Brentwood College School - Mill Bay, British Columbia
Academics
The pursuit of academic excellence is a cornerstone of the Brentwood programme. Teacher expectations are high. New students quickly recognize that academic progress depends on individual effort, persistence, focus, and respect for the learning environment, both in class and in preparation for it. They learn from Aristotle that "excellence is not an act, but a habit".
Through the advisor system, teacher support and critique, and the evening prep routine, they realize that academic habits can be learned. 100% of the grade 12 class graduate. Almost all apply to and are accepted at university, from Queen's and McGill to the Ivy League.
Athletics
Pick your sport. Rowing (crew), rugby, basketball, field hockey, ice hockey, volleyball, tennis, soccer, squash, cross country, golf, sailing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking and climbing - Brentwood offers them all, from beginners to advanced, and more.
Through team sports especially, students develop valuable skills and attitudes, including commitment, endurance, confidence, humility and teamwork. They make close friends while playing and travelling with their peers.
All students are involved in three afternoons of physical activity, with some competitive athletes involved all six afternoons. Different sports are scheduled each term, depending on the season of play. Every student has the opportunity to participate in team and individual sports at his or her level.
Brentwood teams participate in the Independent Schools Association (ISA) of B.C. tournaments, National Championships (rowing), international tours (basketball, rugby, volleyball, rowing) and in local, mid-Island and Island leagues, with senior teams regularly qualifying for the B.C. Provincial Championship Tournaments.
Arts
At Brentwood, we believe the arts promote creativity, self-expression, and teamwork. The arts help students visualize an idea and see a complex process through to reality. They teach patience, humility and confidence. They enrich the imagination and challenge the mind. They provide balance and perspective. The arts create culture and civilize society.
Enter the Bunch Centre for Performing Arts and you may hear the jazz band, the concert choir, or the strings ensemble practicing, or watch dancers or actors in rehearsal. Explore the visual art studios and you will see students engaged in photography, pottery, drawing, painting, sculpture and architectural design. Enjoy the results of the artistic process in public performance in the Killy Theatre or on changing display in the Art Gallery. Attend an assembly and you may hear a pianist, singer or guitarist (sometimes performing his or her own composition), or watch a video written, filmed and edited by students. Go backstage or up to the sound, lighting and projection booth and see the skilled theatre production student crews at work.
All Brentonians get involved in the creative process, both as participants and as members of the audience. Opportunities abound from beginners through to experienced performing and visual artists who wish to specialize. Art courses run for the full year, with most students choosing two arts each year.
Unique Programs or Strengths of School
Tripartite Program
Although some Brentonians graduate at the top of their university classes, win Olympic medals, or perform at Carnegie Hall, most simply develop a lifelong commitment to critical thinking, physical fitness, and an appreciation of the arts.
While academic scholarship stands as the core of the Brentwood programme, athletic and artistic opportunities abound, for beginners through to international competition.
Rigorous academic classes run six mornings a week, with supervised evening study Monday through Friday. Individual and team sports, including internationally acclaimed rowing, are scheduled for all students on alternate afternoons, alongside fine and performing arts.
Students discover a lot about themselves through their involvement in athletics or the arts. Becoming part of a team, understanding commitment to others, developing perseverance, overcoming fear and frustration, experiencing the rewards of seeing a process through: all are valuable life lessons.
Rowing Club
The Brentwood Rowing Club has a distinguished history and has produced an extraordinary number of Canadian national crew members and Olympians, including two gold medallists. Members of the Brentwood Rugby Club and the Field Hockey Club have also gone on to compete for Canada. Many Brentwood coaches have competed or coached at the university, provincial and national level.
Costs
Please be aware that the costs provided below are designed to provide approximate comparisons. For a precise reckoning of costs, contact an education advisor.
Tuition: CAD 40,000
English Language Study
Many Consortium Schools allow students to improve their English abilities while they are studying. The precise nature of the ESL programs tend to vary from school to school; please contact an advisor for a specific description.
ESL Program: Limited
Cost of ESL Program: n/a
Visualizing the School
Website: www.brentwood.bc.ca
Map: View
