Globeducate acquires IB and Bilingual School and Pre-School in Milan

Globeducate - one of the leading K-12 premium bilingual and international school groups worldwide with 55 schools, and online programmes, in nine countries – has acquired Bilingual European School (BES) and the British American Pre-School (BAPS), Milan. The move strengthens Globeducate's presence in Milan, joining ICS Milan and becoming the group's fifth school in Italy – along with ICS Milan, RIS Rome, Southlands British International School and the Canadian School of Florence.

Founded in 1987 British American Pre-School specialises in Early Years, offering education for children aged two to six. The Bilingual European School, founded in 1999, is the leading bilingual primary and middle school in Milan, located just north of the city centre. It is the only provision in Milan to integrate the Italian Ministerial Programme with the IB Primary Years Programme, both in Italian and English. BES has proved popular with parents in Milan because of its innovative teaching and learning, inclusivism and bilingualism. Designed by an internationally renowned architect, all learning environments and spaces were created with children at the centre and are modern, colourful and light, with attractive communal areas. These learning spaces are landscapes, where every student has the opportunity to invent their own journey into the world of knowledge to help shape the world.

Like other Globeducate schools, BES has worked with LEGO ® Education and offers after-school and extra-curricular activities such as LEGO® Education StoryStarter, We-Do, and Robotics. A rich and diverse activities programme, a feature of all Globeducate schools, helps to develop children’s self-confidence, social skills and knowledge — from martial arts and ballet to choir and football. Drama and the arts are as important as digital technology at BES, and the school hosts a permanent Bruno Munari® art laboratory and its accredited LEGO ® Education Innovation Studio.

Luca Uva, CEO of Italy and Globeducate, said: “BES had all of the qualities we look for in a Globeducate school and was a natural choice for our expansion in Milan. The school offers an outstanding level of education and I would like to thank Luca Paloschi, Managing Director of both schools, for working with us on beginning the journey of integrating the schools with Globeducate. We share a vision and are very pleased to start this new journey together.”

Deborah Chilver, Executive Head of the British American Pre-School and a member of the Bilingual European School leadership team, said: “Joining the Globeducate network was an easy decision for our leadership team. Our teachers share the Globeducate vision of developing students to be global citizens, to shape the world and, as an IB school, we believe in learning by doing. At the core of everything we offer an authentic, outstanding bilingual school experience and a child-centred philosophy with a global perspective. Our whole school community is looking forward to joining together with other Globeducate schools as part of global competitions, festivals and learning communities.”