Andrew Hunter, recently retired Headmaster of Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, reflects on the appeal of a British boarding school education, and the establishment of an international branch of his school in southern China in 2018.
In Part 2 of his headline analysis of this summer’s UK exam results, Tony Stephens turns his attention to Key Stage 4 (Years 10 & 11) and looks at emerging trends. With a new grading system being established, there’s a lot to think about.
Dr. Huda Halawachy, who teaches at the University of Mosul, remained in her home town while it endured the three year occupation by ISIS. In conversation with Andy Homden she recalls the days after liberation in 2017, reflects on the lessons of war and celebrates a community’s enduring spirit.
All UK A Level results for 2018 have now been published, and British Schools around the world will be analysing their own performance in comparison to the bigger picture.
If you are an exam coordinator or school data analyst this digest of facts and figures from UK based exam stats expert Tony Stephens will make your task a little easier.
What makes a school not just outstanding, but also award winning? Vanita Uppal OBE, Director of The British School, New Delhi, (TBS) which was recognised in 2018 as the British International School of the Year, places digital technology, independent learning and community values at the heart of her school’s approach.
Providing great PD on a tight budget is always a challenge. Lural Ramirez, Director at the Centro Educativo Futuro Verde and her team have been implementing a creative solution.
Presentations at the ISC Research conference in January 2018 highlighted data from across the globe which indicate a significant increase in the demand for international education. Anne Keeling reports.
Danny Ritterman reports from “Raising the Bar” – the primary schools conference which took place in August 2017 and included the launch of the NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) compliant version of MAPPEN.
As the economy grows, International education in India is on the cusp of very significant expansion according to ISC Research, writes Anne Keeling.
Dr. Richard Lofthouse reports on a new digital outreach initiative from Oxford University. Launched originally with a UK audience in mind, Oxplore asks “big questions” that are relevant to students around the world.
Recent changes in the Finnish national curriculum has prompted Isabel Du Toit to reflect on the increasingly influential ideas of concept-based learning and curriculum design.
The demand for English-medium education is seemingly insatiable and with regulations about to change, things are about to take off, suggests Anne Keeling.
Richard Gaskell, Schools Director at ISC Research looks at why demand for an international education in China shows no sign of cooling – quite the reverse. But it’s complicated.
During September 2016, Matias Hynynen, an IT teacher from Helsinki working as a volunteer in Arusha kept a blog during a visit to his school by 2016 Global Teacher of the Year Finalist, Maarit Rossi. This is the second of three extracts.
Walking into the open plan office area of the COBIS HQ in London’s Russell Square is rather like stepping through the doors of a good school. This, one feels, is the way that CEO Colin Bell and his staff like things.
Many UK independent – and a few state schools – have considered setting up overseas branches of their schools. Is there still a market for UK independent schools to expand overseas? Undoubtedly. Are there pitfalls and dangers along the way? Definitely. So what are the risks involved and how can they be mitigated? Paul Cabrelli suggests you should be guided by 10 fundamental principles.
Amendments to Chinese Government regulations for private schools, which were announced recently, will impact all schools in China offering international education to local Chinese children, reports Anne Keeling
ITM talked to Franz Schlindwein about Mathsweek 2016 – one of the biggest MathFests in the world – which takes place every October throughout Ireland.
Most educators will have heard of the Finnish educational phenomenon. A country of 6 million people who have produced an education system which is regularly punching way above its weight and is considered one of the best in the world. Neel Shah now observes from the inside.
Making a choice
I am a mother of four; I have little time to think or reflect. However, in a moment of clarity and rare thoughtfulness a few years ago, we made a choice to step out of the British school system and place our children into an International school in Woking. In contrast to many English families, this was not a leap into the unknown for us.
British Schools Overseas (BSOs) are schools that have been inspected under the DfE-endorsed system which is quality assured by Ofsted. BSOs are growing in number and whilst the DfE/Ofsted inspections have been welcomed, there are areas of concern as Ed Goodwin explains.
As with any reform on a national scale, making a difference to the way children learn in India will take time, money and commitment. Enlightened private enterprise is increasingly leading the way. One company already having a significant impact is XSEED. Andy Homden looks at the career of founder, Ashish Rajpal, and examines some of the reasons for XSEED’s success and growing influence in India.
This summer, the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) will be offering its first residential summer course in the UK. ITM asked COBIS CEO, Colin Bell what the thinking was behind the initiative.
Organised by education investment specialists, Kaizen Private Equity and held in association with business school powerhouses Insead and NYU Stern School of Business, KINSES 2016 took place in Dubai on February 27 & 28. It wasn’t just the academic and financial big hitters at the podium that made this gathering exceptional: the work of dynamic SMEs on the ground in Asia and Africa especially in the field of Educational Technology, was at the heart of lively discussion, both on and off the stage.
The recent GESS/GEF Dubai exhibition was a great opportunity for educators from all over the word to meet. ITM caught up with several members of the large delegation from Finland, among them Maarit Rossi, who has recently been nominated as a top ten finalist in the 2016 Global Teaching Prize Awards. Andy Homden reports.
Sandeep Aneja wants us all to talk to each other about radical changes taking place in global education. To this end, he’s getting a few people together at the The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina on February 27 & 28 to carry on a conversation that started in Singapore two years ago. It’s an impressive gathering.
Opening a new international school is never easy – even in a place like Dubai which probably sees more new schools open every year than any other city in the world. Opening a school in Dubai that stands out as different is quite an achievement.
Glancing across his busy desk towards the tall and elegant windows of his office, Stephen Baird cannot fail to be inspired by what lies within view. A vibrant green swathe of lawn sweeps gently down to the clear, dancing waters of Lake Geneva, bordered by a dappled forest, fading gently into the foothills of the Swiss Alps.
According to the IB’s website, “The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Americas supports over 3,000 IB World Schools in more than 30 countries across North, Central and South America”. There are now 1,764 IB World Schools in the USA alone. In seeking to understand the growing appeal of the IB Diploma to American schools, ITM recently spoke to J. Harry Lynch, Headmaster of the Newman School of Boston.
The power of education to transform lives and create a better future is clearly illustrated in Naomi Hockins’ look at how, from small beginnings, one school in Tanzania has become a pioneering influence on teaching and learning.
A vist to Taylor’s International, KL
My taxi, adorned with a myriad of good luck charms: coins, mystic knots, Dzi beads and even a laughing Buddha, battled through the tropical downpour and dropped me at the gate of the school. It was “Home time!” and scores of shrieking children danced excitedly through the torrential rain and waiting cars, seeking sanctuary from the storm.
How to cover absence (and stay on the right side of the law) in the UAE and Qatar
As principals will know, it is vital to remain within the regulations set by the host national jurisdiction. A really tricky area is the employment of substitute or “supply teachers” to cover temporary absence. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of the law, but it is imperative that classes are covered. Rebecca Ford and her colleagues from the leading Abu Dhabi legal practice, Clyde and Co. offer some advice.
According to Andy Homden, new UK assessment requirements for A Level for first assessment in 2017 and 2018 suggest that international schools using a British Curriculum in years 12 to 13 might benefit from looking at IB Diploma practice and finding out how students were prepared for high stakes end of school examinations in the pre-modular world.