfactory outcomes on completion of all necessary checks, including establishing the right to work in the UK. In some cases some or all of these checks will have been undertaken before an offer is made. In most cases, taking up employment will be subject to the satisfactory completion of all necessary procedures.

Under the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools, we are required to undertake additional checks on all employees working with our residential students who are under 18:

• Full written references, and phone references on quoted referees, including current employer, may be obtained before or after interview. You should indicate specifically if you wish St. Clare's to refrain from contacting your current employer.
• Police checks / Criminal Records Bureau checks must also be undertaken, for which employees / prospective employees are required to provide information and consent.
• Contact with all previous employers where the employee has worked with children or vulnerable adults is also required. This is to establish the reason for leaving the position. On occasions, further information and a reference may be sought in writing, by phone or by other means. By providing details of previous employment, it is assumed that the employee/prospective employee has given consent for this contact, and no specific consent of the employee / prospective employee will be sought.
• The College reserves the right to contact any previous employer and to make any additional enquiries it considers necessary in order to meet its responsibilities in relation to employment of people working with students.

January 2002
Amended June 2002
Amended August 2002
Amended January 2003

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