Welcome back to IH World News!
These past few months have been a busy time across the network with conferences, events, and the run-up to exam season bringing a flurry of pre-summer activity. This edition of the newsletter highlights best practices and examples of excellence, from cutting-edge management systems to innovative career growth pathways implemented by IH schools.
Read on to discover how our members are giving back to their communities through creative charitable initiatives, as well as working to make language education more inclusive with a focus on neurodiverse learners and LGBTQ+-friendly classrooms featuring in some of the recent teacher training initiatives across the network.
With limited-time exclusive deals for IH schools on offer, this is an edition not to miss. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Language for All - Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive ELE Classrooms with IH Galway Language Centre
IH Galway Language Centre, in partnership with Trans Equality Network Ireland and Transilvanian Educational Services & Tourism, held a webinar series called Language for All, Creating LGBTQIA+ Inclusive ELE Classrooms as part of an Erasmus+ project.
In workshop one, they shared the results of the project survey on how inclusive ELE materials are of LGBTQ+ – respondents found only 4.7% of their classroom materials are very inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. Discussions explored what effect this invisibility may have on their language learning journey and school experience. Workshop two explored diversity and inclusion, LGBTQ+ identities, homophobia, transphobia and allyship. Workshop three, in June, focused on how we can improve respect, understanding and inclusion across English Language Education (ELE). Workshop participants reported finding the Q&A sessions which take place at the end particularly useful for asking tricky questions in a safe space.
Participants at the recent Eaquals conference also got a taster of the project at the workshop “Adapting Language Materials for Better Inclusion of LGBTQ+ Students” delivered by Julie Cuttance from the project.
IH Braga’s Sponsored Spell – Inspiration for Your School
Responsible. Accommodation. Exaggerated. Separately. Kitchen. Wardrobe. Weird. Outrageous. How good is your spelling?
Every year IH Braga organises a whole school event where we encourage our students to raise funds for local and international charities. This Easter our fundraising was based around a Sponsored Spell.
All our students from Kids 1 (8 year-olds) to C2 Proficiency exam classes were given a vocabulary list from their course and asked family and friends to sponsor them, for example 20 cents per word.
After being “tested” on their vocab lists in class, our students collected their sponsorship money and thanks to the generosity of families and friends, we managed to raise the amazing sum of €2,200. This was donated to a local charity, Virar a Página which has been cooking and distributing meals to local families in need since March 2020, and to Médicos Sem Fronteiras (Doctors Without Borders) which provides medical assistance to people affected by disease, conflict and natural or man-made disasters.
Thank you to all our IH Braga super spellers for doing such a great job and helping to support families in need.
Save Lesson Planning Time & Engage Students With Sensations English Platform: Exclusive Offer for IH Schools
Looking to inject fresh, relevant content into your English language lessons this summer? Sensations English offers a fantastic solution with its platform of fact-checked global news videos and articles, perfectly tailored for learners from A2 to C1 levels.
Each lesson comes packed with interactive and flexible activities, designed not only to build crucial language skills but also to significantly boost student engagement. With content spanning 33 real-world topics and five proficiency levels, Sensations English supports differentiated instruction and saves teachers valuable lesson planning time. Their commitment to up-to-date, authentic content helps learners connect language acquisition to current events, fostering deeper understanding, cultural awareness, and motivation both in and out of the classroom.
Exclusive Summer School Offer for IH Schools:
For a limited time, IH schools can purchase 4-week licenses for just £6.30 each, an exclusive 10% discount! This introductory offer is available until August 31st, with licenses expiring on September 30th. Don’t miss this chance to empower your students with engaging, current content.
Contact [email protected] to take advantage of this offer. (Keep an eye out for their annual license offer, launching in September!)
Accademia Britannica IH Arezzo Provides Interactive Learning Activities at CALCIT Community Event
In March, more than 2,000 children and their families gathered for a special event organised by CALCIT—a local voluntary organisation renowned for its impactful work in the fight against cancer. CALCIT plays a vital role in our community by funding cancer screening equipment, supporting educational initiatives, and coordinating home-visiting services.
