This project aims to keep a long running partnership going, that has benefited 100s of children across many different nations over 20 years. We also want to give it new life, include new experiences but at the same time keeping the ethos the same. This project has always been a citizenship project working on the ideals of friendship and to help sustain long term peace. We now want to further promote a greater sense of European responsibility along with a shared sense of global citizenship. The principal aim of our project is to reinforce to students of history that a study of history can help understanding of the present. We hope to help our young people become effective global citizens. We want this project to help them gain a much fuller knowledge of the economic and political circumstances that help shape our lives in the 21st Century and how the world, especially the EU is changing. Through this we also want to further consolidate a professional and personal rapport between the schools so that the project can be sustained after the conclusion of the initial two-year Erasmus + partner. We want to see not just great working practice but also friendships being built between staff and students, which will be an indicator for sustainability. For staff, this project is great professional development, as it will open up new ways of thinking and teaching. In this respect, it will raise the standard of teaching and learning in each school. The resources will show the importance of learning from history, learn that there is no glory in war and that it is the responsibility of the future generations, as global citizens to work together for peace. Lessons and resources will especially focus on the overcoming historically based prejudices and will promote tolerance and celebration of all cultures. A keen focus will be the issue of refugees, immigration and EU politics, much of which comes with many prejudices which need to be combated early on and making our pupils and staff better global citizens and even global ambassadors for the future of Europe. The staff involved will all be role models to this aim and enthuse and empathise with many pupils about it. With these excellent teaching resources and experiences under their belt they will be able to enhance the curriculum of different departments and have a wider effect on more pupils across all age groups. For students in both schools this project aims to give them new experiences and strengthen relationships and create friendships across Europe. Both schools have twentieth century history in their curriculum, and we want to continue to collaborate ideas and teaching and learning strategies to engender an appreciation of twentieth century history, economics and politics with a recognition that present day situations throughout the world have parallels in past occurrences. Very importantly we want students to be able to empathise with past events and, through their work with fellow students in the partner countries, see that without an understanding of history we are more likely to repeat the mistakes of the past. Students from both countries will work with the community and Veterans attempting to bridge the gap with the older generation, thus combating further prejudices and establishing a better sense of community. During the project we will focus on many different skills for the pupils to engage in. Communication plays a huge part. During visits especially there will be an exposure to different languages as well as appreciation of cultural differences and the establishment of friendships to overcome prejudice. We would also want to foster skills and qualities of leadership and give students opportunities to demonstrate this through the international group work to prepare for a Remembrance day service at Reepham. We believe that the twenty-first century is still an almost blank canvass upon which our young people will write. In some small way, we have contributed over the past 20 years with similar collaborations with German and Belgian schools and so want to continue to contribute to the overall aim of young people across the world working together for a time when peace will be more important that conflict and self-interest, when young people in tomorrows Europe are both historically and politically aware.
Our project aims to keep a long running international partnership going, that has benefited 100s of children across many different nations over 20 years. After such a long partnership with Germany we wanted to give the project new life, include a new international dimension with Belgium which will include new experiences but at the same time keeping the ethos the same. The project includes two particularly poignant trips. One to Ypres including Diksmude & one to Reepham for the International Remembrance Day service. Around Ypres we all visit WW1 battlefields, museums & cemeteries. All pupils work together on the tasks. At each place we gather as an international group, read out a speech about our project aims; peace. Pupils also spend free time together on this trip at the youth Hostel playing football, ping pong & eating together. On both trips staff & pupils visit the host school, see how it & lessons work; get a feel for school life. Staff observe teaching in the classroom, on the visits & discuss different teaching techniques. All pupils prepare or are part of presentations at the school either on our chosen theme or the local area. Belgian pupils prepare extra presentations in English for us to listen to a some of the sites we visit e.g Peace tower or Trenches of Death. This project has always been a multi dimensional project including citizenship, history, Friendship & peace. We now want to further promote a greater sense of European responsibility along with a shared sense of global citizenship, becoming more effective global citizens. The principal aim of our project is to reinforce to pupils that a study of history can help their understanding of the present. We want this project to help them gain a much fuller knowledge of the economic & political circumstances that help shape our lives in the 21stC & how the world, especially the EU is changing. Through this we want to further consolidate a professional & personal rapport between the schools so that the project can be sustained after the conclusion of the initial Erasmus+ funding. We want to see not just great working practice but also friendships being built between staff & pupils, which will be an indicator for sustainability. For staff, this project is great professional development, as it will give staff new & different responsibility, leadership & management skills & new ways of thinking & teaching. So it will raise the standard of teaching & learning in each school. The materials exchanged will show the importance of learning from history, learn that there is no glory in war & that it is the responsibility of the future generations, as global citizens to work together for peace. Lessons & resources will especially focus on overcoming historically based prejudices; will promote tolerance & celebration of all cultures. A keen focus will be the issue of refugees, immigration (past & present) & EU politics, much of which comes with many prejudices which need to be combated early on; making our pupils & staff global ambassadors for the future of Europe. The staff involved will all be role models to this aim; enthuse & empathise with many pupils about it. With these excellent teaching resources & experiences under their belt staff will be able to further enhance the curriculum of many departments & have a wider effect on more pupils of all age groups. This project aims to enrich pupils education & life; give them new experiences &create friendships across Europe. Both schools teach 20thC history so we will collaborate on teaching & learning strategies that engender an appreciation of this & economics & politics with a recognition that present day situations throughout the world have parallels in past occurrences. Very importantly we want pupils to be able to empathise with past events & through their work together see that without an understanding of history we are more likely to repeat the mistakes of the past. All pupils will work with the community & Veterans attempting to bridge the gap with the older generation, combating further prejudices & establishing a better sense of community. We will focus on different pupil skills especially; Communication & collaborative working. There will be an exposure to different languages & homes as well as appreciation of cultural differences & the establishment of friendships to overcome prejudice. We want to foster qualities of leadership; give pupils opportunities to demonstrate this through the international group work. We believe that the 21stC is still an almost blank canvas upon which our young people will write. In some small way, we have contributed over the past 20 years with similar collaborations with German & Belgian schools & so want to continue to contribute to the overall aim of young people across the world working together for a time when peace will be more important that conflict & self-interest, when young people in tomorrow’s Europe are both historically & politically more aware.