June 2017

BORROWDALE

TOWN LANE

WOODBURY

EX5 1NH

DEVON

email:

Dear Colleague

I invite you to renew your subscription to the Independent Schools’ Modern Languages Association for the academic year 2017/2018.

For over twenty years, ISMLA has facilitated discussion among modern languages departments in independent secondary schools, providing a forum for modern language teachers to meet, share ideas and inform themselves about developments in teaching and learning. We currently have around 165 members. An annual conference, involving 150+ delegates, provides a forum for discussion amongst member schools as well as top-quality CPD.

ISMLA’s activities increasingly involve representation of members’ views vis-à-vis the Government, Ofqual, The British Council, awarding bodies and other organisations such as ALL. We have in particular participated in a number of recent discussions over severe grading in modern languages at GCSE and A Level; our annual survey of public exam results and schools’ responses to these also offer an objective view of exam grading. We are also currently very active in providing a voice for modern languages in the face of recent curriculum changes. We invite you to contribute to these processes and to benefit from the two-way communication they engender.

Here are just some of the benefits of membership:

  • A termly newsletter with articles written by language teachers in independent schools and universities, reviews of resources, and relevant news items. Past editions of the newsletter can be found at The Newsletter also gives members the opportunity to publish details of their own good practice and research.
  • An annual national conference, which in 2017 took place at Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School. 2018’s conference will be held on 3 February at The Perse School, Cambridge.
  • A free facility for member schools to advertise new jobs is just one feature of the updated ISMLA website.
  • An annual teachers’ day with a specific language focus. On 18 November we will host a French teachers’ day at Queen’s College, London.
  • Representation through the committee of the views of independent school linguists to national bodies such as awarding bodies, the Department for Education and HMC.
  • Subsidies to facilitate and sponsor regional meetings and teach meets.
  • Access to a mentoring scheme with linguist senior managers for those members with aspirations to move onto a senior management role.
  • Access to a members’ Facebook and Twitter group for information, facilitating discussion and sharing of ideas. (You will be contacted on application to confirm whch school you belong to).

Despite our membership focusing on the independent sector, we are committed to sharing our support and expertise with state-funded centres. In the last two annual conferences we have provided free places for local state-funded secondary schools and for PGCE trainees. Our criteria for subsidising events for teachers and learners favour the participation of local state-funded centres.

We are currently offering subscription at the cost of £60. This covers school membership until August 2018. Payment is by BACS or cheque. Details of BACS payments are shown on a separate attachment for the use of the bursary or finance office.

Please fill in and return the attached membership formby email, or post to the address given.

We look forward to hearing from you and encourage you to share this information with colleagues in other independent schools that you feel would also benefit from membership. You may also have associated prep schools that maybe interested to know that they can join for the reduced rate of £10per year.

Yours sincerely

Julia Whyte (Membership Secretary)

Sara Davidson (Chair) • Oundle School • Email:

Patrons

A.S. Pettitt Esq. MA (Oxon) • P.B. Hamilton Esq. MA (Oxon) • H. Myers, BA (London), MA (Open University)
S.A. Corns Esq. MA (Cantab), FRSA • D.J. Byrne, M.Am M.Ed (Cantab)