Limavady Grammar School receives International Schools Award
Thursday, 16 October 2008
LIMAVADY Grammar School was one of six schools from Northern Ireland to receive the International Schools Award at a ceremony in London on Wednesday, October 8 2008.
This celebration of the best in international activity was attended by representatives from schools across the UK, and the successful winners were presented their awards by broadcaster and journalist George Alagiah.
The International Schools Award is a prestigious accreditation that supports the delivery of a global dimension to the school's curriculum. To qualify for the ISA, a majority of students must be involved in international work and be actively engaged in curriculum based work with a number of partner schools throughout the year. Limavady Grammar School curriculum includes three annual language exchanges and two bi-annual exchange to France and Spain.
The Comenius Scheme sees a new joint project with schools in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands studying renewable energy and sustainable development. The well established global link with Bishop's College in Colombo, Sri Lanka involves joint project work in Citizenship, Geography and Home Economics. Two colleagues from Sri Lanka will teach in the school in November for a week whilst two teachers from the Grammar school will visit Bishop's early in the new year.
The international project that has received most pubic acclaim is the long standing link with diocese of Kaijedo in Kenya. This year, 30 students, staff and parents spent a month building a school for Masaai girls. Over £30000 had been raised in the community for this venture which followed the successful building of two water towers in 2004.
Staff and students at Limavady Grammar School were delighted with the news that the school has gained the International Schools Award. Dr S J McGuinness, Headmaster, congratulated the school community, noting that the three year accreditation reflected the width of international issues that are embedded in the school's curriculum.
The International School Award (www.globalgateway.org) was started in 1999 to recognise the schools leading the way in installing a global dimension into the learning experience of all children and young people. It is funded by the DCSF and managed by the British Council. The scheme is highlighted in the DCSF international strategy as 'a major prize for excellence in this field' and is open to all schools in the UK. Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council, said: "We congratulate and thank all the schools for their commitment to the International School Award. We believe that international links bring a vitally important dimension to the education of our young people ensuring that they build the skills and understanding to become global citizens ready and able to take their place in the world. I am delighted that so many schools, local authorities and individual teachers agree with us."
A record 585 schools, a rise of a third from the previous year, were accredited in 2008, and the Award is also operating in India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus and Pakistan. Around 1200 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.
The ISA encourages and supports schools to develop the following:
· 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
· Provides ideas for developing collaborative curriculum-based international work with partner schools.
