As the world becomes increasingly globalised, today’s school leavers are faced with the challenge of navigating career opportunities in a global marketplace. To this end, language skills and cultural understanding have never been so important.

The importance of language and culture

John Aguilar, Principal of Padworth College, a co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 13-18, believes that learning languages and appreciating other cultures are vital for school leavers to thrive in the future workplace.“At Padworth we have found that by strengthening the linguistic ability and cultural sensitivity of our students, we can help shape their understanding of the outside world and, more importantly, how their future careers will be influenced by how they live.“Research by psychometrics company, SHL, has shown that 20 to 50 per cent of employees posted overseas return early because they do not have the necessary cultural understanding and are not prepared for their new working environment. The result is a significant cost to the employer, and, often, unwelcome upset for the employee. Learning about languages and appreciating others’ cultures is key to overcoming this.”One of the ways that the school aims to do this is through its unique language provision, which takes full advantage of the 30 different nationalities represented at the school. Teacher-led ‘Student Tandems’ provide students with the opportunity to learn a new, foreign language from a native speaker as a two-way exchange.Students converse in pairs, swapping to use their mother tongue between intervals. “It has spurred on the confidence of the students, whilst creating a bond between them as they help each other pronounce and grasp each other’s foreign words,” explains the Principal. “This type of intensive fluency, which could only otherwise be attained through living abroad, is accessible here due to the incredible cultural range of students in our community.”It is more than just the diversity of language that is celebrated at the school though, as the Principal goes on to explain, “Our entire community is made up of students and teachers from across the world. Students sit next to each other in the dining rooms, sharing and learning about cultures other than their own. Respect, understanding and acceptance of differences are strengths shared by every student and there is a genuine desire to learn more about the world we live in.” 

Treating students as individuals

Set in an historical estate in the beautiful Berkshire countryside, Padworth College is as unique in its education provision as it is in its setting. Education is based on the Oxford University tutorial model of teaching whereby students are taught in small informal classes, allowing more room for individuality. Students address teachers on a first name basis, do not wear uniform and bespoke programmes of learning are devised for each individual student, based not on their age but on their level of knowledge.This unique environment encourages students to take responsibility for themselves, their community and their learning path. “If we encourage and foster an environment of respect, inclusivity, acceptance and understanding at school, children will take these values home with them,” says the Principal.This approach celebrates individuality and diversity but the school also recognises the importance of finding common ground in helping students to integrate successfully into their new environment.

Fostering a sense of belonging

Making the transition to a boarding school from overseas is inevitably a daunting experience for some students, especially if they are not proficient in English. In addition to the family atmosphere that permeates throughout the school, the Principal, Deputy Principal and house parents live on campus, providing care and support for students at all times. The impressive array of co-curricular activities available to students is an important part of creating a sense of belonging regardless of background.The Principal comments, “Our Deputy Principal, Chris Randell, leads the running club. To start with, Chris welcomed students to join him on one of his weekly runs, which soon grew in popularity to become a running club. The weekly run creates team spirit and togetherness, as well as the opportunity to improve levels of fitness. Often simple things like this can act as a successful form of alternative therapy to encourage student wellbeing.”

The benefits of becoming a global citizen

As businesses operate increasingly more internationally, children who are educated to embrace other nationalities, languages and cultures are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities afforded in an evolving global business world.In fact, research by the business school, INSEAD, shows that mobility offers huge benefits in terms of enhancing job opportunities, expanding networks and providing cultural and psychological benefits. “Nowadays you wouldn’t advise anyone asking how they can progress in their career to stick to one place, whether that place is an office, a city, or a function,” says Gianpiero Petriglieri, INSEAD’s associate professor of organisational behaviour. Developing a mind-set of global citizenship is therefore now more important than ever before.There is the strong expectation that students at Padworth are there to achieve both their academic potential and to develop into confident, responsible individuals who embrace the opportunities that an international community provides by the time they move on to university.As the Principal says, “Our views are often shaped when we are young. If we can encourage compassion and open-mindedness in schools, our children will be more likely to grow up to be people who are respectful, genuinely tolerant and more accepting. The better students are equipped linguistically and culturally, the better they can overcome the challenges that they will face in the future.” For more information about Padworth College, go to http://www.padworth.com/

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