Yulia Yanovskaya (Bishopstrow College) - review of working with the company Paradise

I would like to share our first experience of England and specifically college Bishopstrow. We have The eldest son is already studying in England. He flew away at the age of 15, and he made the decision to fly away himself. Therefore, no worries about “how is our son?” We didn’t have one in our family. He left and started plowing. He returned inspired and at the same time upset that he did not dare to leave earlier. He said that every child should at least find out what English schools are. And then we looked at our youngest daughter. We thought of sending her for a maximum of a month. 

We were recommended to contact Natalya, the founder of the educational company Paradise. Natalya suggested several schools for a month, but most of all she focused on Bishopstrow and go straight away for a semester. She persuaded me for a long time. She emphasized that this is a PREPARATORY COLLEGE, and not just a school, and no one can handle the preparation better than Bishopstrow.

The child cried and said that we did not love him. And my husband and I had a hard time imagining our daughter alone for 2.5 months without us. Natalya gave the phone numbers of some mothers whose children went to Bishopstrow at a younger age and returned positive, and we finally decided. 

Then another mess with Covid began and as a result, my 11-year-old daughter flew alone, accompanied by an airline. It’s a pity that you can’t show your daughter’s absolutely sobbing face in the plane cabin…

Upon arrival, all new arrivals were quarantined. 10 days passed painfully. In fact, it was solitary confinement. The British are very law-abiding, and the quarantine was strictly observed. They were allowed to go out for a short time, fed in the room, and the training took place online. Katya called everyone every day. I called my mom, my dad separately, I even called all my grandmothers and especially “tormented” her. guardian Marina. She called Marina just to talk and translate some words and asked her to convey various requests to the school, like “I want a bun for my afternoon snack.” Katya was crying, and we were nervous. 

And then the 10-day quarantine ended. Katya moved into a room with 3 girls. And normal English studies began. Count down three days and exhale. THE CHILD WILL NOT CALL YOU ANYMORE. There’s no time, and there’s really no need. 

In the same room as her lived a Japanese woman who was into anime. As a result, Katya spent all her free time drawing, trying to draw as well. After 2 months she brought quite decent drawings. College seems to have little to do with this achievement, but the question here is precisely international friendship and unexpected experiences in a child’s life. 

Then came the calls of delight. And what a funny teacher in the class, we giggled, then the burgers and dessert today were the most delicious in the world, then they caught frogs with a net, then she told me how the human ear works, then they took her to run a hundred meters for the senior team, then she plays a cow in the play… In general, ad infinitum. 

THE COLLEGE HAS A HOME-MADE ENVIRONMENT. There are not many people, after a while I know everyone by name. The principal and teachers treat their students as their own children. No question is left unattended.

While Katya was in college, one of her grandfathers died. She cried for so long that the school called a psychologist for her. They talked with the psychologist for about 15 minutes, and then she called, already cheerful, and told how she and he cried together. 

Katya also fell in love with all sports. She likes football, hockey, and other sports that we in Russia have never even heard of. 

I consider the greatest success of the school to be our conversation with my daughter closer to the end of the semester, when she asked on the phone: “Let’s do math now.” I'm not joking or embellishing. She asked her to come up with examples more difficult than those in class, and tried to solve them herself. For a whole hour, holding the phone in the air, she and I solved fractions… 

And, of course, the English language itself. Katya FALLED IN LOVE WITH LANGUAGE. I sat and learned the words myself, came up with a system for how to write them down and teach them. Just for yourself! And then she called and said, now I know how “easy” it will be. in English, I know how to say “avalanche”, I know how to say “shy” and so on. I came home and said: “Get me two tutors, I really want to continue learning the language.”

At school, all children are required to read books, and they also watch cartoons in English. Therefore, upon arrival, the child asked to buy her books in English and play cartoons. 

Well, the main phrase that parents always want to hear, but so rarely hear: “Mom, how right you were!” HOW COOL IT IS HERE!! This is paradise! The teachers here are so cool and they don’t yell at you!”

I want to say everythingI say to parents who doubt: send your children to England. Contact Paradise, education should be carried out by people who are in love with it.

Bishopstrow College