The event was a celebration of community spirit and support, featuring a wide range of engaging activities. We were proud to take part, hosting a stand and organising fun, interactive activities in English for children of all ages. One of the highlights of the day was our Accademia Britannica IH Arezzo London bus photo booth, where kids and families lined up to snap fun, themed photos.
It was a day filled with learning, laughter, and solidarity—all in support of an incredibly important cause.
Creating Growth Pathways Beyond Senior Leadership at IH Hanoi and IH HCMC
At IH Hanoi and IH Ho Chi Minh City, we recognise that not every academic manager aspires to senior leadership—and that’s absolutely fine. We’re committed to providing meaningful growth pathways that reflect a range of career goals.
With over 80 centres and nearly 2,000 employees from more than 50 nationalities, Apollo has led English education in Vietnam for 30 years. We’re proud to be the first to introduce “Tailored English Education” and to continuously invest in the growth of our people.
One development path is through our centralised functional teams. Each academic manager in the Apollo IH network (40+) spends around 10% of their time on a rotating functional role—gaining experience in areas like onboarding, training, culture, and more.
Now, with our new competency framework, we’re expanding these opportunities through Team Leader roles. These allow managers to take on project coordination, peer feedback, and cross-functional collaboration—building leadership in areas like HR, sales, and operations.
More than skills, these roles foster deeper connections across our network—from Hanoi to HCMC and beyond—creating a shared space for learning, support, and professional growth that isn’t always upward, but definitely forward.
Innovation News: Celebrating Progress and Possibility
At the recent IH Directors’ Conference, we were proud to spotlight some truly exciting innovations making waves across our global network. Here’s a snapshot of what’s new, what’s next, and how your school can be part of it.
The Mihai Gânj Innovation Award: A Brilliant Beginning
We’re thrilled to announce the winner of our very first Mihai Gânj Innovation Award – congratulations to IH Split, who won for their trailblazing school management software, Amber. Their creativity and impact set the bar high. Learn more about the tool below.
A special shoutout to our fantastic runners-up: IH Newcastle and IH Santiago de Compostela for their inspiring submissions.
- Think your school could be next? Nominations for the 2026 award are now open
- Explore the award criteria and submit your nomination here
- More details about the 2026 timeline will be coming your way soon!
TeacherMatic: Smarter Tools for Brilliant Teaching
We’re excited to unveil our new partnership with TeacherMatic, an AI-powered platform designed by educators, for educators. Whether you’re planning lessons, creating assessments, or building resources – TeacherMatic is here to help you do it better, faster, and smarter.
And here’s the exciting part:
- IHWO schools get 83% off annual licences!
- From June, licences will be available directly through IHWO.
- PLUS: We’re giving every school one free licence to try it out.
Ready to explore how AI can support your teaching? Claim your free licence by emailing [email protected]
Join Pilot Programmes for BSD Education Courses Now
We’re also delighted to launch our partnership with BSD Education, a global leader in digital learning. BSD offers over 600 hours of dynamic, ready-to-use content in:
- Coding
- Web development
- Artificial Intelligence
- Game design
- Entrepreneurship
- And much more!
These courses are asynchronous, flexible, and ideal for enhancing your English programmes—or launching exciting new course types.
After successful testing, we’re now inviting schools to join our next round of pilot programmes.
Curious to learn more? Join the upcoming BSD webinar to see how your school can get involved. Details about the event will be available on our events page in the next few weeks.
Amber School Manager from IH Split Receives First-Ever IH Digital Innovation Award
We’re honoured to be the first-ever recipients of the Mihai Laurențiu Gânj Award for Digital Innovation, presented at this year’s IH Directors’ Conference in Palermo.
The award recognises the development of Amber School Manager, a digital tool we created at Jantar – IH Split to simplify school operations such as class scheduling, payments, exam organisation, and even student assignments. What began as an internal solution to improve our own workflows has evolved into a tool used by many language schools worldwide.
Amber School Manager was designed by educators, for educators, with one clear goal: reduce admin time so schools can focus on what matters most – students!
To us, this award is a powerful reminder that innovation doesn’t have to come from outside. It can come from within our own community, created by people who live and breathe the realities of school life every day. The award now sits proudly in our office, and we’re sharing a photo of it too.
