St Joseph’s College has been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award at Gold level in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.
ISA 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.
Just a few examples of the projects underway at St Joseph’s are its Australian and German exchange programmes, its charity partnership with a school in Kenya (Osiligi Foundation), art and cultural studies across Key Stage 3, links to a kindergarten in Hong Kong, and its celebration of Chinese New Year, with the College’s Chinese students taking the lead.
Principal of St Joseph’s College, Mrs Danielle Clarke, said, ‘In many senses the world is shrinking but the ethnic diversity, cultural richness and different ways of looking at things remain. Our students will be joining a globalised workplace. As citizens of the world it is right they have an appreciation of the multiplicity of points of view out there, together with the cultural influences giving rise to them.
‘Our girls and boys value the internationalism built into the school – whether it be the celebration of other cuisines in our dining rooms, our Aboriginal art workshops, our spectacular visits by our Maasai warrior friends, or introducing their Australian exchange buddies to the delights of the English seaside.’
Sir Ciarán Devane, CEO of the British Council, said: ‘The school’s fantastic international work has rightfully earned it this prestigious award. The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into their classrooms. Embedding an international dimension in children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful lives and careers in an increasingly global economy.’
The award is now available worldwide. Around 5,500 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.
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 a number of partner schools
- Year-round international activity
- Involvement of the wider community
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