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Le Sallay Academy, France

Le Sallay Academy

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Relocate Editorial 24 MARCH 2022

“A blended learning school that is more than a school”

If you had to create a school for those who travel, what would it be like?

A school that has branches all over the world so that your child can hop on hop off in whatever country they find themselves in? A teacher (or teachers) that would travel with the family? A school on wheels that would follow you wherever you go?

At Le Sallay Academy, we have created a school that is an excellent solution for frequently traveling families: our students have a unique opportunity not to change schools even if the family is on the move. In the blended model that we use synchronous distance learning and in-person sessions complement each other creating one interactive and engaging experience.

The study process is organized in trimesters, and typically we start with the in-person component at our French campus. Students come together for three weeks of classroom learning and socializing, and it is just the right amount of time to get to know the classmates and teachers, start a friendship and become part of the community. The studies continue online, in the same groups, with the same teachers, which ensures the continuity of academic progress and peer-to-peer relationships. Thus, the school becomes a safe haven, a place which stays the same, no matter what happens in the outside world.

Do students love it? Yes, they do!

The change of location inevitably leads to changes in daily routines, and, having the child’s well-being at the centre of what we do, we try to provide a cushion that would make the adaptation easier. The online groups are put together according to the time zone the pupils are in, so if a child moves a couple of hours back or forward, we would gladly adjust their schedule. Need a longer break during the day? Better finish earlier and have more time to socialize locally? We will try and tailor the study plan accordingly.

On-site sessions are full of activities that encourage students’ creativity, team-work and cooperation, and at the same time help them get a sense of ownership of the place. These range from running school council elections or writing school constitution to setting up classrooms and public areas.

The memories of these events help the transition from online to offline and back again, but the artifacts produced by students, the embodiments of these activities cement the base for their security and turn the next on-site session into a real homecoming.

During last academic year the families of 30% of our students changed either cities or countries, but stayed with Le Sallay. Stability was one of the decision making factors here: as one of the students said, it is “super important that things that we had done ourselves are kept safe and await our return”.