Page 22 - ELG2410 October Issue 492

SPECIAL FEATURE .

But what does it all mean?

We take a closer look at what has changed and what it means
for the Gazette Centres of Excellence.

T he most noticeable change about the
2024 rankings is how much shorter
the list is this year.
Since the end of COVID
lockdowns, despite the disappearance of 25%
of accredited centres—and up to 30% for
private language schools—the rankings pages
ran to at least three and half pages.
This year it fits neatly on to three.
There are still around 370 language
centres on the British Council lists, counting
all the different accredited operations
some schools run, not far off from the
total we logged last year. But the Centre of
Excellence (CoE) numbers have gone down
by about 20%.
Why? There are three main reasons:
The first is that, since 2021 to the end
of last year, centres were able to opt for a
compliance inspection. No new strengths
were given and the provider was allowed to
carry on citing the areas of strength that were
awarded at its last inspection.
Needs Improvement in an area could be
given and these were deducted from the score
for the purposes of our ranking. A score could
go down, but it could not go up.
By opting in to a Compliance Inspection
most CoEs could be sure of remaining in our
ranking unless they scored too many Needs
for Improvement, increased. Course design, for example, was The number of accredited centres has held
By last year it became clear that centres one of the most common areas of strength pretty steady over the last couple of years
who opted for Full Reports often saw sharp in normal times. Now, 12 private language because new schools have replaced the olds.
falls in Areas of Strength awarded, while schools have been told they need to improve However, it is largely universities, FE colleges
those on Compliance Reports rarely dropped in that area this year. and boarding schools which have left the
more than two or three points. Bizarrely, one compliance report for scheme. These are more likely to score in
An analysis of the figures showed that chain schools is reported as having an Area the top 25% on inspection than the small
the weaknesses tended to be associated of Strength on the summary statement private language schools, with two or three
with management; in particular, academic (issued in a prior inspection) but a Need for classrooms and a handful of students which
management. The premises were still nice Improvement in the area was noted during have replaced them.
and accommodation remained okay, but the compliance inspection. New centres very rarely hit the Gazette
scores for Teaching and Learning were all Not one FE College, University or Pathway rankings; a handful of state sector operation
over the place. programme is reported to have any such need and boarding schools have done so.
This should perhaps be no surprise. for improvement. After all, all their teachers Small wonder, then, that two of our new
Virtually every Director of Studies (DOS) are graduates, most are qualified to Diploma entrants were CoEs for many years before
in the UK, along with all the teachers, level, and they are all likely to earn more as dropping down a little. So, welcome back to
was made redundant during the pandemic. teachers than they could get as a language Severnvale Academy and Plymouth Marjon
Having found their management skills school DOS. University.
were much sought after in other sectors In London, teachers on pathway And most of the other new CoEs are hardly
where they were assured of permanent programmes are on annual salaries of £35,000 Johnny-come-latelys. Bell St Albans has been
contracts and better money, very few of to £40,000. Meanwhile, a DOS position in around for several years, Bell itself for 90.
them came back. the North of England is on offer at £26,000. Kent School of English, best known for its
It takes an experienced DOS with an eye In the same city, £26,000 is the starting rate year-round closed courses for school children,
for detail and a thorough knowledge of the currently on offer for an accounts clerk. was founded in 1972. Kensington Academy,
accreditation scheme to achieve CoE status, A particular problem with low salary long one of the best value schools in London,
especially when most teachers were new and for DOSs is that while there are plenty of dates back to 1976.
inexperienced. expat Brits with the right qualifications and The British have long believed that, as with
The lack of an experienced DOS may be experience wanting to come home, those with houses and furniture, the older a school is,
the reason that the number of Needs for a non-British spouse needs a minimum annual the better. With private language schools, it
Improvement in Teaching and Learning have salary of £29,000 to get the required visa. certainly seems to hold true in UK EFL.
22 October 2024