setting up a bilingual school

[syl39]

Hi!

I am starting a project of opening a bilingual school from 3 to 16 in the City area, London Bridge.How many of you would be interested in enlisting their kids in such a school/or help get the project on foot?

Syl39

I'm an EFL teacher in France now and was a governess and nanny working mostly with bilingual families. EFL, ESOL (english for speakers of other languages) and EAL (English additional language) are all basically the same thing. TEFL and TESOL are slightly different in that EFL is English as a foreign language but ESOL was originally for those in the UK who need English for everyday living - practical English IYSWIM. EFL, in theory, deals more with grammar and the study of English. In theory. EAL is for children who speak other languages, usually having a different home language. They're still all referred to as TEFL qualifications within the industry.

You sound very similar in set up to the two schools I mentioned in Paris. Definitely worth investigating - they offer Bac and IB. Takes time to become an IBO school though....And cash!

I'd be interested but I can't promise much in the way of expertise!

Can I just add in that my children are educated bilingually in Scotland (English/Ghaidhlig - Scottish Gaelic, state school provision) and they start a 3rd language (French) in Primary 6 (year 5) and a fourth (German or Spanish) in first year of secondary (y7).

Many children, mine included, at primary level are learning another language outside of school - mine are doing Spanish and storming ahead at eqv y1, 2, 4.

The Gaelic system in Scotland (like Welsh in Wales as far as I know) uses a total immersion system for early primary even if the children don't have the language at home. I now have 3 children who are Ghaidhlig "native speakers" even though my husband and I have none. It amazing hearing them insulting each other over the Wii in another language!

For littlies, in my experience the "total immersion" to begin with is really important. In my children's school everyone - teachers, office staff, classroom assistants, Janitor, lunch supervisors (not the dinner ladies though) speaks only Gaelic to the children on all occasions unless they are actively teaching them English (which they begin to learn to read/write in the middle of p3 - Y2).

If you are looking at setting something like this up in London for another language, you could do a lot worse than make a visit to one of the Gaelic schools in Scotland - we're at Sgoil Ghaidhlig Ghlaschu - Glasgow Gaelic School, which is the most developed, although there is also one in Edinburgh.

I understand that your school will have to be private and fee-paying, and with that you will have to go along with the preferences of the parents in order to attract students. But the Scottish/Welsh bilingual schools have been set up as state provision so are much more free from that kind of pressure and they are doing what really works academically for young children in a bilingual setting and it might be worthwhile you looking at them, if only for advice/support.

AuldAlliance - do you think that French teachers are going to be less or differently qualified in future? I have a very, very low opinion of French teaching qualifications and skills.

I've been researching Clil, but also looked at L'ecole active bilingue Jeannine Manuel, and it fits perfectly with what I want, so I contacted them.Otherwise, I am starting a masters in bilingualism this September.

Worse, Bonsoir.

I know EABJM very well as an ex-charge went there and I think they're excellent (if a little French on the pastoral side).

Which masters are you doing? The one at Bangor?

I looked up the CLIL approach, I agree that's what is needed.I had a look at the bilingual schools in Paris, and I emailed the Ecole Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel as it matches what I want to set up.I am startting a master's in bilingualism next September, I hope it will give me the insight I need on the subject.

Sorry posted last message by mistake,no at Birkbeck College London.

I agree with Auldalliance that for the French native speakers, I should just hold on for now as we don't know what the master pro is going to pan out( anyway, I'd say that the quality of training on a British PGCE is better than on the CAPES, been there done that).

The quality of training is indeed far better on PGCE's than for the CAPES.

But the Master Pro is not going to improve anything, on the contrary. The practical teacher training is being sabotaged instead of overhauled and improved, the syllabus for the Master Pro is almost impossible to organise, and the content of the concours, in English at least, is ill-judged and unjust. As for an oral entitled 'agir en fonctionnaire éthique', with its echoes of one of the least glorious periods in French history, it is a travesty of an exam.

