Holy Trinity P.S. is partnered with St. Andrew’s Kaggua Ndejj P.S. just outside Kampala, Uganda. The partnership began in May 2009 when Father Aloysius visited Holy Trinity for the first time. Since then, with support from the British Council ‘Connecting Classrooms’ initiative, the partnership has gone from strength to strength. Our learning partnership has enabled our schools to strive towards developing cultural understanding for both teachers and pupils. Five teachers from Holy Trinity P.S. have a travelled to Uganda to spend a week in St. Andrew’s and have had the opportunity to teach in their school. Mrs Fyfe, Miss Murphy, Miss Mc Laughlin, Mrs Devlin and Mrs Mc Kinney have all enjoyed their experience. Likewise Holy Trinity has enjoyed visits from our Ugandan colleagues Milly, Titus, William, Grace and Gretti. Through the visits teachers and pupils have increased their cultural understanding allowing them to break down their prejudices and stereotypes. Our pupils have been involved in various projects and this year P5’s will be engaging in a joint project with their P5 counterparts on ‘Growth and Sustainability.’ Our partnership has equipped pupils and teachers to have a deeper understanding of another culture, to recognise their rights and responsibilities as global citizens and the skills needed to work in a global economy to build a fairer more sustainable world.
British Council International School Award success for Holy Trinity Primary School
Holy Trinity Primary School in Belfast has been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.
The International School Award is a badge of honour for schools that do outstanding work in international education, such as through links with partner schools overseas. 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 to live and work as global citizens.
Holy Trinity Primary School’s international work includes project work in partnership with St. Andrew’s P.S., Uganda, on topics such as ‘Food and Drink’ and ‘Water’. The teachers in Holy Trinity deliver aspects of global learning daily through the many initiatives we are involved in, such Eco-Schools, Rights Respecting Schools, CRED (Community Relations, Equality and Diversity) and Connecting Classrooms.
On hearing the news that Holy Trinity Primary School had received the award, Mrs Paula Fyfe said:
‘We are delighted to receive the International School Award in recognition of the global work we are doing. Holy Trinity is committed to Global Education. It allows our pupils to explore global themes helping them to make links between various topics in the curriculum in their local context and in relation to the wider world.’
British Council Chief Executive, Sir Ciarán Devane, 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. Adding an international dimension to children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful future careers in an increasingly global economy.’
The award is now available worldwide in countries such as India, Egypt, Lebanon and Pakistan as part of the Connecting Classrooms programme, which is delivered by the British Council and supported by the Department for International Development (DFID).
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:
“Young people must be at the heart of our work to create a safer and more prosperous world for everyone and we need to ensure their voices are heard if we are to win the fight against global poverty. That is why I am delighted to celebrate the international work of [name of school here] and the energy and passion of the young people involved.
“The International School Award is a great way of highlighting how young people have the potential to change things for the better. I’m sure that schools getting involved will be broadening the horizons of their students, which will not only help their careers but benefit their wider lives in the future.”
Around 5,000 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 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
To interview the school or for images, please contact info@holytrinity.belfast.ni.sch.uk
For more information about the International School Award, please contact our team at schools@britishcouncil.org
Click here to see Mrs Fyfe’s PowerPoint of her time in Uganda