b'Advice for international applicants British boarding schools have never enjoyed a higher standing abroad and each year thousands of pupils from all over the world pile in for a taste of the boarding experience. In fact, roughly ve per cent of the UKs boarding school pupils are from abroadthats 20,000 children from around 100 different countries.Pastoral care is now given as much prominence as academic standards. Newly refurbished accommodation is bordering on luxurious (but dont expect many en suite bathrooms) and the transformation of school food is nothing short of miraculous, though sh and chips and custardseparately, of courseremain culinary xtures. But before completing your registration form and paying the deposit, its worth checking that you know what you are buying and whether it will suit your family.English language support The vast majority of international pupils follow a mainstream curriculum and work towards standard 16- and 18-plus qualications. For those whose English isnt yet quite good enough or whose previous education puts them behind others of the same age, extra support from teachers who specialise in EAL (English as an Additional Language) may be needed.Schools may run separate classes in key subjects, structured to allow more time for the language component so that maths and science students, for example, have sufcient understanding to decode word-based problems. A growing number of boarding senior schools also run international study centres that offer a range of specially structured courses in what is effectively a school within a school. Some run a pre-sixth form year that enables overseas students to get their English up to scratch before joining the sixth form. Pupils may board or play sport with 62'