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For 40 years, The Good Schools Guide has helped parents with every aspect of choosing the best education for their children. Currently, the Guide offers more than 1,300 reviews of UK schools along with nearly 300 international school reviews covering 40 countries across the globe.
New Summit Academy's recent "What the School Says" contribution highlights those elements of our supportive boarding school that help it stand apart from any other school in the world.
Here is an inside look at the feature:
New Summit Academy's recent "What the School Says" contribution highlights those elements of our supportive boarding school that help it stand apart from any other school in the world.
Here is an inside look at the feature:
Tucked into the hills of one of Costa Rica’s sunniest small towns, New Summit Academy is a short-term boarding school where students typically enrol for one academic year. It offers something rare in the world of independent education: a supportive boarding experience combined with the adventure of studying abroad. The result is a school that feels both transformative and deeply grounding for bright young men who need a fresh start, a confidence boost or simply a different kind of educational journey.
Serving boys aged 14-18, New Summit Academy remains intentionally small, with only 26 students on campus at a time. Young men come from around the world seeking a place where they can be understood, challenged and supported in equal measure. Many arrive with anxiety, perfectionism, ADHD, executive functioning challenges or the weight of stress from competitive or mismatched school environments. What they share are strengths: curiosity, empathy, creativity and a desire to reconnect with their own potential.
Serving boys aged 14-18, New Summit Academy remains intentionally small, with only 26 students on campus at a time. Young men come from around the world seeking a place where they can be understood, challenged and supported in equal measure. Many arrive with anxiety, perfectionism, ADHD, executive functioning challenges or the weight of stress from competitive or mismatched school environments. What they share are strengths: curiosity, empathy, creativity and a desire to reconnect with their own potential.
The school’s academic programme blends university-preparatory coursework with experiential learning and cultural immersion. Classes are small and relational, giving students the structure they need while allowing them to work closely with teachers who really know how they learn. It’s not unusual to see students conducting field science in the rainforest, practising Spanish with local community partners or building interdisciplinary projects that connect academic subjects with the world around them. Learning feels alive and personal.
Therapeutic coaching is woven seamlessly into everyday life. Students meet regularly with on-campus therapists who help them build healthy coping strategies, manage stress, strengthen executive functioning skills and understand themselves more fully. This is not a clinical environment; it’s a school with intensive social-emotional support. The atmosphere is warm, conversational and growth-oriented.
Life outside the classroom is one of New Summit Academy’s greatest strengths. Students explore Costa Rica’s national parks, volcanoes, cloud forests and coastlines through carefully planned adventures that build confidence and resilience. Weekends may include hiking, white-water rafting, service projects, cultural trips, surfing on the Pacific coast or pursuing creative passions like music, photography and filmmaking. These shared experiences create strong friendships and a steady sense of belonging.
Therapeutic coaching is woven seamlessly into everyday life. Students meet regularly with on-campus therapists who help them build healthy coping strategies, manage stress, strengthen executive functioning skills and understand themselves more fully. This is not a clinical environment; it’s a school with intensive social-emotional support. The atmosphere is warm, conversational and growth-oriented.
Life outside the classroom is one of New Summit Academy’s greatest strengths. Students explore Costa Rica’s national parks, volcanoes, cloud forests and coastlines through carefully planned adventures that build confidence and resilience. Weekends may include hiking, white-water rafting, service projects, cultural trips, surfing on the Pacific coast or pursuing creative passions like music, photography and filmmaking. These shared experiences create strong friendships and a steady sense of belonging.
The school emphasises independence within structure. Students learn to manage responsibilities, handle real-world tasks, collaborate with peers and contribute to community life. Staff describe it as 'guided independence', the right balance of autonomy, accountability and encouragement.
Families choose New Summit Academy because it offers space to reset without losing momentum. On average, students enrol for one academic year, though some remain through graduation. After Costa Rica, many students transition successfully into more traditional boarding schools, while others return home with renewed confidence or move directly on to university. Whatever the next step, they leave Costa Rica more resilient, more self-aware and more capable young men.
In a world full of independent schools, New Summit Academy stands apart. It is adventurous, relational, grounded in wellbeing and unmistakably student-centred – a place where young men can rediscover joy in learning, in connection and in themselves.
Families choose New Summit Academy because it offers space to reset without losing momentum. On average, students enrol for one academic year, though some remain through graduation. After Costa Rica, many students transition successfully into more traditional boarding schools, while others return home with renewed confidence or move directly on to university. Whatever the next step, they leave Costa Rica more resilient, more self-aware and more capable young men.
In a world full of independent schools, New Summit Academy stands apart. It is adventurous, relational, grounded in wellbeing and unmistakably student-centred – a place where young men can rediscover joy in learning, in connection and in themselves.
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