Bexley Lingotot Centre

Bonjour / Guten Tag / Hola!

My name is Sarah and I live in Welling, South East London. I am wife to Kerry (yes he has a girl's name), mum to daughter Freya (8 going on 18) and son Xander (5.5). I have had a love of languages since I was very young. In fact I remember a family holiday when I was 6 when I met a French girl and I asked my aunt and cousins to teach me sentences so we could play. That was the start of a passion that has grown and grown.

I studied French and German Interpreting and Translating at degree, and then took a Masters in Translation and Technology. I worked at an American Investment Bank for a number of years, looking after Benelux clients and using my languages on a daily basis.

Then along came the children and priorities changed, and I discovered Lingotot. It offered me the chance to be a mum and a business owner in a family friendly way and use my languages. Win-win.

In 2019 I was awarded Best New Business at the Bexley Business Excellence Awards and I am so proud. I have since been nominated for multipla awards and placed top 3 in the Local Focus category at the British Franchise Association Awards in 2020.

I love teaching children and watching them process new words. It is so rewarding to help them experience a new language and I have been known to well up when a child suddenly clicks and starts singing a song entirely in French much to their mum's astonishment. Learning a language at a young age is so valuable as children truly are like sponges. The younger they learn a second or third language, the more likely it is to become second nature to them, and a skill they can maintain forever.

Lingotot classes are packed full of interactive songs, games, stories, a craft and most importantly, they are fun! All of the sessions are conducted almost entirely in the target language and in our community classes, you learn alongside your children. Classes are suitable for babies, toddlers, young children and their parents/carers so that the whole family can enjoy learning a new language together.

Lingotot Bexley teach in community classes, day nurseries, KS1 and KS2 at Primary Schools (PPA), Lunch and Afterschool clubs.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions at all about Lingotot, or about what you can do to support your learning journey at home.

I hope to see you in class soon.

à bientôt / bis bald / hasta pronto,

Sarah

PS: If you can't find a class you are looking for, please email me at bexley@lingotot.com xx

GENERATIONS 1, 2, 3

Due to coronavirus, care homes have had to close their doors to protect their residents, meaning our fab Generations classes are postponed.

We don't want the residents to feel forgotten so we have launched a campaign today and we are asking you all to join us. It is called Generations 1, 2, 3 and it is 3 things we could all do to help our local elderly population at this difficult time.

1. Encourage children to draw pictures and write letters to local elderly neighbours and care homes.

2. Email videos to care homes of the children talking about their day

3. Pop a note through the door of elderly neighbours offering help...use our printable help cards.

Read all about it via the link below and discover how you can get involved and to download cards you can pop through their door to offer help.

https://www.lingotot.com/news/generations-123-campaign-launched-to-support-elderly-during-coronavirus-outbreak

AWARDS

2018 Innovation Award at Lingotot Franchise Awards

2018 Best Children's Language Provider in South East at the Parent & Baby Awards

2019 Finalist at Family Network Awards

2019 Nominated in Club Hub UK Awards

2019 Winner of Best New Business at Bexley Business Excellence Awards

2019 Silver Award Winner for Network Contribution at AFA Awards

2019 Finalist in Most Loved New Activity at What's On 4 Kids Awards

2020 Runner Up in Contribution to the Community at Kent Women in Business Awards

2020 Silver in Franchise Network Contribution at the AFA Awards

2020 Highly Commended in Best Entrepreneur of the Year at Bexley Business Excellence Awards

2020 Top 3 in Local Focus at the British Franchise Association Awards

Testimonials

From nurseries
From parents
From schools

Under 1 Roof Day Nursery

'We love our weekly sessions with Lingotots. Sarah goes above and beyond to provide fun and accessible sessions for the children. Our nursery children are still enjoying their French and coming on so well with their French. It is brilliant that we can send the sessions out to children at home so more can benefit. We have worked with Sarah for a long time and its great to still find ways of having her in the mix'.

Laura James, Director of Under1Roof Day Nursery

Dee's Childcare

Sarah has been hosting French Lingotot sessions with Dee’s Childcare, once a week during term time, for approximately four terms and has become a regular fixture in our setting, that the children look forward to and very much enjoy.

Sarah is not just professional and attentive to the quality of her delivery she is also very personable and friendly with children, who warmed to her immediately. Because of this Sarah’s sessions are not only fun and educational they are also friendly and warm, with lots of hugs on both sides.

Our setting accommodates children aged 6 months - 11 years. 90% of our parents have opted to have their child/ren participate in the sessions on the strength of word of mouth recommendations from other parents.

Sarah effectively adapts the content of her sessions to meet the different levels of the children in the setting. In doing so, she manages to successfully, engage all the children by setting them age appropriate activities, then bringing everything together at the end of the session, which makes it feel, for the children, like a fully participatory group effort.

Every session is a fun interactive opportunity for the children to learn new words and songs relating to real world themes and settings, which is further illustrated through arts & crafts, puppets, musical instruments and other pre-prepared props.

We welcome the growing relationship with Sarah and are expectant that Lingotots with Sarah may continue to be a regular staple in our setting, which offers great foundational linguistic learning to all the children who participate.

Decima Isles-Broughton, Owner of Dee's Childcare

A lovely summer holiday camp for the kids

A lovely summer holiday camp for the kids. Lots of fun activities like games, arts and crafts, races, face painting. Excellent hours for working parents. Kind and caring teachers.

Michelle Kaye

French Holiday Camp - "he truly loved it!!!"

Just wanted to drop you a little line….
James has been talking about you and camp nonstop this week!! He truly loved it!!
You are a super woman for what you did and your energy is out of this world. Caroline already told me what an amazing woman you are but you really are!!