From Idioms to Inclusion: A Look Back at the 2025 IH Toruń Teacher Training Day
The 2025 IH Toruń Teacher Training Day Conference this April was another memorable ELT event. This year, we made a conscious decision to streamline event materials to be more sustainable, removing conference bags and utilising a paper-free digital prize draw. With just one key plenary, participants had more time to unwind before heading off to Toruń’s oldest pub for the post-conference meet-up. 90 teachers attended the event from across Europe including Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Ukraine and the UK.
We had engaging and informative workshops on a variety of topics led by many ELT professionals including representatives from all four IH Poland schools (IH Bielsko-Biała, IH Bydgoszcz, IH Toruń and IH Wrocław), along with former DOS of IH Minsk, Elena Malinovskaya (fresh from being a plenary speaker at last year’s IH YL Conference in Sofia). Attending as a participant was also the DOS of IH La Spezia who flew in from Italy especially for the event. The plenary speaker was Chris Roland returning once again and we also had Cambridge exam expert Vincent Smidowicz also back for his 2nd year with us.
Workshops included a range of topics such as arts & crafts for VYLs, neurodiversity in ELT, debating in the classroom, teaching high-level learners, taking students on a global learning trip and teaching idioms.
Examples of Excellence: Best Practices from IH Riga and IH Campobasso
At International House, we celebrate the high standards and innovative approaches across our network. This month, we’re highlighting IH Riga and IH Campobasso, whose recent inspection reports showcase outstanding practices in student experience and cutting-edge operational efficiency.
IH Riga truly excels in delivering a highly personalised learning journey, built on a strong customer service ethos which our IH Inspector highlights as “apparent at all levels of the organisation”. Their dedicated administrative ‘class managers’ are central to this. Each manager is assigned specific student groups, providing continuous, tailored guidance and support from initial inquiry right through to course completion. This fosters strong relationships and ensures a deeply supportive environment for both students and parents. Furthermore, the school’s commitment to continuous improvement means they are always evolving to maintain this exceptional level of service.
IH Campobasso stands out for its exceptional use of technology, which underpins its highly personalised service and streamlined operations. In the classrooms, educational technology resources are utilised to a very high level of competency by teachers, enriching the learning experience. Beyond the classroom, a comprehensive and effective CRM system plays a pivotal role in enhancing the student journey from pre-enrolment through to course delivery. This embrace of technological innovation, coupled with a positive, collaborative team dynamic, allows IH Campobasso to consistently move forward and provide an outstanding and efficient service. Our IH Inspector noted: “It is clearly a school that welcomes and embraces change and improvement and is always looking to move forward.”
25 Years of Impact – IH Toulouse Hosts Regional Teachers’ Day
On Saturday 20 September 2025, IH Toulouse will welcome English teachers from across the Occitanie region in south-west France for a special Teachers’ Day, marking 25 years of excellence in language education.
The day will feature workshops and talks tailored for English teachers in schools and higher education. These sessions are designed to support both pedagogical development and meaningful peer exchange.
Most importantly, they aim to help teachers feel more confident and better equipped to guide their students on every step of their language learning journey.
The event will also highlight IHWO and our partners, offering connections and resources for educators in the region.
We look forward to celebrating with teachers in Occitanie to collaborate and inspire the next chapter – and the next 25 years – of English language education at IH Toulouse.
Stay tuned on our social media channels and we’ll update you on the highlights in a subsequent edition of IH World News!
Summer Camps at British School IH Pisa
At British School International House Pisa, summer is anything but “the quiet period”! This is when we shift our focus to summer camps, which are a dynamic blend of language immersion, creative activities, and real-world learning experiences for children aged 5 to 11.
Offered across three separate periods (June, July, and September), the camps welcome young learners into an English-speaking environment. With themes ranging from storytelling and the arts to science and global cultures, each day is designed to spark curiosity and build confidence among our youngest students.
One of our key goals is to make language learning natural, joyful, and interactive. We do that through hands-on activities, games, and group projects that make every day a special one.
We’re proud to offer a space where children not only improve their English but also develop friendships, critical thinking, and a love of learning that lasts well beyond the summer.
