Languages help us communicate with other humans easily. The world right now communicates in almost 6500 languages. Understanding more than one language or being bilingual or multilingual proves to be advantageous in many aspects. It augments brainpower, gives an academic advantage, improves our competitiveness in the job market, improves our social life and more.
Of the 6500 languages, English is regarded as the most widely spoken and understood language. It is also the dominant language on the internet and is the most preferred language of scientists and tech enthusiasts. This makes learning English, along with our native language and as many others as we can, important. This is also the emphasis of Kaleidoscope Ecole Bilingue.
The school understands that giving children the chance to become bilingual from an early age brings them an undeniable asset in their life, whether it is for the pursuit of their studies or their personal and professional development. The educational program of Kaleidoscope bilingual school is entirely in accordance with that dictated by the National Education, and the EYF (Early Years Foundations).
Why Choose Kaleidoscope?
Like its name, the family-run school, headed by Sandrine Bevan (headteacher) and her husband Christopher Bevan, is a vibrant mix of cultures. It educates and nurtures the development of its pupils with enthusiasm, professionalism, freedom, and care. In Kaleidoscope, every child is celebrated as an individual. This creates confident, empowered, bilingual young people, of whom the school is immensely proud.
By gaining the bilingual advantage children can pursue their secondary education in either language and are equipped for full integration into French life. The school teaches French and English with total immersion.
In Maternelle (ages 3-6) your child has a 4-day week: 2 full days in English and 2 full days in French. Primary children (ages 6-11) have a 4 ½ day week: enjoying half a day, every day, in each language. By working in English and French every day your child will develop a natural ability to transition between both languages.
Kaleidoscope offers an optional English fun club on Wednesday in Maternelle, and its Primary students can stay on with the school into Wednesday afternoon for a pure language focus – in either French or English.
Carefully Chosen Teachers
Kaleidoscope Ecole’s carefully chosen teachers are sympathetic to the adventure of learning in two languages. This may sound like a challenge for the child, but they enjoy real success in Kaleidoscope. The school has demonstrated over the last seven years that, with its small classes and experienced teachers, its fully bilingual teaching method is not only successful from an academic point of view but also creates happy, well-rounded children.
It is completely normal for there to be an initial period of adaptation and integration, and the school is fully prepared to support children empathetically and patiently as they embrace their new language skills. Kaleidoscope also understands that school life needs to work with the parents’ life, so it offers wrap-around care with its breakfast club (from 7.30-8.30am) and afternoon club (from 4.30 to 6.15 pm) if required.
High-Quality Education
The pupils follow both the French National and the British curriculum. This means that the child is educated to appropriate level to attend either a French College (Secondary school), English Secondary school, International or Bilingual school – entirely as they wish or circumstances require. The school has good relationships with other local schools to ensure smooth transitions for its graduates.
The high quality of Kaleidoscope is recognised by France’s Education Nationale. Very satisfactory inspection results have been maintained since opening in 2012 to the most recent in June 2019.
Education Nationale conducts detailed inspections of the teachers and their teaching methods, the children’s work, and the school’s health and safety. Kaleidoscope has dedicated curriculum coordinators who ensure consistency in quality and subjects, across both languages and in both schools.
Raising happy children
Kaleidoscope aims to create an environment beyond what one would expect. As well as supporting the children on their learning journey, it is important to the school that he or she is happy, confident, and can enjoy many different experiences.
Each year, the whole school adopts a learning theme. This theme is shared by every child and evolves with the individual and collective passions of the student community. It is an exciting and spontaneous way to frame every subject within the two curriculums and enables broader investigation.
Kaleidoscope Ecole Bilingue works hard to build connections and relationships within the local community, and collaborates on initiatives, to give your child the widest possible experiences available. Kaleidoscope also facilitates partnerships for fun, out-of-school, activities, like dance, martial arts, and music.
Expanding the Reach
Thanks to the success of the Kaleidoscope ethos, academic results in French and English, and its nurturing community – the current school campus simply cannot meet the ever-increasing demand. The school did not want to expand and compromise the friendly, safe, environment that it has already created. So, it is opening a second, separate school with the same vision in September 2020.
The new extension of Kaleidoscope will also be in Plaisance-du-Touch. The core team behind Kaleidoscope will be present in both schools. The philosophy, atmosphere and standards will be carried forward into the new school by them both, and an already established team of professional managers. Prospective parents can have full confidence that everything they love about Kaleidoscope will be maintained.
