Page 23 - ELG2011 Nov Issue 473

YOUNG LEARNERS SPECIAL . SPECIAL FEATURE

Welfare is the watchword for Sidmouth

For over forty years, the team at Sidmouth International School have put
children’s welfare first, they tell Melanie Butler

ounded in 1976 by the Dumenil
family, Sidmouth International
School has long provided specialist
Fyoung learners’ courses year-round.
Indeed, it not only has specialist courses, it
has three specialist centres, one for under-14s SIDMOUTH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
and one for teenagers, housed in different
buildings in this delightful Devon resort,
where it also runs an adult school.
Not only did the Sidmouth team pioneer
year-round courses for young learners, they
were early champions of child welfare. Jane
Dumenil worked closely with the local
authority for many years ensuring that the
school had access to the government Social
Services specialist support and advice in all
areas of welfare including homestay
recruitment.
The Dumenils and the entire team at
Sidmouth International School put student
welfare at the heart of everything they do.
“The welfare of children and young people The Devon resort of Sidmouth is small, safe and has a strong local community –
is of paramount importance to us and indeed ideal for students
their parents and carers too,” teacher Gary Special feature: Testing times for the exams market
Gates tells me. “Parents entrust their as we can see from the ranking on page 21, secure, and content with a good sense of
children to us, and we take that duty of care what sets it apart from other schools is its well-being also tends to work better in the El•Gazette 470.qxp_El•Gazette 470 27/10/2020 09:16 Page 1
very seriously.” exceptional scores not just on student welfare classroom.” Supplement: What next for English Language Teaching? July 2020
£3.50 – €5.50
ISSUE 471
General Manager Diahann Byrne agrees: and care of under-18s, but accommodation, “Prioritising their welfare also contributes Read by English Language
Specialists since 1978
Specialists since 1978
“Parents and guardians need to be assured we school environment and leisure programmes. significantly to their success in the classroom. Read by English Language FIZKES/SHUTTERSTOCK
are absolutely focused on proper processes, Overall, on these areas, Sidmouth It is a win-win situation.” May 2020
£3.50 – €5.50
procedures and responsibilities in place for International School has the highest scores Everything they do as a school is ISSUE 470 Supplement: UK Language School Rankings plus Bonus Points by sector
Supplement: UK Top Language Schools with NEW Bonus Point scheme
the care of their children.” on child welfare of all the year-round predicated on the safety and well-being of the
Diahann places, “enormous value on the providers. What is the secret of their success? child: the location, the host family El•Gazette 469.qxp_El•Gazette 469 24/02/2020 08:47 Page 1 September 2020
Specialists since 1978
£3.50 – €5.50
excellent service provided by our host family community, the management systems, the Read by English Language PXFUEL ISSUE 472
community,” and sees them as a core approach to teaching and learning. A secure Read by English Language
Specialists since 1978
component of the school’s success. Prioritising their child is a content child and a content child March 2020
“Our families work in partnership with the will learn. £3.50 - €5.50 https://www.vperemen.com / CC BY-SA 4.0 JANINE WIEDEL / ALAMY
ISSUE 469
school to safeguard our students and welfare contributes For the team at Sidmouth International
continue the overall cultural experience in significantly to their School, their inspection results just reflect Change the face of ELT
the home,” she says. “All our families know what they do, what they have done for many D DO ON N' 'T T S ST TO OP P Teachers under pressure from pandemic and prejudice
TESOL calls on
they can rely on us to provide support and success in the years. thinking about tomorrow HELP OUR ELLS survive Covid-19? you won’t learn it RACISM RULES
COUNCIL OF DESPAIR
THE EYES HAVE IT
Congress for funds
Can the British Council
If you don’t spot it
A black teacher
CONTENT IS KING
guidance at all times.” classroom. “That we continually achieve high scores is The future of international study in the time of Covid-19 calls out EFL
Concept-led classes
LUCKY COUNTRY?
not just for CLIL
What then is the advice the team would testimony to our commitment to child Franklin D Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, American and British leaders during WWII LECTURER LAY OFF DIPLOMATIC THAIS Australia can offer
jobs but not careers
Thai embassies hunt
for foreign teachers
give to a parent looking for a language school It is a win-win. welfare,” says Diahann. “We are an open and University staff
face savage cuts
for their two children, one age ten, the other passionate team.” A common language
14? For Wendy Moores, head of young learners’ “We have an experienced team,” says divided by two countries On your doorstep
BILINGUAL BATTLE
Josie Tinajero on
giving voice to L1
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP?
courses at the school, ensuring the school has Diahann, giving the management The dominance of the post-war ELT superpowers is at an end
Both US and UK hit
an experienced teaching team is vital. perspective. “We understand what measures GREAT EXPECTATIONS hard as market falls US immigration rules
VISAS ON ICE
Too many teachers
NEVER TOO YOUNG
In addition, her advice would be to focus are necessary to keep children safe and FLIGHT FROM WUHAN underestimate ELLs in constant chaos babble bilingually NOT ONLY ENGLISH
Why schools neglect domestic opportunities at their peril
Study shows babies
Some stay on as
The dangers of
on selecting a safe location that has good happy. We know how to translate those last planes leave linguistic imperialism young digital learners
DIGITAL JUNIORS
Resources for teaching
central facilities local to student requirements into practice through rigorous
accommodation and the school.” policies and procedures to ensure we meet SIDMOUTH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Somewhere with a beach, and perhaps, the high standards parents and guardians Our magazine is read in more than
“parks, cinema and small local shops where rightly expect.”
students can be immersed in local culture.” For Diahann, the feedback from the
Once again, safety is important. “I would inspectors is important, “as well as 150 countries and we have more
emphasise a safe location, ideally a small continuous feedback from staff, students,
town with a strong local community.” hosts and the local community, all of which
A location, in other words, a lot like the informs our continual process of than 17,000 online subscribers
charming Devon resort of Sidmouth. improvement.”
Sidmouth International School has long “We care,” Gary chips in and gives the
been an EL Gazette Centre of Excellence but, teachers’ viewpoint. “A child who feels safe, Sidmouth General Manager Diahann Byrne
22 November 2020 editorial@elgazette.com 23