Following on from our feature on St. George’s School in Switzerland, we speak to Hazel Hogg, who lives with her husband and her daughters Morven (11), Rowan (8) and Alexa (3) in France – practically on the border with Switzerland, where they enjoy stunning views of the Alps and Lake Geneva.  Her children attend the International School of Geneva. Here Hazel talks about living overseas, and tells us more about choosing this school for her children. Read more.

Could you explain how you came to be living in France, and why you chose an international school for your children?

Read more…

Following on from our recent blog about whether teachers are given  enough support against violent pupils, a survey by the NAHT school leaders’ union has suggested that as many as one in 10 head teachers have been physically assaulted by a pupil’s parent or carer.

The 1,000 head teachers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland who were surveyed said that they have been punched, spat on, kicked, head butted, bitten or sexually assaulted by angry parents.

Russell Hobby, General Secretary at NAHT, has said that it is likely that this behavior stems from the fact that school leaders often have to make difficult decisions about discipline, exclusions, holidays and the distribution of limited budgets. Unsurprisingly, this puts them in the firing line and they become prime targets when a student’s legal guardian disagrees with a decision that has been made.

The survey also revealed that almost 75% of respondents have suffered verbal abuse  or threats from parents in the past five years and 86% think that parents’ behavior towards teachers has worsened.

Although these figures are worryingly high, Mr Hobby has said that the vast majority of families are a pleasure to work for, most people are aware that physical assault against a teacher is a criminal offence and action is taken when needed.

As a teacher, have you ever had to deal with an angry parent or carer? How did you deal with the situation and how does your school take action if needed?

Tweet

Eteach had the pleasure of attending the 30th Annual COBIS conference from the 7th – 9th May 2011. ‘Stakeholders for Successful International Schools’ was held at the very impressive Royal Horseguards Hotel in Central London and we were very excited to be exhibiting in such beautiful Victorian surroundings.

The COBIS conference gave us the opportunity to talk to head teachers of British International schools about their current recruitment strategies and needs. Many of the schools that we spoke to were in agreement that their ideal International teacher would be one who has trained in the UK and has a minimum of 2 years classroom experience. A positive international attitude to life, a passion for travel and teachers who could offer more than just their subject to the school were also high up on the list.

International Account Manager at Eteach, Gerry Manolas, was extremely fortunate to be able to attend several of the keynote speeches and seminars whilst at the conference. She found all of the talks to be highly informative and gave head teachers the latest up to-date developments in the UK education system.

The main issue that dominated the conference was the discussion around school inspection and which teams have now been, or are in the process of being accredited by the government. Only schools that have passed a recognised inspection are allowed to be fully fledged members of COBIS, thus ensuring a quality mark that parents can trust when choosing a school abroad for their children.

This mark is also something that prospective teachers should look for when deciding where to teach as it gives them the confidence that the school they may eventually join follows strict COBIS guidelines for quality assurance.

Howard Kennedy, Non-Executive Director of the Foundation, Aided Schools and Academies National Association was the first speaker and he outlined the current government’s plans for raising standards in State schools and trying to close the gap between deprivation and attainment.

The talk focussed around the fact that, unfortunately, there is still a link between postcode and what a child’s educational outcome will be. The association wants to make a curriculum which is ‘Fit for Purpose’ where children can achieve regardless of their background and where only the best graduates are recruited to become teachers.

The hot topic was the developing idea of student teachers completing the majority of their degree courses in Teaching Schools. The teaching schools would be selected from those who have received outstanding results across the board in their Ofsted inspections. It is hoped that a network of these schools will be created which will provide professional development to teachers as well.

Do you as teachers and current student teachers agree with this or do you feel the courses you have experienced through university prepared you for life in the classroom?

This was all backed up by Nick Gibb, Minister for Education who in his session said that one of the greatest exports we have in the UK is the Independent Education System with £12 billion being brought into this country by overseas students studying here in the UK. Mr Gibb wants to give the state sector more independence to do what is best for their schools and children in order for them to raise standards and he also believes that the Academies and Free Schools programme is the way forward.

Are you teaching in one of these schools? Can you see a difference and do you feel it is the way forward for your pupil’s attainment?

Over the coming weeks we will be bringing you other highlights from the COBIS Conference including information about SEN and Gifted and Talented, Safeguarding Children, Developing Leadership Skills through Sport and Safe Student Broadcasting, which was a new initiative about making children aware of how to keep themselves safe when using Social networking sites.

What were Gerry’s personal highlights? Having the opportunity to have coffee with the England Rugby World Cup scrum half Andy Gomarsall and listen to his plans for life after his testimonial year and saying a brief hello to HRH Princess Alexandra KG GCVO as she left the reception.

Tweet

England’s league tables have revealed that only one in six pupils in England is achieving the new English Baccalaureate which has been introduced by the government. The results show that only 216 schools across the country have not met the minimum overall target for GCSEs.

The target for this initiative is that at least 35% of pupils should be achieving five good passes (A* to C) at GCSE level including in Maths and English. The reasoning behind this new concept is so that it can be measured how many pupils in secondary school are achieving good GCSE grades in what the government considers to be the vital core subjects.

General feedback from head teachers around the country has been that the new English Baccalaureate measure is unreliable and it’s therefore unfair to rely on this system. If the results are to be depended on, this means that tens of thousands of children were being taught in under performing schools last year. As a result, these ‘under performing’ schools which are said to be below the required achievement level, may face being taken over or turned into academies.

