Global Explorers
An innovative educational programme that seeks to build the global competencies, leadership and 21st century skills of today’s young people through arts-based, creative education, immersion in nature, and exposure to English language and literature, as well as the UN languages of Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Spanish.
Learning for the 21st century
Based on the Empowering Global Citizens curriculum developed by Harvard professor Fernando Reimers, alongside arts-based and regenerative learning methodologies such as Forest School and Montessori techniques, Global Explorers is your opportunity to expose your children to immersive learning opportunities that give them the 21st century skills to not only survive in an uncertain world but to grow, learn and thrive and take their place as the leaders we need for the future.
In weekly 3 hour sessions, we use project-based learning and values education, social and emotional learning to foster character, collaboration, compassion, teamwork, leadership, personal growth and a commitment to lifelong learning
Activities will include
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Workshops that use participation in the arts for self-expression and creativity, but also to teach and learn a whole range of different subjects
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Be part of the burgeoning Fischer’s Farm project, by helping to grow organic fruit and vegetables in the potager, feed the chickens, build log cabins in the forest, try your hand at beekeeping and honey-making, go on a treasure hunt in our enormous field, or climb trees to sample a delicious fig or two
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English is our main medium of instruction and Global Explorers is a fantastic way to give your child meaningful exposure and use of the language to complement more traditional forms of teaching. In addition, we regularly host teachers from around the world to also teach basic vocabulary and phrases in languages such as Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, to ensure language learning is instilled as both a pleasure and a core part of learning to be a global citizen
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Learn more about the challenges facing our world and work together to come up with solutions that we can then use in our local and global community to make the world a better place! Using project-based learning, we harness the passion and agency of young people to help them be the leaders of tomorrow that our world really needs
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Learning to both grow vegetables and cook for yourself is a core life skill that helps to build independence as well as respect for nature and our food systems. Learn recipes from all over the world and have fun making a mess in the kitchen of Clos de Gaye
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Work with some of our local ‘grandmas and grandpas’ who wish to pass on their skills such as jam-making, knitting, soap production, opera and bird-watching.
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Be lucky enough to benefit from a visit to Clos de Gaye from one of our international speakers or resident artists, to learn about their work or take part in a workshop where they share their skills and expertise. Past speakers and facilitators have included professors from Harvard, award-winning classical musicians and opera singers, and leaders working on peace in the Middle East.
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Learn how embracing the idea of ‘The Renaissance Man or Woman’ enables us to do joined-up thinking on how to marry the arts, sciences, literature, philosophy, politics and so many other subjects for cross-pollination and project-based learning
Personal Project
Each child is also given the opportunity to follow and develop a personal project throughout the year, based on their own personal interest and aptitudes, to create the space and opportunity to support a more personalised learning approach that brings out the strengths and potential of each individual on the programme.
A world without war
Global Explorers, like many similar projects that help our children become truly global citizens, is based on many of the founding principles of the UN Charter and similar organisations, who understand that, irrespective of the institutions that support our world, true peace is the work of each individual, to shore up the security and well-being of both current and future generations.
Who is it for?
For international parents, this is an opportunity to ensure your children are getting the kind of education to not just survive but thrive, ensuring they develop the all-important 21st century skills as defined by the World Economic Forum’s ‘Skills for the Future’. Our lead facilitator, Caroline Watson, is herself a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and believes passionately that our educational systems are failing to adapt quickly enough to the threats future generations are facing to manage the challenges of global conflict, climate change and artificial intelligence. Global Explorers seeks to plug the gap of where traditional systems are failing to adapt sufficiently to manage changing needs and expectations for the world of work and defining and living out a meaningful life.
For French parents, this is an opportunity for your children to immerse themselves in an exclusively English-speaking environment, to learn real-world applications for the use of the language, whilst having fun with children from other parts of the world. In addition to her entrepreneurial and global leadership background, our founder and lead facilitator, Caroline Watson, is a Cambridge CELTA trained English language teacher and certified examiner for the British Council, with over 20 years experience of teaching English across the world. This programme will help your children to develop global leadership skills that go beyond just language acquisition towards a wider view of the world and the capacity to both walk and talk with people from all over the world. It will also introduce them to other global languages so that they develop the cognitive ability to learn and adapt to changing ‘meaning models’ in the brain and learn not just English but their own and other languages more quickly and fluently.
For all parents keen to ensure their children grow up to be creative, caring, globally-aware yet locally-rooted, with a responsibility to people and planet, to give them the edge in an age of AI and who may be concerned that their children are not getting enough creativity, critical thinking and global awareness in the traditional education system.
Where?
On the Clos de Gaye estate, just outside Pau in Gan
When?
Either Wednesday afternoon 2- 5pm OR Saturday morning 9.30am to 12.30pm - you choose!
How much?
1900 euros for the full year (choose either Wednesday afternoon OR Saturday mornings, September 2026 - June 2027) if paid upfront or 250 euros per month on direct debit. We also offer a 5% discount if you sign up 2 or more siblings at the same time.
We also offer a bundle pricing of 3500 euros if you wish to sign up your child for both Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings (400 euros on direct debit for the 10 months). In this case, if you sign up 2 or more children for both Wednesday and Saturday and pay upfront, you get a 10% discount off the entire bundle.
This is not a traditional after-school programme, rather, it is an academically-based programme, committed to developing and implementing a pedagogy for the ‘schools of the future’ that are necessary for our children to not just survive but thrive amidst the challenges of the 21st century.
What else?
Parents are welcome to stay during the sessions for free tea and coffee and the chance to meet up with other parents, enjoy our beautiful co-working spaces, or take time for themselves reading a book in our gorgeous library! We also offer personal development workshops to adults alongside the Global Explorers programme, on topics such as Building a Portfolio Life, Returning to Work, Personal Leadership, Parenting and Cross-Cultural Communication.
Amazing! Where do I sign up?
Send us an email with the names and ages of your children and which session you would like (Wednesday afternoon or Saturday morning) at the link below and we will get you registered! Please note that we have only 10 places available for each session so hurry and don’t delay!
Global Explorers is an excellent solution to complement more traditional learning and school systems, at a fraction of the price of paying for private or international school
Our founder, Caroline Watson, is an award-winning social entrepreneur with a background in the theatre, and an expert at using arts-based and creative approaches to learning. Caroline first came to global attention through the founding of Hua Dan, a China-based social enterprise that empowered the life skills and leadership of more than 32,000 women and children across China.
She also has over 20 years experience of teaching English language, is a certified CELTA language teacher and an IELTS examiner for the British Council. She has lived and worked all over the world and speaks English, French, Chinese, Spanish, a little German and is now learning Arabic.
Now a leading corporate coach, leadership development expert and organisational consultant, Caroline is a passionate believer that we need to be educating both the current and future generations of leaders to take on the challenges of the future with courage, compassion and creativity
