Page 10 - ELG2301 Jan Issue 483

BUSINESS NEWS .

Are too many schools spoiling

the UK’s post-Covid recovery?

By Melanie Butler
When Stevie Spring, chair of
the British Council, opened the
ELTons awards ceremony (see
opposite page), she made an
important announcement. There
were, she said, looking towards
Council staff for confirmation,
now once again 400 UK language
centres accredited by the
British Council.
There was a sharp intake of
breath from the audience and
a smattering of applause. But
the announcement begged two
questions: first, are there really 400
accredited centres? And, second,
are more accredited centres what PHOTOGRAPH © DAVID POULTNEY © BRITISH COUNCIL
the UK industry really needs?
The answer to the first question
is that there are just about 400
schools, based on public domain
information. The document we
are told to rely on is the British
Council summary statement. The
day after the award ceremony Stevie Spring, chair of the British Council, addresses the audience at the 2022 ELTons
it had 398 names listed, though
four schools are listed twice, once on our watchlist, rather than closed or left the scheme. It is The supply of year-round
with, ‘The’ listed before their checking every one, we have also true that only 10 year-round language schools is still, it seems,
name and once without. So the decided not to name the schools, schools have been accredited outstripping the demand. Unless
real total was 394. but we have made the British since Covid first hit. the pound falls against the euro,
But by 9th December the figure Council aware of the facts we But this segment of the market the Chinese come back in large
was raised by one, as a school have uncovered, in some cases was in trouble well before Covid numbers and Government policies
whose name had previously more than once. arrived. According to Gazette towards language students change,
appeared without a full report on Having accredited centres research based on a sample of demand does not look set to
the British Council site was fully channelling students to the 40 year-round schools, financial improve much any time soon.
accredited. Since there are six unaccredited sector or diverting records lodged at Companies Accrediting still more language
schools still listed without a report, them to Ireland is not very helpful House showed that 30% had schools can surely only make
this suggests that the reason for to the agents and students who rely reported four years of negative matters worse.
the 400 figure is that more centres on British Council accreditation balance sheets by the end of 2019. In places where the supply
have been accredited, but have when choosing a language centre. Fifty percent had done so for at of schools has fallen most
not yet had their reports published. Nor is it of the slightest help to least two of the same four years. dramatically, however, recovery
Counting the numbers does other UK accredited schools. Things did not look much seems to be much stronger.
not end there. We also know of In fact, the answer to the second better for many schools in 2022. Look at Edinburgh. Exactly
a small number of zombie schools question – is the increase in the Of the 36 schools inspected this half of the city’s 14 year-round
which are still accredited, but number of accredited centres year, half had four teachers or accredited schools closed down
which don’t appear to be running good news? – might be true for fewer at inspection and one had during Covid. However, if the
face-to-face language courses the two entities which own the none at all. Just 20% had seven local press is to be believed, the
anymore. Two are advertising accreditation scheme, the British teachers or more. survivors are beginning to thrive:
courses run in collaboration with Council and English UK. They Eighty schools were inspected Kaplan is moving, reportedly to
other schools – in one case the depend on accreditation fees to in 2019. Again, on average, they bigger premises, and the Language
partner school is an unaccredited keep the scheme going. employed four teachers and two Institute has found a permanent
summer operation – while another But an increase in local had no teachers at inspection. home. Meanwhile Alba, which
has moved its accredited adult competition may be the last thing However, over 40% had between survived the pandemic thanks
courses to Ireland. All traces of any private language school needs. seven and 17 teachers. to its local students and to its
one have disappeared completely And, for the worst-hit segment, It is some of the very largest teachers (all of whom came back
from the web and a Google map the year-round private language schools that may be facing the when the lockdowns ended), is
search suggests the building it was schools, it may pose a particular biggest problem – one school celebrating its 10th anniversary by
in is now a student residence. risk. It is true that 66 year-round had 450 fewer students enrolled moving into a bigger space.
Since we have only made a schools operating in March 2020, in 2022 than it had at its last Now that is an achievement
quick search of schools we have or 32% of the then total, have inspection. worth applauding.
10 January 2023