The St Anne’s school community is richly diverse with our pupils speaking over 25 different languages. We value and celebrate this diversity, fostering an international ethos throughout our school. We are committed to embedding international awareness and seek out opportunities to open our pupils to the world as global citizens.
Curriculum
We embed international awareness and activities across our curriculum from Reception to Year 6.
Languages
We value language learning as a vital life skill and key to opening the world to our pupils. We teach French as our Modern Foreign Language from Year 3 to Year 6; as well as offering both Germanand Spanish as after-school clubs which are open to all Key Stage 2 pupils.
Our pupils come from a range of diverse backgrounds from around the world and speak more than 25 languages. We celebrate and embrace these languages and cultures as part of our Church School value of Belonging.
International Partnerships
Our international work includes a partnership with the Zhukivtsi Gymnasium Ukraine and the Grüner Schule, Berlin, Germany.
International Awards
We have just been awarded the British Council's International Schools Intermediate level Certificate in recognition of our International Work.
The International School Award celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life and work in today’s world.
We are delighted that our international work has been recognized. We hugely value the wealth of culture and language that our pupils bring to our school. At St Anne’s our vision is that we ‘walk in love’ and that everyone can ‘shine their light’. Learning about our our pupil’s heritage is a special way to achieve this. During a time of international conflict, it is especially important that we show compassion.
Our community also values this celebration. Teaching Assistants Michaela Peinando and Caroline Handforth, both fluent Spanish speakers, teach an after school Spanish club and say ‘It is important for the children to know about other cultures and how other countries live. They learn to appreciate our quality of life’. Our Year 4 pupils say ‘It benefits you because if you can speak another language fluently you’ve got better chances of getting a good education.’ and ‘It makes you show compassion because if you know about different cultures you respect them’.
Shannon West, Head of UK Schools for the British Council, said: ‘St Anne’s Primary School’s’ international work has earned the school well-deserved recognition with the British Council International School Award - Intermediate Certificate.
We are proud and delighted to work with this great school. Many thanks to everyone for all their commitment to developing international work and sharing excellent classroom practice and resources. This is enriching education for its pupils, and their excellent collaborative projects with partner schools overseas are bringing the world into their classrooms.International work is key support for developing skills young people need to be globally aware citizens of the future.'
The International School Award encourages and supports schools to develop:
- An international ethos embedded throughout the school
- A whole school approach to international work•
- Collaborative curriculum-based work with international partner schools
- Year-round international activity• Involvement of the wider community
