Page 25 - ELG1911 Nov Issue 467

El•Gazette 467.qxp_El•Gazette 467 23/10/2019 13:10 Page 25

YEAR ROUND YL . SPECIAL FEATURE

Top ten for teens and tinies

Melanie Butler finds the best UK schools for groups of young learners

roups of young learners coming to Think again. Checking the inspection safeguarding results, too. Some were
the UK for a short course outside reports of 248 accredited centres offering inspected for eight criteria, while for others
the summer reason is an year-round short courses for under-16s, we only six criteria were applicable. The most
Gincreasingly common sight – in could find just eleven that excelled at both common was to find strengths in half of the
fact it is probably the fastest growing market safeguarding and teaching. All of them are applicable criteria, so four out of eight, or
segment. Increasing numbers of British listed in the table below. three out of six.
Council accredited centres are offering All of these schools have strengths in For students, though, there are two more
courses designed to meet the demand. In fact, teaching, though the average quality varies a key factors: accommodation and the leisure
of all 478 accredited centres, 244 now take little, according to the inspectors who programme, so we added those to the listings,
under-16s year-round. awarded one of three overall judgements: very along with one final piece of information: the
The centres are divided, however, into two good, good to very good, and good. total number of areas of strength awarded by
groups: private language schools catering to There are small differences in the the British Council.
adults and young learners, and young-learner
specialists who either cater wholly to under-
16s, or where the majority of their students
are in this age group.
What should we focus on when looking for
a great young-learner course? Child BROADSTAIRS ENGLISH CENTRE
protection is probably the number-one
concern for all the adults involved: parents,
agents, group leaders and even governments.
So, an area of strength in the safeguarding of
under-18s is the first thing we should look for
in the school inspection report.
For the adults who are actually paying for
the course, it is also important that their
children make progress. Educational research
shows us that if you want good learning, you
need good teaching. So, an area of strength in
teaching is also something that we want to see.
Safeguarding and Teaching. Easy enough to
find schools with a strength in those, you
might think. School accommodation is an important consideration for students

Name Type Teaching Under 18s Accom Leisure BC Score
Broadstairs English Centre ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ YLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (4/8) ⋆ ⋆ 14
Broadstairs English Centre ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ YLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (4/8) ⋆ ⋆ 14
IH Bristol ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (VG) ⋆ (3/6) ⋆ ⋆ 12
IH Bristol ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (VG) ⋆ (3/6) ⋆ ⋆ 12
St Giles Highgate ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ YLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (4/8) ⋆ ⋆ 12
St Giles Highgate ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ YLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (4/8) ⋆ ⋆ 12
ETCi ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G) ⋆ (4/6) ⋆ ⋆ 6
ETCi ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G) ⋆ (4/6) ⋆ ⋆ 6
Liverpool School of English ⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (4/8) √ ⋆ 10
Liverpool School of English ⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (4/8) √ ⋆ 10
Bell Young Learners ⋆⋆⋆ YLS ⋆ (VG) ⋆ (3/6) √ ⋆ 9
Bell Young Learners ⋆⋆⋆ YLS ⋆ (VG) ⋆ (3/6) √ ⋆ 9
English Experience ⋆⋆⋆ YLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (4/8) √ ⋆ 9
English Experience ⋆⋆⋆ YLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (4/8) √ ⋆ 9
Lewis School of English⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (3/6) √ ⋆ 8
Lewis School of English⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (3/6) √ ⋆ 8
KKCL ⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (3/6) √ ⋆ 6
KKCL ⋆⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G/VG) ⋆ (3/6) √ ⋆ 6
Essential English ⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G) ⋆ (3/8) √ √ 4
Essential English ⋆⋆ PLS ⋆ (G) ⋆ (3/8) √ √ 4
Key
⋆ Area of strength awarded by British Council √ Area Met
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ areas of strength in Teaching, Under18s, Accommodation, Leisure
⋆⋆⋆ areas of strengths in Teaching, Under18s, Leisure Opportunities
⋆⋆ areas of strengths in Teaching, Under18s, Leisure Opportunities
Type = Type of school YLS – Young Learner Specialist PLS = Private language school
BC score = total number of areas of strengths awarded across all 15 areas inspected
Accomm = accommodation Leisure = Leisure opportunities
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