The programme allows students to attend schools from between four weeks to the first 3 term of Year 10. Students may live with host families, board or in some cases, a mixture of both. Boys are generally sent in pairs, which provides support whilst travelling and at the host school. As it is a valued, school-based activity, a student will not be disadvantaged academically by taking part in the programme.

Beyond Queenslea Drive is an important addition to the learning environment for all boys at Christ Church. It is a reciprocal arrangement whereby boys from participating immersion schools attend Christ Church, thus benefiting all students at the School.

Parents must be aware that participation in the programme is reciprocal. In agreeing to take part in the programme, a family is agreeing to host a student in return. In the event that a school does not provide a reciprocal visit, participants may be asked to host a student from a different school.

Current exchange schools include King’s College, Merchiston Castle School, Tonbridge School, Brighton College and Dean Close School in the United Kingdom; Kearsney College, Bishop's Diocesan College and Michaelhouse in South Africa; St Christopher’s School and The Haverford School in the USA; St Paul's Collegiate School and Christ's College in New Zealand; and Selwyn House School and St Andrew's College in Canada. From 2011 we are pleased to be able to offer two boys from Christ Church an opportunity to attend the Tihoi Venture School in New Zealand. The School continues to seek and be open to new opportunities with other exchange schools as they arise. 

Expressions of Interest

An Application Form for the 2013 Immersion Programme can be obtained here or from Director of Activities Mr Neil Saggers around the middle of Term 3.

Applications for the Beyond Queenslea Drive Immersion Programme are invited at the end of August and an information session for Year 9 boys will be held at the Co-curricular Information Session on Friday, 31 August 2012.

The parents of all boys in Year 9 will be sent a letter from the Headmaster outlining the 2013 Immersion Programme inviting any interested boys to submit an Expression of Interest form by Friday 14 September.

All applications will be reviewed and input will be sought from Heads of House in selecting applicants. The successful applicants will be informed as soon as possible after the conclusion of the review process.

Submission of an application is taken as an agreement with the terms of the immersion and a willingness to host an incoming immersion student.

Boarders are welcome to apply. If a boarder is a successful applicant, Christ Church will assist by providing accommodation in the School’s Residential Community during school time. The family may be asked to take the exchange student out during breaks or weekends where possible.

The Expression of Interest form offers applicants the chance to name preferences for exchange destinations. Where those preferences cannot be met, the School reserves the right to suggest alternatives.

Allocation of Immersion Schools

The allocation of an immersion school will be dependent on the host schools acceptance of an exchange arrangement for 2013. The reciprocal nature of the exchange programme requires our partner schools to select candidates who would like to attend Christ Church as an immersion student. This may take several months to co-ordinate, as schools need to advertise, receive applications and obtain a short-list of candidates. Schools in the UK, USA and Canada have only commenced a new school year in September and may take a while to confirm a final exchange arrangement.

From 2011, we are pleased to be able to offer two boys from Christ Church an opportunity to attend the Tihoi Venture School in New Zealand. The school, based on the Australian Timbertop model, is unique in the New Zealand education environment and combines academic education alongside outdoor pursuit activities. The Tihoi programme comprises four and a half days of classroom education and two and a half days of outdoor skills and challenges. 

Costs

Neither Christ Church nor the host schools will exchange tuition or residential fees.

The family will be responsible for:
• the cost of travel to and from the host country
• travel insurance
• pocket money
• the cost of any pre-arranged school camps or trips (where applicable)

The host family will be responsible for:
• ensuring that the visiting student is collected at the airport and returned there at the end of his stay
• providing daily requirements for the visiting student such as accommodation, meals, travel to and from school
• providing the visitor with opportunities to visit places of interest and offering a positive experience in the host country 

Medical Insurance

Christ Church students on exchange will be covered by the schools' Travel Guard Chartis Insurance policy. 

What the school will do:

• Endeavour to make the best possible match for the host and immersion students.
• Co-ordinate the overall programme and ensure that positions are available at our partner schools.
• Welcome the visiting students and integrate them fully as students at Christ Church.
• Accept ultimate responsibility for any exchange student, who is part of the programme. Principals at either school have the right to terminate the exchange and send the student home at the parents’ expense for any major infringement of rules or breach of exchange expectations.
• Provide boarding accommodation in the Residential Community where applicable.
• Make Christ Church expectations clear to the host school. All visitors will bring and wear their own school uniform. Where no uniform is worn, they must comply with their normal dress code and apply common sense.
• Formally farewell visiting immersion students and ensure that they have a small farewell gift from the School. 

What the school will not do:

• Take responsibility for any bookings, insurances
• Make academic assessments of visiting students. While they will attend classes, they will not be formally assessed or reported on.