Backing the baccalaurate

There is something very peculiar in the English education system. I say 'English' what I should say is 'English and Welsh' because for administrative purposes the two are linked together and the system is different in Scotland. It seems strange, doesn't it? Especially when you consider the size of the British Isles but then therein lies the problem. We are literally an insular people and whereas inhabitants of mainland Europe can get in a car and travel to different European countries nowadays without too much problem since the customs checkpoints do not really have a great significance to the average person anymore, in Britain there is always the channel to negotiate, either over or under. I've noticed this over the last few years driving through Europe. In fact the only customs point where we seem to be most scrutinized is when we get back to Dover! Still, I am wandering away a little from the central question whether education in an international school is preferable. The answer for me is totally positive and I wholeheartedly support international schools as far as their existence in Britain is concerned.

This isn't to say that I would advocate that they took over the entire system but I firmly believe that they should be integrated into the whole pattern of education and be there as an alternative. The problem comes with parity.

By that I mean the acceptance of the International Baccalaureate by employers, universities and the public at large. The other problem is the reluctance of British people to learn another language. I do not believe that the British are innately incapable of learning another language (indeed our currently embattled Prime Minister, Tony Blair is quite happy to speak French in public) or indeed are exceptionally lazy in linguistic matters, it is simply that at this stage in history English is a world language and this fact takes away the pressure or need from British people to make the effort to learn another language.

I speak as someone who took my degree at Oxford in German, spent some thirty years in education and now that I have stopped full time employment I have returned to teaching English and so possibly I have an axe to grind. What I do fervently believe is that as many windows as possible should be open to young minds in school so that children can see the differences between the way things are ordered in their country and the way they are done in other countries. In that atmosphere the spirit of tolerance can flourish. Or am I being too optimistic? I hope not and by the time you read this maybe tolerance will have won."