Springwood High School in King’s Lynn has been awarded the British Council’sprestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the worldinto the classroom.
The International School Award is a badge of honour for schools that do outstanding work ininternational education, such as through links with partner schools overseas. Fostering aninternational dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work withschools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need to liveand work as global citizens.Springwood High School’s international themes include working with its partner school inGhana, running exchange programmes with Germany, France and Australia, andresidential visits for the whole of Year 7 to the Battle Fields in Ypres.
On hearing the news that Springwood High School had received the Award, KarenWilliams, International Co-ordinator, said “This is excellent news for the school, and isrecognition of all the hard work that we have undertaken in the past few years to achieve thisaward”.
John Rolfe, from the British Council, said: ‘The school’s fantastic international work hasrightfully earned it this prestigious award. The International School Award is a great chancefor schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into theirclassrooms. Adding an international dimension to children’s education ensures that they aretruly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful future careers in an increasinglyglobal economy.’2013/14 saw more than 500 schools receive International School Award accreditation.
Thisincludes a wide range of schools from a variety of different backgrounds and areas acrossthe UK. The British Council hopes to build on this success throughout 2014The Award is now available worldwide in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Egypt,Lebanon, Cyprus, Pakistan and Nigeria as part of the British Council’s ConnectingClassrooms programme. Around 5000 International School Awards have been presented tosuccessful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.
The ISA encourages and supports schools to develop:
- An international ethos embedded throughout the school
- A majority of pupils within the school impacted by and involved in international work
- Collaborative curriculum-based work with a number of partner schools
- Curriculum-based work across a range of subjects
- Year-round international activity
- Involvement of the wider community