Whilst some think of the new English Baccalaureate system as a positive measure which will encourage teachers to push their pupils, others are concerned that it may have a negative effect on morale and could create a new generation in failing schools.

Do you think that this new system will encourage schools to perform better or will it de-motivate teachers and pupils? Feel free to leave your comments below.

Tweet

Walking, skiing, water – sports and beautiful countryside: Switzerland has plenty to boast about. Is it all snowboarding and celeb-spotting though? Eteach spoke to Christine Knight at the Haut-Lac International Bilingual School to find out what life’s really like for teachers coming to live and work in the country.

What’s the big attraction of Switzerland for UK teachers looking to work overseas?

Switzerland has a certain appeal based on its international reputation: cleanliness, efficiency, winter sports, low crime-rate, home to international organisations and big corporations as well as celebrities and the wealthy. It also has a number of excellent universities and, more familiar perhaps to those working in education, the famed Swiss boarding and finishing schools.

The big advantage of living in Switzerland is the variety of outdoor pursuits – walking, skiing, water-sports and the beautiful countryside that can be so easily explored by car or public transport. The public transport in Switzerland reaches into the most remote corners of the country with a network of distinctive yellow post-buses (the modern version of the stagecoach) in the mountains and majestic steamers on the lakes.

What kind of lifestyle can teachers expect?

The Swiss standard of living is high and commodities and services are expensive. However, the remuneration for teachers from abroad is commensurate with the location and employees can expect to have a better lifestyle and somewhat more disposable income than in the UK. Even though it is not part of the EU, Switzerland is part of the European economic region and has various reciprocal agreements with Great Britain and other EU countries, so pension rights, for example, are preserved.

The bureaucracy and paperwork associated with getting established in Switzerland can be tedious and frustrating, but once this is out of the way, life settles to a fairly orderly pace. There may still be some surprises looming – the closure of many offices and shops over the lunch period, quite strict adherence to Sunday as a day of rest and the quirks of house rules if living in an apartment block, for example.

Anyone contemplating coming to work in Switzerland should plan a visit in advance to explore the area and find a place to live. Furnished apartments are quite hard to come by and a substantial part of any employee’s salary will be spent on rent, particularly if a parking space is required as well in a ‘central’ location. However, this is generally still a better option than moving house contents across borders, which can be costly and complicated. Similarly, buying a second hand car locally is preferable to trying to bring one into the country.

Although English is widely spoken, most signs, public information panels and instructions on official forms tend to be written only in one or more of the four national languages – German, French, Italian or Romansch. A good working knowledge of the language of the region into which one is contemplating moving is a definite bonus and allows greater independence. Except in the big cities, English language entertainment is rare and films are often dubbed (with one showing in the original version generally integrated into the daily cinema schedule).

Could you tell us a little about your school and the nearby area?

Haut-Lac International Bilingual School is situated in St-Légier/Vevey at the eastern end of Lake Geneva in the foothills of the Alps. It is relatively new (founded in 1993), but became quickly established and now provides an education for about 650 boys and girls aged 3-18. A holistic approach to learning and an international outlook are important elements of the school’s philosophy and bilingualism (French-English) is promoted at all levels.

There are plans for the building of new primary school premises to match the excellent, up to date facilities of the secondary school campus which was opened in 2004. Class sizes vary between 16 in the primary and 22 in the secondary section and students follow the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme from age 11, leading to the Diploma Programme in a wide ranging number of subjects in preparation for university entrance.

Please tell us about the students.

This day school is non-selective and the majority of students are drawn from the international community residing in the area. At the present time, 40+ nationalities are represented with approximately 25% being Swiss. The students are genuinely respectful, impeccably behaved and highly motivated. There are many whose mother tongue is not English or French but language support is available and differentiation by the teachers addresses this challenge.

What do you look for in new teaching recruits and what would your advice to applicants be?

New additions to the teaching staff should not only be fully qualified in their respective fields, but also bring to the school commitment and enthusiasm that extends beyond the classroom. A willingness to participate fully in the life of the school, which still maintains the family atmosphere on which it was founded, is a pre-requisite.

Ideally, candidates should have previous experience and be familiar with the International Baccalaureate Programme if they are joining the secondary school. However, this does not preclude the exceptional, motivated candidate having neither from applying. Some of our very best appointments have been NQTs, and not those who consider themselves ‘gifts to the educational world’! Prospective members of staff, both academic and non-academic, who are looking for an ‘easy’ posting should think long and hard before taking up an appointment. Nothing less than 100% involvement and dedication to the school and its students are expected. Work in an international school in Switzerland is both intensive and challenging, but at the same time extremely rewarding.

What else should teachers considering a move to Switzerland think about?
As with any posting to a new country, preliminary research not only about the school, but also about the country, is essential to make a smooth transition. Culture shock happens even within Europe and an open mind and a sense of adventure are indispensable to make the most of the experience. Those who have already been expats in Africa or the Middle East, for example, should expect to be more self-reliant in matters pertaining to their life outside of school and at least a solid basic knowledge of French is most certainly an asset.

You can view current posts at Haut-Lac International Bilingual School following this link

If you represent an international school, or if you’ve taught overseas, and would like to be interviewed for this series, please contact us.

Tweet