Our school links are ever expanding, providing more opportunities for pupils, their teachers and parents in both countries to learn about each others’ cultures and build lasting friendships. We now have over 50 links, covering all ages from nursery to sixth form.
There is a large amount of activity taking place across the links, including letter and picture exchange between students, lessons and assemblies focussed on Ethiopia, non-uniform days to raise money for particular school projects such as buying library books and building new classrooms, and much, much more.
In October a group of 20 students from The Misbourne School in Buckinghamshire had a highly successful visit to their link school, during which they participated in lessons, painted a mural within the school and generally absorbed themselves in the local culture. They were warmly welcomed by everyone in Gondar, who hope to see another Misbourne visit in the not too distant future!
2010 looks set to be just as exciting a year for school links. Our team will continue to provide a range of classroom activities, resources and assemblies to help pupils in both countries explore important cross-curricular themes. In particular, the Shared Learning Activities – which have been very well received by schools – will allow both link schools to work together on a particular area of interest, exchange ideas and explore similarities, differences, opinions and attitudes.
A number of our other schools are also making trips to Ethiopia. Students from Great Torrington School in Devon are currently in Ethiopia visiting their partner school, a teacher visit from Gayhurst school in Buckinghamshire is being planned for April, and students from Halliford School in Shepperton will visit their link school in October. We wish them the best of luck in their preparation for these visits, and we hope to feature them in forthcoming News Updates!