With such a wide variety of programmes we have met a great range of applicants and had some really interesting interviews.

Secondary School Exchange

The SSE offers a once in a life time opportunity to spend a year or six months in a private American or Canadian high school post A Levels or a UK boarding school after graduation from High School for US candidates. 

15 US scholars will be arriving in the UK in September to begin their year abroad at a British school.

The UK scholars heading to the US in September are currently getting organised with visas and flights and they are:

Jessica Caie from Larbert, Scotland going to St Mary’s Episcopal School, Memphis, Tennessee
James Carter from Hexham, Northumberland going to The Lovett School, Atlanta, Georgia
Laura Davies from Newport, Shropshire going to Tabor Academy, Massachusetts
Rachel Harris from Alcester, Warwickshire going to Hutchison School, Memphis, Tennessee
Matthew Johnson from Stirling, Scotland going to Avon Old Farms, Connecticut
Ryan MacMahon from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland going to The Lawrenceville School, New Jersey
Meadhbh McVeigh from Belfast, Northern Ireland going to Culver Girls’ Academy, Indiana
Joanna Odling from Coulsdon, Surrey going to Western Reserve Academy, Ohio
David Protheroe from London going to Memphis University School, Memphis, Tennessee

They will be coming to Dartmouth House in July for a briefing day where they will have the chance to meet each other again and get tips and advice from SSE alumni who have just come back from the US.

Two term applications from January 2012 open Summer 2011, deadline 19 September 2011.

Walter Hines Page scholarship

The Walter Hines Page scholarship offers teachers the unique opportunity to explore and exchange educational ideas between Britain and America. Scholars are able to travel to the USA to study an aspect of education which is relevant to their own professional interests and development and have the opportunity to stay with US branch members during their time in the US.

This year’s scholars are:

Joy Donaldson from Enfield, London will be investigating the relationship between speech, language, communication development and literacy and the impact the curriculum, practitioners’ skills and parental involvement have upon facilitating language and literacy in elementary schools. Joy is currently a Primary Teaching & Learning Consultant at Camden Local Authority.

Lydia Rushton from Salford, Manchester will be looking into the way in which Newly-Qualified Teachers (NQT’s) are supported within their first year of teaching and what Career Professional Development (CPD) is involved. She will be doing a cross-comparison UK-US study to identify innovative methodology and best practice. Lydia is currently Head of Department and teacher of Sociology at Pendleton Sixth Form Centre, part of Salford City College.

Caroline Godin from Holmfirth, West Yorkshire will be investigating the Early Years sector – in particular what constitutes a high quality environment and how this impacts upon the outcomes for children in Early Years provision. Caroline is currently a teacher at Crosland Moor Children’s Centre in Huddersfield.

Claire Elliott from Lancaster, Lancashire will be investigating the provision for Social, Moral and Cultural Education (SMSC) and Social/Community Cohesion in the US and to research how aspects of SMSC are delivered through – and outside – the curriculum. Claire is currently Head of Religious Education at Penwortham Girls’ High School near Preston.

Anita Bradshaw from Cowes, Isle of Wight will be exploring how early signs/diagnoses of Sensory Processing Disorder are picked up in the US, the information and guidance given to teachers and how learning environments are modified as a consequence. Anita is currently a Special Needs teacher at St George’s School, Newport, Isle of Wight.

Roger Jones from Southampton, Hampshire will be examining school policies and strategies for alleviating, monitoring and challenging homophobic bullying and facilitating personal development in US High Schools and multi-agencies such as the American GLB Education Network. He will be exploring, with Dr Jon Lasser at University of South-West Texas, ways of Teacher Training on visibility management and anti-homophobia training. Roger is currently Acting Head of English at Taunton College near Southampton.

Sheila Cook from Haltwhistle, Northumberland will be looking into how enterprise and entrepreneurship education can contribute to rural revitalisation and enable young people to stay in their local area, the benefits of enterprise and entrepreneurship education for both the community and the young learners and how it enhances post-education options for young people. Sheila is currently Enterprise Co-ordinator at Haydon Bridge High School, Northumberland.

These scholarships are sponsored by the teaching unions, ATL, NASUWT and NUT.

Bell Tower Scholar to Chautauqua Institution

Each year one teacher is chosen to attend the Chautauqua Institution in New York to take part in its summer programme. They are given the chance to take part in a wide range of courses, lectures and events usually in the fields or art, music, literature, education, business, religion and international relations. This year’s Bell Tower Scholar is Nicky Donley from Bourne, Lincolnshire. Nicky is currently the Headteacher of Kirton Primary School and is excited by the educational, intellectual, creative and spiritual challenges afforded by Chautauqua. She will be leaving in late June 2011.

Lindemann Trust Fellowship

The Lindemann Trust Fellowship was established under the will of Brigadier Charles Lionel Lindemann who directed that his residuary estate should be used to provide income for the provision of Fellowships in the Physical Sciences to be awarded by The English- Speaking Union on behalf of the trust. Brigadier Lindemann wished to assist men and women with outstanding potential to become distinguished scholars or teachers in their chosen field. Interviews were held to find this year’s scholars on 12 April and three fellowships were awarded:

Simon Sprague from University of Oxford studying at Stanford University, California

Nora Vyas from King’s College, London studying at the Child Psychiatry Department in the National Institutes of Health in Maryland

Shelley Wickham from University of Oxford studying at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts

Pictured: Shelley Wickham, Simon Sprague, Rachel Harris and Laura Davies