British Council International School Award success for Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane
Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane in Pontefract has been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom. Last year, the school was awarded the intermediate level of the British Council International School Award. Now, due to the consistent delivery of international education and offering international experiences above and beyond the curriculum, the school is fully accredited.
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 and work in today’s world.
Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane is the designated Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Centre of Excellence for the Outwood family of schools, meaning the school undertakes international activities above the normal curriculum and also supports other schools within the Trust with their MFL teaching and curriculum offer.
The school also has three international partner schools, based in France, Germany and Norway, which allows students to engage via letters, videos and video calls. More locally, a Pen Friend programme set up with children at Outwood Primary Academy Green Hill in Eastmoor means children can exchange letters in a variety of community languages, including Arabic, Mandarin and Yoruba.
In December, students participated in an international bookmark exchange, a programme where schools from across the globe send bookmarks and information about themselves to partner schools. The children received post from a number of countries, including Lithuania, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia and Portugal.
Other international activities on offer for the children at Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane include German week, International Week of Languages celebrations, and Spanish taster sessions in collaboration with Outwood Academy Hemsworth.
On hearing the news of the award, Rebecca Pattison, principal at Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane, said:
“We are incredibly proud and honoured to have been awarded the prestigious International Schools Award. This recognition is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and students. It shows that modern foreign languages are truly at the heart of our school, with both children and staff sharing a deep passion for exploring different languages and cultures, and for building meaningful connections with schools around the 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
