A complete guide to UK universities for international students
Higher education, School Admissions
Choosing to study in the UK is a very exciting step for international students and their families – but when there are more than 150
Academic Families works with more than 450 schools throughout the UK, and we have become experts at matching children to the right boarding school for them in order to ensure each student thrives.
We're delighted to present one of our partner schools:
Shebbear College in Devon, England.
Our school motto is ‘Ad Gloriam Per Spinas’ (To Glory Through Thorns).
We aspire to be nationally and internationally recognised as an innovative and sustainable school at the leading edge of education and wellbeing. Our genuine passion to understand our ambitious pupils as individuals will enable us to develop their potential, inspiring and empowering them to be the very best they can be – academically, socially and morally.
At Shebbear College, we focus on the individual, with our aim being to provide the right pathway for every pupil, enabling everyone to achieve their full potential, whatever that may be.
Our value-added output means that pupils often surpass their expectations, doing better than expected in their exams. We add, on average, 1 Grade to a pupil’s exam results.
In 2025 our leavers went on to pursue a huge range of subjects at degree level – from Medicine, Computer Science and Chemistry to Politics, Business and Law at Russell Group and other top Universities. The vast majority of pupils gained a place at their first choice of university and course.
Sport is a huge part of life at Shebbear. Every pupil receives expert coaching in our core sports of rugby, football, hockey, netball, cricket, and athletics, supported by top-class facilities including a fitness suite, weights room, dance studio, five grass pitches, courts, cricket nets, a floodlit all-weather pitch, and a sports hall.
We are proud of our sporting ethos, which celebrates participation, personal growth, and enjoyment just as much as performance. Success in sport takes on many forms, so whether it’s a first fixture or a championship final, we value every sporting journey. We stretch our most able athletes while ensuring all pupils have the chance to represent the college, with a flexible fixture list that includes local club teams as well as other schools.
Our sports teams have reached the national finals in several sports including Netball, Athletics and Rugby, with our Equestrian team winning the ISA National Finals in 2025.
Boarding at Shebbear builds confidence, friendships and develops independence – as well as being a lot of fun! We welcome pupils from all over the world to join our vibrant, happy school and are home to around 40 international pupils from many different countries. Boarding is offered from the age of 8 – 18 and all of our overseas pupils are fully integrated into the life of the school, and very much a part of our genuinely warm community.
We have two co-educational boarding houses – Ruddle, which houses our full boarders from Form 1 (Year 7) through to Upper 6 and some of our weekly boarders, and Pollard, which houses our older weekly boarders. Our boarders are never bored, with a jam packed calendar of weekend events and evening activities on offer, as well as everything that comes with being a pupil at Shebbear College, from engaging lessons to exciting co-curricular activities.
You'll probably have many questions about the exciting times that lie ahead. We are here to reassure you and support your decision to educate your child in the UK.
Message us via Live Chat or request a callback and one of our team members will contact you whenever you prefer.
© 2026 Academic Families | Academic Families is a Safer Recruiter