ISL London wins prestigious award

The International School of London (ISL), London, has been awarded the prestigious Excellence in Schools and Educational Consultancy Award by The Association of Relocation Professionals (ARP).

Held at the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair, and sponsored by ISL UK Schools, the award ceremony on June 30 was attended by staff from both ISL Surrey and ISL London plus their guests, alongside a host of key global mobility professionals.

The ARP award was presented to retired ISL London teacher Dr Richard Pearce in recognition of his life’s work with the relocation community, particularly with regard to understanding cross-cultural issues and their impact on globally mobile students.

Dr Pearce has worked in international schools for 40 years and was involved in the early days of the ARP. He was also a member of the CBI Employee Relocation Council for many years and was a founder member of the European Council for International Schools Cross-Culture Committee. Following his doctoral research at the University of Bath, he has produced a range of publications on identity and culture.

Heather Mulkey, ISL Group Marketing and Admissions Officer, said: “Dr Richard Pearce was ISL’s founding Head of Science and an early supporter and developer of the IB biology curriculum. His overriding passion has always been in issues of cultural identity and cross-cultural transitions. As the ISL London’s School’s Admissions Director for 16 years, he helped many families with global transitions. In 1994 he started a consultancy for relocating families, finding schools for numerous multinationals. He continues to spend much of his spare time researching, writing and speaking about the issues of culture, values and identity.”

Dr Pearce said: “My school-teaching career is over, but my abiding interest is in understanding the workings and feelings of humanity, in all their variety. I want to share what I have learned, believing that only through greater understanding can the increasing contacts between peoples manage to avoid increasing conflict.” 

Photo shows ISL school staff and guests at the awards ceremony