Pioneering Exeter primary goes global
An Exeter primary school is fostering pioneering international links with schools across Europe. Redhills primary school already has established links with Tanzania. Now it is fostering new links with Spain and Latvia.
Redhills has been linked with the Andres Garcia Soler School in Andalucía in Spain and Rigas Klasiska gimnazija in Latvia’s largest city, Riga.
The two-year project between the schools was set up through the European Commission’s Erasmus Plus programme, which aims to improve schools, training and youth work in Europe.
Each school has been awarded a grant from the British Council for £20,000.
The allows teachers to set up lesson plans and projects together online and allows pupils from each of the three schools to work together on joint projects.
Teachers from Latvia and Spain visited Exeter last week to pass on information about their own schools and communities.
They also led Skype sessions for Redhills’ pupils to meet their new friends and to practice their Spanish and Latvian.
Olga Caplina, who coordinates the project for Rigas Klasiska gimnazija, said: “I was overjoyed by the friendly welcome I received from staff and children at Redhills who showed a great interest in and a great respect for my culture.”
The initial focus of the project is to learn more about the heritage of Exeter, Andalucía and Riga.
In June Redhills will be hosting children from Latvia and Spain who will work with pupils to explore the heritage of Exeter and create an art exhibition.
In November Redhills pupils will be travelling to Latvia to explore the heritage of Riga and in 2016 a visit will take place to Andalucía, where pupils will learn to make food from each other’s countries.
Paul Garvey, an Ofsted inspector who has been keen to learn more about the project said: “What Redhills is doing is really innovative work.
“This project, combined with the school’s well established links with Tanzania, has firmly established Redhills as a centre of international excellence.”
