International Guidance provided by Babcock

Alongside our work in UK schools,Babcock also provides career and educational guidance for pupils and students internationally, mainly in Europe.

We have two main areas of international work:

1. A five year contract (until the end of August 2012) with the British Government (Department of Children Schools and Families) to deliver guidance to “British” pupils within the eleven designated “European” Schools in mainland  Europe.

2. Work with several “International” schools mainly in Europe.

Our work in the “European Schools”

This involves providing individual guidance and group information sessions for “British” students from 4th Year to 7th Year (Years 10 to 13). “British” students are mainly to be found in the English speaking section of each school – although some may be found in other language sections.
Most of the students aspire to complete the “European Baccalaureate” (a qualification unique to these 12 schools) at the end of the Upper 6th (Year 13) and will progress to university or college in the UK or elsewhere in the world. Popular destinations, other than the UK, which European Schools students typically aspire to for higher education study include the USA, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia whilst some will go to higher education in Europe countries.

The European Schools

These schools have grown in number since the first European School was established in Luxembourg in 1953. There are currently 12 in total, all of whose futures are secured by intergovernmental agreement through the Statute of the European School, a treaty signed by Member States of the Community. The UK acceded to that Statute in 1972.

Originally set up to provide an education for children of officials of the European Coal and Steel community, the student population has widened to include children of other employees of European government organisations – and now, students with no such connection may also attend the European Schools.

The schools are located in Brussels (3), Mol (Belgium), Bergen (Netherlands), Varese (Italy), Alicante (Spain), Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and Munich (all Germany) and Luxembourg. (There is another European School outside Babcock’s contract in the UK – at Culham, near Oxford).

 The curriculum in the European Schools

This is common to all 12 schools and centrally controlled by the Board of Inspectors and the Board of Governors. It has a common core throughout secondary school:

• The following subjects are compulsory for Years 1 to 7 (UK: Years 7 to 13) – First language (mother tongue), First foreign language, Mathematics, History, Geography, Science, Physical Education and Ethics / religion
• Art and Music are compulsory in years 1-2 (UK: years 7 and 8) and a second foreign language in years 2-5 (UK: years 8-11) and philosophy in years 6-7 (UK: years 12-13).
•  There is a range of options for years 4-5 (UK: years 10-11)including economics, Latin and a third foreign language – and a greater range of options in years 6-7 (UK: years 12-13)
• Science is taught as an integrated course in years 1-3 ( UK: years 7-8) and as three separate subjects in years 4-5 (UK: years 10-11)
• Language – students are members of a language section, normally that of their mother tongue and receive most of their education in that language. There are currently eleven language sections within the European Schools section. The first foreign language, chosen from the first Primary class (age 6t

 

In common with most European countries, there is no external examination at the end of Year 11 (5th Year) – so any transfer to other schools and colleges outside of the designated “European Schools” group (e.g. to take alternative qualifications in non “European Schools” such as AS/A levels, the International Baccalaureate or other vocational courses in the UK or elsewhere) needs to be on the basis of an internally harmonised evaluation in each of their courses – as does progression onto the European Baccalaureate in years 6 and 7 (Year 12 and 13 in the UK).

Our work in International Schools

Babcock provides career and educational guidance services in various international schools. This is not part of a central contract and the work we do is individually agreed with each school. As in the UK, the service most frequently requested of us is to provide high quality, impartial, realistic and empathetic individual guidance backed by the objectivity derived from psychometric profiling (most commonly an adaptation of the Morrisby Profile called “Career Plan International”).

The work of Babcock advisers is, by using professional guidance skills backed by the ability to interpret the appropriate psychometric information, to relate the individual student’s profile together with their real circumstances (educational and otherwise) to the possible opportunities realistically available to each person. This may involve choice of IB Diploma subjects (or alternatives) and the implication of these choices, relevant options in higher education anywhere in the world - including the UK - as well as discussion of career options, mainly at graduate level in one country or another.

We currently work in International schools in Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands
The International Schools

An international school is loosely defined as one which does not require their students to learn or to be taught through the medium of the language of the country in which it is located. They cater mainly for students who are not nationals of the host country – such as the children of the staff of international businesses, international organisations, foreign embassies, missions or missionary programmes. Local students can also attend these schools. International schools can be public or private.

The curriculum of an international school may use a curriculum based on the school’s country or origin – especially those of the UK ( IGCSEs and AS/A levels) or the USA (Highers). However, many international schools opt to deliver a curriculum specially designed for international schools – the IB Diploma Programme. This is the curriculum provided in all the International Schools in which Babcock Indigo advisers currently work.