Thanks so much for his 3 days. He doesn’t want to go to Baracuda’s next week now and asked for more French camp, lol. Can’t believe also how much he knows now, he is giving us French lessons left right and centre at home!
We hope to see you back in the new school year!

Kim Rodgers

French Holiday Camp - "the best day ever!!!"

Thank you Sarah!
Ava said she had “the best day ever”
We will definitely join in again when you hold another event!
Thank you for all the fun.
Enjoy the summer!

Katie Finn

French Holiday Camp - "absolutely LOVED it!!!"

My 2 children attended the 3 day lingotots french holiday camp in Chislehurst and absolutely LOVED it!!! They did so many activities and were eager to try out all the new french vocabulary they’d picked up when they got home. They have tried a few holiday camps but this is by far their favourite couldn’t wait to go back after day 1. Sarah is amazing and goes above and beyond to make the children feel comfortable and have a good time. Only negative is that it was only three days…hoping there will be more (and longer) holiday camps in future.

Ailisha Ogunmefun

French Holiday Camp - "I can't recommend it highly enough"

My daughter recently attended a three day summer camp with Lingotots and I can’t recommend it highly enough! My daughter has additional health needs and Sarah was extremely helpful and accommodating, making sure that my daughter could fully partake in the camp. I was impressed with Sarah’s energy and enthusiasm and it seemed nothing was too much trouble. She made us feel very welcome, when I needed to be on site to help my daughter. The camp has a great atmosphere - ideal for the kids to learn with lots of fun and varied activities. My daughter learned lots of french vocabulary and has been excited to practice her french since the camp ended! We are really looking forward to when she can attend again in the future!

Rachel Bonel

Thoroughly recommend - it's not just singing and playing, it's learning a language and important life skills too

I have been attending Spanish with Lucy on and off since my son was 6 months old. Lucy and Sarah are brilliant at engaging with the children, and restarting the 'mum brain'.

We had a bit of a break from it as I returned to work, but with lockdown got back into sessions on Zoom and Joel has been flying; his teachers at Nursery have said he has been speaking a few Spanish words... amazing, I'm so proud of him. Joel language development and communication skills are beyond his age and I'm sure his Spanish sessions are the reason why.

The stories in different languages are great too, Joel loves them and talks about 'tee loo' (petit loup), - we may have to start learning French too !! Thoroughly recommend it's not just singing and playing it's learning a language and important life skills too 😉

Francesca Waller

It's the one class you won't regret!

Although I'm lucky that my son is already from a bilingual family or blended family or mixed family. Not even sure what the correct term is now days! I dare not say what my husband refers to us as. Well, my son speaks (or what I should say, understands) English and Gujarati so why not add French to the mix. But I have a confession, I found Lingotots in the summer of 2019, they had a free taster in a local ish shopping centre, inside Mothercare. We tried Spanish the first time because he had never been exposed to that language before. I mean we don't watch Dora the Explorer at home.

So, let's fast forward to now. I was looking into doing a class again as I only have one day off now I have returned back to work. I knew I want to either do a language or some form of dance. This was when our paths crossed again and let's say the rest is history.

We are week 4 into the sessions, and we definitely get value for money. What I like the most is the whole class is in French, but that's okay, as it means us parents are learning to. We have a work book and homework if you chose (I need to chose to do it) and a great group of mothers. What more could you possibly want from a class?

Lingotot is a friendly, comfortable, non-judgemental class full of like-minded and non competitive mums, dads and nans. Its educational, exciting and fun. What I love the most is seeing all the little people learning, understanding and using French and for me, that's incredible.

Lingotot is definitely a must do class because it's sensory, it's engaging and most of all it's learning a new skill every time. I love learning a new skill with my son and then daddy helps us when we are at home.

Lingotot is amazing value for money (I know, I mention it again) and fantastic locations, we attend the Ruxley Manor class and from this I have already made a few new mum friends - what more could I want? Friends for mummy, fun for the baby and both learning together.

Book onto Lingotot, it's the one class you won't regret!

Kavita Trevena

Lingotot Bexley is so much fun. I highly recommend it.

Sarah has amazing patience and great talent when it comes to teaching languages. My son thoroughly enjoyed his French sessions with Sarah and still talks about them/sings some of the songs despite no longer attending.
Sarah also teaches at my work place and I love seeing all the young children’s faces light up when they realise it’s Lingotot time. Their progress is amazing.
Learning a language from a young age is definitely an amazing thing to do and Lingotot Bexley is so much fun. I highly recommend it.

Cathy Vanner

She has instilled a love of languages in my child. Thank you!

I highly recommend Lingotot Bexley. We started French lessons with Sarah when my child was at preschool and sadly had to stop once he started Primary School. The lessons were great fun, lots of interaction and variety, from singing, storytelling and crafting. Sarah is engaging and the children love her. She is so innovative and since lockdown she has been offering online Zoom classes, and continues to also provide the Generations classes. We jumped at taking part and they have been a highlight of our week. She has instilled a love of languages in my child. Thank you!

Vicky Bailey

Fantastic class

Fantastic class run by Sarah. Sarah is a very dynamic teacher and her enthusiasm for languages is amazing.
Lingotot Bexley is a very structured class. The children learn by singing, playing, repeating words in a very playful way.

Beatrice Leedell

CPD Training - Wybourne Primary School

Over the course of the year Sarah has delivered excellent training for all staff at Wyborne primary school. Her sessions are always fun and engaging and staff have told me how much they have grown in confidence in their subject knowledge and overall teaching of French because of her. Personally, Sarah has given me the tools I need to be a strong and knowledgeable MFL leader. Her subject knowledge and help have been invaluable to us all and we have thoroughly enjoyed working with her. Going forward we will definitely be using Sarah again for any staff training. Highly recommend Sarah - you won't be disappointed.

Ciara O'Sullivan