A bilingual educational pathway from the first year of primary school to the third year of lower secondary school, with native English-speaking teachers, subjects taught entirely in English and Cambridge English certifications. This is the educational approach offered by Daisy and Holden schools in Chieri, combining the Italian school curriculum with an in-depth approach to English language learning.
Choosing a bilingual school means giving children the opportunity to use English not only during language lessons, but also to study, communicate and explore other subjects. This principle underpins the educational approach of Daisy Primary School and Holden, a state-recognised lower secondary school, both located in Chieri, just outside Turin.
The two schools offer a continuous language learning pathway from the first year of primary school through to the third year of lower secondary school. The programme combines the Italian school curriculum with selected subjects taught entirely in English by native English-speaking teachers.
Which Subjects Are Taught in English?
At Daisy Primary School, children study Art, Science and Music entirely in English. From the very first years, they use the language to take part in practical activities, observe phenomena, express ideas and acquire new knowledge.
At Holden Lower Secondary School, the programme continues with Art, Technology and Global Perspectives, a subject that explores current affairs, the environment, society and global citizenship. Through research, discussions and group projects, students develop their language skills, analytical abilities and critical thinking.
English therefore becomes a genuine language of learning, used every day in practical contexts rather than exclusively during traditional grammar and conversation lessons.
Do Children Need to Know English Before Enrolling?
One of the questions families ask most frequently concerns the level of English required for admission.
Children can enrol at Daisy from the first year of primary school even if they are Italian and have never attended an international school or acquired any particular knowledge of English.
Children do not need to be bilingual before starting a bilingual education programme.
Learning takes place gradually through regular exposure to the language, classroom activities and interaction with native English-speaking teachers.
As the years progress, children build a broader vocabulary, improve their comprehension and learn to express themselves in English with increasing confidence and naturalness.
The transition from the final year of primary school to the first year of lower secondary school represents the natural continuation of this pathway, with activities becoming progressively more complex and appropriate to the students’ age.
Cambridge English Certifications: Assessing Language Skills
The language learning pathway at Daisy and Holden is supported by internationally recognised Cambridge English certifications.
These certifications provide an objective way to assess students’ progress across different language skills, including listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Preparation for the examinations is integrated into classroom learning throughout the school years, allowing students to develop their abilities progressively and approach the tests with appropriate preparation.
Why Not Teach Every Subject in English?
The bilingual model adopted by Daisy and Holden is based on a clear educational principle: developing strong English language skills without compromising the quality and depth of the Italian school curriculum.
Teaching every subject in English is not necessarily the most effective approach for every child.
Some subjects, such as mathematics, require a particularly thorough understanding of abstract concepts, procedures and specialised terminology. For students who are still developing their English proficiency, using a foreign language exclusively could create an additional learning challenge.
For this reason, Daisy and Holden have chosen to teach selected subjects entirely in English while maintaining Italian as the main language of instruction for other subjects.
The aim is to strike a balance between academic achievement and language development, ensuring that learning English does not come at the expense of understanding the subject matter.
A Continuous Bilingual Pathway from Primary to Secondary Education
One of the defining features of the Daisy and Holden educational programme is its continuity.
Children can begin familiarising themselves with English from the age of six and continue developing their language skills over eight years, until the end of lower secondary school.
This approach allows students to build their skills gradually, without interrupting the progress made in previous years, while preparing them to approach the next stage of their education with greater confidence.
For families in Turin, Chieri and the surrounding area looking for a bilingual school, Daisy and Holden offer an educational pathway that combines the Italian school curriculum with the practical and continuous use of English.
A model in which English is not simply a subject to study, but an everyday tool for learning, communicating and discovering the world.
