FAQ

When will my child be fluent in English?
How quickly a child develops a language depends on many factors; their age, ability, confidence, home environment, access to English language materials and obviously amount of time spent at the school. However, our aim is that children will be effective communicators by the end of the elementary stage.

Why won’t my child speak English at home?
Children often compartmentalise as they learn and may find it difficult to speak English with someone they would not normally do so. It is important that parents do not pressurise children to speak their second language but concentrate on developing their mother tongue language at home. You can help your child by providing access to English reading books or films.

Can my child be moved ahead a year?
The simple answer is no. Our school policy is to select children for each class not by their ability but by their age. The work in any class is differentiated to meet the various needs of the children present. By missing a year the children miss valuable time to develop emotionally and do not have the opportunity to develop essential personal, social and academic skills.

My child is going into the Early Years Unit. Do all the children in the unit do the same work?
The children in the Busy Bees follow a two year rolling programme to avoid repetition of units of inquiry. The Reception class have their own programme to follow, that builds upon the skills and experiences of the Busy bee class. Work within the classes is differentiated according to the children’s age and developmental ability.

Will my child be able to succeed in a different school after spending time at ISTreviso, for example at the end of the elementary or middle school, or if we have to move?
How well a child does at any school is reliant on many factors. These include the child’s ability and self-confidence, the environment of the school and the home situation. However, feedback from children who have moved on to other schools has, to date, been extremely positive and we are confident the skills that the children develop with us enable them to be effective learners in other learning environments.

Why doesn’t my child have more homework?
At ISTreviso we do provide home work to support the learning going on in the classroom. This is given at the teacher’s discretion and is age-appropriate and relevant. We try not to overload children with homework as they have a full school day when they are actively learning concepts and ideas in two languages and therefore it is important that they have time to rest, play and develop other personal interests outside of school. We believe the amount of homework given allows the children to achieve a balance between developing good independent study habits and enjoying a life out of school.

Why don’t my children work from set text books?
In the elementary school, we follow the Primary Years Programme (PYP) which is an inquiry based transdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning. As a result, we use a range of teaching resources and techniques to learn. To support the learning of Italian, the teachers do use some text books, which are provided by the school. Likewise the children in the middle school, do use some text books to support the more specialised learning of the different subjects.

Can I take my children out of school for family holidays or extra-curricular activities?
The school calendar is available to parents well in advance and allows several opportunities throughout the year for holidays. We ask parents to book their family holidays during these times as time away from school could result in the children missing important learning opportunities.

Regular absences mean that children’s learning becomes fragmented and progress often suffers as a result. It is NOT correct to assume that extra homework can fill these gaps. Homework is given to support the learning in the classroom and cannot replace collaborative group work, discussions, or hands-on practical activities.

Should I inform the school of any personal home situations that may have an effect on my child?
Yes, as any changes at home could effect on child’s performance or behaviour. Parents and teachers need to work together to support the child through any difficult situation. Obviously any personal information will remain confidential.

What will my child eat at lunchtime?
The school provides a balanced healthy meal for the children every lunchtime. The menu for each week is available from the school secretary and is posted on the notice board. If you have any concerns, you should contact the class teacher directly.

I would like to know how my child is doing at school. How do I find out?
There is regular reporting to parents throughout the year. There are parent-teacher meetings, written reports, end of unit reports and, for the Early Years Unit and Elementary school, a student-led conference at the end of the year.
If you would like to speak to a teacher for whatever reason outside of these times, please make an appointment with the school secretary and the teacher will be more than happy to discuss any issue with you.