We have been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of our work to bring the world into the classroom.
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 work in today’s world.
Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, said: ‘The school has earned this prestigious award through its inspirational international work and links with schools abroad.
The International School Award is a chance for schools to be recognised for their important work in bringing the world into their classrooms. This is especially commendable when schools have been deeply affected by the global pandemic. The desire to build on their international work shines through and it is with utmost pride that we celebrate their achievements.
By embedding an international dimension in children’s education, these schools are preparing their students for successful lives in the UK or further afield, empowering them to be global citizens, and are creating vital opportunities in an increasingly global economy.’
The Award is now available worldwide in countries such as Greece, India, and Nigeria. Over 6,000 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 international partner schools
- Year-round international activity
- Involvement of the wider community
Reviewer 1 said:
Archibald First School has successfully met the criteria for Reaccreditation for the Full British Council International School Award. This submission was a pleasure to assess. You provide a wealth of opportunities for your pupils to learn and different cultures, as well as to improve their language skills. You have two international partner schools, one in Spain and the other in Ghana. Your pupils predominantly engage with their peers at the Spanish partner school, but your partnership with the Ghanaian school will develop. I often encourage schools to embed an international core into their curriculum by using international and global themes as a context for helping the pupils learn basic skills. Your school is an excellent example of how this can be achieved. You bring external learning facilitators into your school to inspire your pupils and provide opportunities for the children to take action in their local area. You meet both the language requirement and the ambassadorial requirement. Congratulations and good luck with all your future international activities.
