Page 12 - ELG2011 Nov Issue 473

BUSINESS NEWS . NEWS

Revolutionary summer curriculum Wall Street Mixed fortunes for IH schools

furore over the Spanish closures,
needs great teachers, say founders founder back WIKIMEDIA COMMONS By Melanie Butler month, as journalists demanded answers

same
the
Within
from IH schools in the Spanish
By Melanie Butler

The Wall Street English website is International House (IH) Sydney capital Madrid, thinking it must
be
announced plans to open two new
headquarters.
the
IH
still advertising teaching jobs in schools in Australia. At the same Meanwhile, redundant teachers
By Melanie Butler China, despite the fact that time, in Europe, IH Eastern Spain held demonstrations across the
EXSPORTISE owners Barings Private Equity and closed all seven of their schools region as the group, founded in
Summer school stars Steve Wood, CITIC announced the sale of the and IH Aberdeen ceased trading. Barcelona nearly 50 years ago,
previously with Bede’s, and Bram China operation to Luigi What is happening? went into liquidation.
van Asselt, of Exsportise, have Peccinini, the 80-year-old founder IH is not a corporate-owned According to a statement
joined forces to launch a new of the blended learning language chain, or even a franchise, it’s a issued by IH Eastern Spain, the
group of summer schools which provider, at the beginning of The group of schools affiliated to the affiliate, “had experienced
will use a specially-designed Italian entrepreneur opened the Luigi Peccinini, founder and IH World Organisation (IHWO). considerable financial challenges
learning curriculum, carefully first Wall Street school in Milan now new owner of Wall Most of the 160 schools in 50 in recent years,” but had started
adapted to follow the cognitive in 1972, expanding into Spain in Street English, China countries are individually owned, to recover when “the devastating
development of the child from the the mid-80s. In 1997, he sold the but a few are regional IH “mini- impact of the Covid-19 outbreak”
age of 6 up to 18. company to Sylvan Learning in around US$300 million. Hit by chains,” such as those owned by left them no option but to close.
Demand in the summer market the US, while Peccinini moved to the crippling impact of Covid-19 IH Sydney. The
has been moving away from China, where he started a Wall on the language training industry, Eastern Spain
traditional ‘English and activity’ Street operation in 2000. Barings sold the China operation group had five
programmes. However, course In 2005, the schools were back to Peccinini, reportedly at a schools in
providers, often dependent on bought by the Carlyle Group, a deep discount. Catalonia and IH WORLD ORGANISATION
inexperienced and underqualified US asset management firm, who Reports suggest that local Wall single schools in
teachers willing to work long sold them on to Pearson in 2010 Street schools took a hit when both Majorca and
hours, have struggled to deliver for a reported US$100 million, China locked down, with teachers the province of
educational quality. selling on to private equity in complaining of salary cuts. With Aragon.
By contrast, Wood, who comes November 2017 for around the Chinese schools back open, The unusual
from the boarding school sector, US$300 million. and Peccenini back in charge, IH structure
and van Asselt, a renowned sports On 20 November 2017, the things look set to change, and the served to fan the IH-affiliated schools are spread throughout
coach, recognise the importance group was acquired by Barings for search for teachers is on. flames of the press the world
of recruiting the right staff. “The
quality of our teachers and our
teaching will be of primary
importance,” they told the
Gazette.
British Summer School, as the
new brand is called, will use the
OECD’s Framework for 21 st Students at British Summer School can expect high-quality teaching
Century Skills as the content-led
element of a five-level based on age group. At each level, core over time by encouraging the after year. “We will create the
programme, which also includes students will be placed in class right teachers to return to us each same shared approach and culture
language classes and a learning groups based on age and language year and grow with the whole at British Summer School,” he
technology element. Students will level and will stay in the same five-course programme,” they says.
be encouraged to come back year group for all three curriculum promise. British Summer School staff
after year to complete the areas: Core English “based around The offer they are making to will also be specially trained to
curriculum. an established, more traditional, their teachers has the attention to deliver the True Me course – a
Elements of this approach learning syllabus”; Learning & detail that marks out their series of active, sociable and
appear in other courses, but Innovation, which uses a task- approach to course design. competitive ‘challenges’ devised
British Summer School is the first based approach to using digital Teachers joining British Summer by an external specialist who has
to use a developmental approach, media; and a Focus class, which School can opt for contracts with collaborated with van Asselt at
where different age groups focus concentrates on different skill either a six-day week or a five-day Exsportise over many years. “The
on different skills taught in areas at each level. option with a full weekend off. purpose of our bespoke
different teaching centres using The curriculum will be “Our teachers will not be programme is to increase
different age-appropriate delivered by EFL teachers, with employed – or expected – to students’ levels of confidence and
methodologies. specialist subject teachers for support the leisure and sports build their sense of authenticity,”
“It goes without saying that the some academic subjects. Great programmes or manage the he told the Gazette.
syllabus for each course is adapted teachers are a must for such a cultural and entertainment While the traditional vacation
and optimised to the age range of complex, innovative approach, activities on top of their teaching course is designed to be an
the students,” Wood told the but Bram and Steve, with fifty roles,” Steve Wood says. enjoyable summer experience,
Gazette. “For example, the years’ experience in the business This emphasis on teaching British Summer School, which
syllabus for our Creatives of the between them, are confident they quality and team building is the will also have an online
future course is much more task- can attract them. tradition at Exsportise, where van programme, has been designed to
based, to be compatible with how “We already have a core of Asselt, himself a former build a long-term, deep
younger children best learn – by established, quality teachers professional hockey player, has relationship and learning
playing, making and building.” available through our respective built up a team of professional experience between the school,
British Summer School will contacts,” they told the Gazette. sports coaches and experienced the staff and the student body.
offer its courses at five levels, “We will build and develop this language teachers who return year

12 November 2020 editorial@elgazette.com 13