Partnership stories
Lessons that spark love for learning
Building language skills for global success
Our Bilingual Education Programme (BEP) enables learners to be successful in a multilingual and multicultural world. Students gain fluency in English and Spanish as well as developing an awareness of the diversity of other cultures. Teresa Bolado Ibáñez, Head of the Carmen Hernández Guarch Early Years and Primary School in Madrid, firmly believes that the bilingual and bicultural curriculum fosters tolerance and a curiosity to explore and understand differences. It also builds significant cognitive benefits such as improved concentration, critical thinking and communication skills.
The catalyst
Back in 1996 Teresa worked hand in hand with a British teacher and the very first cohort of three-year-olds in BEP. Through innovative child-centred and topic-based learning Teresa saw how successfully the young children developed both English and Spanish language skills. But even more importantly, from an early age the children developed much more positive attitudes towards schooling. These positive attitudes stayed with pupils as they progressed through the school. As a psychologist, Teresa realised that BEP was making a real and positive difference to education in many ways.
The spark
As a school leader since 2010 Teresa has been able to track the positive impact of BEP on her pupils’ journey. Teresa saw that BEP was directly responsible for overall improvement and achievement at school, opening minds and the door to more practical, active, participative and meaningful ways of teaching and learning through projects.
The success
Teresa is passionate about the benefits which BEP brings to all of her pupils and the increased opportunities, both professionally and academically, they access. Pupils acquire high levels of competence and confidence in English and are able to thrive in many different contexts and situations. Pupils from all backgrounds develop the capacity and self-confidence to adapt to other cultures, have an open and flexible mindset and can engage with people with differing perspectives from their own.
‘The integrated curriculum, inspired by the UK’s approaches and methodologies, makes teaching and learning dynamic, interactive and motivating. By putting children at the centre they become the real protagonists and motors of the learning process. All children are included and their self-esteem nurtured.’
Families and carers endorse the success of BEP and places at the school are the most sought after in the area. Demand exceeds the number of available places every year.
The Bilingual Education Programme is delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and ten Regional Education Departments in Spain through a network of 148 state schools. Every year 40,000 children receive their education through an integrated British-Spanish curriculum. The British Council provides essential training for teachers in the programme and our research agenda seeks to identify and share critical success factors for an inclusive bilingual education in the 21st century. We work in partnership with education authorities, researchers, universities and teachers to enable this.
Our Bilingual Education Programme has been running since 1996 and remains the reference point for quality and inclusive bilingual education in Spain.
We are the partner of choice for governments, NGOs, institutions and community-based organisations around the world.
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