▲ Wall decoration in NLCS. Photo by Kim Jinmi

[This article is written by a JDC Junior Journalist. The JDC Junior Journalist program is an educational project sponsored by Jeju Free International City Development Corporation (JDC). JDC Junior Journalist articles are only briefly edited by mentors before publishing.]

As Jeju attempts to push forward the ‘Jeju Free International City Project,” they must overcome difficulties. In order to reach its goals, they must pass a number of steps, and one of the most important ones is to construct an international school nearby. To maintain the idea that Jeju is a “Global Education City”, they have encouraged other schools from abroad to work with them. North London Collegiate School (NLCS) has joined Jeju, leading the its British Curriculum to expand into Asia.

NCLS was the first school built inside Jeju’s Global Education City. The school was constructed in September, 2011. Up to 600 students aged five to eighteen are enrolled each year at the school. The majority of students in the school are from Korea, however students from different nations can be found as well. With low violence and smooth communication between students, the British curriculum has settled down safely in Jeju.

NLCS’ duties in Jeju are to teach English, and help students maximize their English skills. Following their motto, “Try yourself out”, the school encourages students to take a part in many activities. Due to the fine facility skills, there are more than 100 activities for students to participate in; most events take place after regular school hours, and are related to the aptitudes of each student. For example, students are enthusiastic about joining orchestra and band, as well as swimming and basketball. In an atmosphere of freedom, the students get more involved, and this contributes to the approximately 40% of senior students finding their paths through NLCS to Ivy League Universities, or Oxbridge (the combination of Oxford and Cambridge).

“Every English school wants to bring their school to Asia,” said Peter Daly, principal of NLCS.
Students here are not only passionate, they’re ambitious too. Teachers are also passionate about teaching students. NLCS helps its students improve the skills they lack, and acquire new ones they didn’t have before. The students feel satisfied with the English curriculm taught in this school. These accounts are why NLCS has made a great impact on Jeju’s Global Education in only a few short years.