Page 35 - ELG1711 Nov Issue 452

INTERVIEW . REVIEWS & RESOURCES

Devon is heaven

for language students

In 2014, Kevin McNally decamped from London to sleepy Devon to take the
helm of the Torquay International School. He tells old friend Melanie Butler how
he discovered welcoming host families, surfing lessons and beautiful countryside

n You were once seen as a permanent part of the London EFL parks and endless local attractions. Every weekend, we offer hiking on
scene, working for the Hampstead School of English and then Dartmoor for the over-fifties, surfing lessons for the younger students
for travel company Tui. What made you up and gastronomic weekends in nearby Exeter. There
sticks and head for Devon? I was used to is something for everybody.
When Hampstead School was sold to Tui
Travel in 2010, part of the deal was that I had to a certain level of n I remember when we met after the move,
stay for at least three years. After about a year, you were very excited about the host
I was made marketing director of the group of autonomy and instant families…
schools that Tui owned. decision-making The standard of host families in Torquay was a
Halfway through it became clear that the huge surprise. I think most schools in London, in
corporate world was not for me. I was used which is simply not most of the big destinations in fact, would agree
to a certain level of autonomy and instant that finding host families that meet students’
decision-making that is simply not possible in possible in a large expectations is one of the biggest challenges.
a large organisation. I missed the individual organisation Torquay families are so different. Their socio-
relationships with agents and partners at which economic level is much closer to that of the
independent schools excel. students. They have time and the inclination to
I started looking for my next move. I had known actually spend time with students, have dinner with
the then-owner of Torquay International School them, take them on days out. This was one of the
(TIS), Judith Hands, for years. Around 2013 she hidden gems of TIS that needed to be promoted
indicated that she was looking for an eventual exit much more aggressively (see page 15).
from the business. It was very important to her
that the school was handed on to someone who n And you established another Devon
understood the ethos and would allow the school speciality young learners course?
to grow and develop in a way that reflected its long In all my career, I had never been involved in
heritage. So, we started talking. young learners. It just never appealed. But In my first
At the time, the location of Torquay International summer in Torquay, I saw so many operators – mainly
School was a huge stumbling block, a deal-breaker. non-accredited – bringing in students by the busload.
The 2.5-hour journey from Paddington meant it was At TIS we had the infrastructure, the academic
too far from home, and would mean too much of an background, the fantastic host families. Why not offer
upheaval. I started looking for other opportunities, these young learners quality, safeguarding and good
but whatever avenue I explored, my heart, and fun? We launched young learners courses in 2016 and
increasingly my head, took me back to Torquay. numbers tripled by 2017. As for 2018, some weeks
are already closed to certain nationalities. We entered the market very
n What surprised you most about Devon? cautiously. I believe that welfare and safeguarding of young learners
To be honest, I knew very little about it. My main concern was how I must take priority. It’s been a steep learning curve. Interestingly, clients
would convince people to try Devon as opposed to London, Oxford or are more attracted by our welfare and safeguarding standards than
Brighton. What has been a fantastic surprise is that Devon sells itself. the lessons. Very high staff-to-student ratios, intensive training for
There is a small, discerning class of agent and student who is new staff, Level 3 Safeguarding courses for everyone, all costly and
already familiar with the region and what we can add to the language time-consuming. But it’s the minimum we would expect for our own
learning experience. There is the beautiful countryside with national children. How can we not want the same for the kids in our care?
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