This week, as we say goodbye to our boarders for the summer, we were delighted to hear that we were shortlisted in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2024 for the Independent School of the Year for International Student Experience. As a school of over 1,300 students, a quarter of whom are boarders, we are proud to acknowledge and celebrate each international student’s heritage and cultural identity, supporting them in settling into the community and feeling valued for who they are. This celebration starts at the very beginning of a boarder’s journey at New Hall, in the first term, with the organisation of a student-led Culture Day.

Students prepare market-style stalls, each showcasing a different country. At one stall, one might learn to play mahjong, at another, try chin chin or plantain chips; lovers of fashion might try on vibrant Ukrainian and Romanian traditional dress, while gastronomes play the ‘guess the Indian spice’ game. The day is not limited to places far away; it welcomes all cultures from around the world as well as local cultures, with English, Scottish and Welsh students showcasing the highlights of living in Great Britain, allowing new international students to discover local games, sport teams, music, and even snacks. In the 2023 Culture Day, 28 countries from five continents were represented, with 71 student volunteers organising all-day displays and students in Years 5-13 allocated time out of lessons to spend at the exhibition. 1,000 students visited the 2023 Culture Day exhibition; for international boarders, this helped to build confidence and connections, as they spoke to students and staff and answered many questions about their lives beyond school in a relaxed and informal setting.

Having Culture Day at the start of the year provides a preview of what is to come; it inspires international boarders to organise and participate in many other cultural activities throughout the year, such as our Chinese fan dance and calligraphy workshops for Lunar New Year, French cinema evenings, European Languages Day activities, Afro-Caribbean dance classes, and many more, all led by students with support from staff. There is no better way for our boarders to feel welcome, seen and appreciated than the value we put on celebrating our international students and encouraging them to share with us their heritage and their identity, not to ‘fit in’ with our community but to be embraced by it.