Dear Parents

I am delighted that you have chosen a British Council Young Learner course for your child and I would like to wish a very warm welcome to both our new and returning students. We hope that he or she enjoys the experience of studying with us and is able to take advantage of the range of facilities we offer. All our classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards and there is internet access in the classrooms. Our school year is divided into three terms of 12 weeks and all our courses take place twice a week, 60 minutes for Juniors and 90 minutes for all others.

The information below will give you a better understanding of how our courses are organised, what you can expect from us and what we expect from our Young Learner students.

Our Approach

At the British Council we favour a highly communicative approach catering to the different learning styles of our students. Above all we aim to:

• give your child a positive experience of English that they will enjoy and will want to continue with as they get older
• improve your child’s understanding of the language and develop their skills at interacting in English

Exams

Young Learners aged from 7 to 12 can take one of the Cambridge Young Learner Tests (Starters, Movers and Flyers). This series of tests is an enjoyable and highly motivating way of monitoring progress. For older teenage students we offer preparation for the First Certificate in English (FCE) and Cambridge Advanced English certificate (CAE) both of which are widely recognised internationally.

Our Teachers

All our teachers are highly qualified and experienced native speaker professionals who are dedicated to ensuring your children develop their confidence in using English to be successful at school and beyond.

Assessment

Students are continually assessed informally by the teacher, who will monitor your child’s ability to communicate effectively in both spoken and written English. A student who regularly misses class may find it difficult to reach the standard required to pass the course, and in some cases can be asked to repeat a level.

Communication with Parents

We view co-operation between teachers and parents as an important factor in our Young Learner students’ success and so we will send you both written reports and offer you the opportunity to speak to your child’s teacher directly.

You will receive a report at the end of each term for you to sign and return to the Teaching Centre. As the parent you have access to this report at any time you wish during the academic year. You will receive the report to keep at the end of the academic year or when your child is unable to continue studying with us. If you have any concerns arising from the reports or if there is anything which you are unclear about, then please contact our Customer Services Staff.

In addition we will invite you to a Parents’ Consultation meeting in December and also in June. Please do your best to come to these consultations. If you can’t come yourself, please ask another adult member of the family to come instead. The parents’ consultations are an ideal opportunity to find out about what the children do in class, your child’s progress and ways in which you can help your child with their English.

Absence

Please let us know either in writing or by telephoning our Customer Service Staff if your child has been or is going to be absent from class. If your child misses more than 2 consecutive lessons without notification from you, we will contact you. We will also contact you in cases where your child regularly misses a class without permission. We require written permission if your child wishes to leave a class early or regularly arrive late.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at any time if you have any concerns, or if you want more information. Your first point of contact should be the Customer Service Staff, who will be able to answer your questions and deal with your concerns.

Our telephone number is: +420 221 991 112

With best wishes

Steve Oxley
Deputy Director English and Exams Czech Republic