I have been stunned by the way the reform is being forced through hastily, with contradictory, unworkable texts and decrees succeeding one another, incomplete and ill-thought out planning, and a calendar that is impossible to follow. After over a year of trying to interpret woolly legislation so as to implement the changes, and of seeing how things are being 'managed', I have now come to the depressing conclusion that the only motives are (a) to save money and (b) to encourage private education.

The CAPES was far from perfect, but it did serve to prevent the worst candidates from setting foot in a classroom. That will no longer be the case.

Well, that's the Sarkozy strategy on French Education, sabotage, change for the sake of it without substance.

I just received an email from the EABJM, they aren't interested to help, and sent me to go and talk to the AEFE!

I went to the Ecole Active Bilingue JM in Paris in the 1980's it was fantastic. Nothing like it exists here in London so go for it. The key is mixing the languages for the teaching of other subjects, for example I used to learn maths, art and biology in French, while history, geography and chemistry was in English. The IB curriculum is fantastic.

My kids ages 10 & 8 now speak fluent Italian having lived there for the past two years. We are back in London and looking for schools that teach languages really well. Would love to have them go to a truly Bilingual school. The International School of London is basically in English, and has no real aptitude for teaching other languages.

Keep me posted.

Did you have a look at Southbank, BannerGirl?Could be different.I think this it, you nailed it, subjects taught in languages and the IB bit, because I didn't like how the other EAB worked separating the French curriculum, The British , American and the IB, who says it can't be mixed up?Take the good bits and stir.

Bit harsh of EABJM! If you want any info on how they do things then enable CAT (it's in MyMumsnet), I'll get in touch and do my best to help. I used to volunteer there in the maternelle section and had a charge further up the school plus DH's sister was there for lycee.

Thanks very much for that, frakkit, I will, I'm holding back at the moment on the New Schools Network front, because I think the school will have to be private and fee paying, but also because I still haven't sorted out the survey stage, and nothing can't go forward until that bit is done.

Has anyone got ideas about how to tackle a survey for a potential school when I can't afford to pay for a proper one?

Hi Syl39,

If you are considering trying to set this school up within the state system, have you considered how you will manage admissions fairly and cater for children with SENs?

Have you considered what level of the language children will need to join the school at each stage and how that would fit with the needs of the local children in Southwark (London Bridge area) or the City?

Don't want to put you off, but how do you envisage catering for a looked after child (child in care) who will have top priority in being allocated a place joining you at secondary level?

Well, just wanted to add my support and say if you manage to set up the school in time for Sep 2013 I would enter my DS (he will start school age 5 that year). We are English - would you consider French evening classes for parents?

I would want to know that the curriculum you are teaching would still enable my DS to transfer to another school at age 11. London (IMO) has lots of good secondary (fee paying and selective) but Southwark and surrounds have very few good primaries that I know of.

Hi LadyLapsang,

You are right, this is why I'm holding back with the New School Network, I've got to think about that, I'm too busy potty training and I'm really tired.I contacted the Council of International Schools, but when it comes to the AEFE, it's prehistoric, and they don't have emails. I want to have a primary curriculum similar to the Ecole de Battersea, as these guys have students who go back into the British system(private).The more I think about it, the more I think private is the way to go, having a location in the Bank or Borough area, Southwark's so deprived.At the minute,I want too see what help I can get from organisations, I did get an idea of what paperwork trail to follow from the multilingual family website.

Well, potty training has gone down the drain( my daughter wasn't having it).I went back on the EABJM website and looked at their curriculum( for 6th form), there's the French traditional baccalaureat, the baccalaureat with International option , the IB.So, they are under contract with the French Education national, Unesco School, part of the European Council of International Schools( source of funding), Cambridge something examination board, and SAT examination center( for American exams).I looked into the OIB( baccalaureat with international option) because it's a different category altogther( not on offer in French London schools, yet), and those different organizations.

Hi,

I find this thread extremely interesting, my daughter is only 8 mnths but I'm passionate about languages and it's great to see others feeling the same way. Please keep me informed of any developments, and if any other mums are interested in networking re: bilingual education in north London then please get in touch.
I'm currently setting something up for babies and toddlers, so if any of you are interested in languages for babies and toddlers then it would also be great to talk to you!
www.meetup.com/lalalanguages
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