Transitioning
Because we welcome hundreds of new families every year, the administration, faculty, parents and students at ASL put a great deal of time, planning and thought into the ways we can help families as they join our community.
The Parent Community Association (PCA) holds sessions that offer opportunities for new families to meet each other and to connect with existing ASL families; these sessions also introduce families to London life and explain how parents can become involved at the School. Our guidance counselors and teachers prepare transition activities and events for new students and create openings for new and returning students to talk about their initial experiences at the School, from their anxieties and expectations, to the things that surprised them.
At the beginning of the academic year, each division holds grade-based orientations that help new students become acquainted with their teachers and the school building. But arguably our greatest "transition team" is our student body, who naturally reach out to make new students feel welcome. Within a week or two, new arrivals begin to feel like seasoned veterans.
Need help understanding US/UK school year, age and grade equivalents? Take a look at the chart, below.