International Dimensions
What is it all about?
Connecting Classrooms
Le Fèvre Grant
Erasmus+
International Schools Award
What is it all about?
At Consett Academy, we aim to ensure that all our students are, not only aware of the wider world around us, but also have first-hand experience of working alongside people from other countries and cultures.
We do this through:
Assembly programme
“International Dimensions” is now a half-termly theme in our assembly programme. The assemblies are led by different staff across the Academy.
Inspire Days
International Inspire Days are held for all students. Staff across the Academy lead sessions, which look at different countries and cultures, e.g. Samba music. In addition to this, we have visitors leading sessions such as Chinese Kite making, African Gum Boot dancing.
International Dimensions Group
Meetings have been held with interested members of staff to look at ways of supporting International Dimensions across the curriculum.
Sixth Form trip to European Parliament
For the third year in a row, a group of our Sixth form students won on a competition to raise awareness on a key issue relevant to the European Union. As their prize, they won a trip to Strasbourg for three days to visit the European Parliament accompanied by Miss Jackson.
We welcome visitors from across the globe:
Chile
India
Russia
France
Australia
We take part in projects with other countries:
Connecting Classrooms
India
In 2014 a link was made with RVS Academy in India since then we have received funding from the British Council through Connecting Classrooms which has enabled us to send staff to India 3 times and receive colleagues from our partner school. Through these projects, we have been able to share work from our students and experience the education system in India as well as share the teaching and learning ideas that happen at Consett Academy.
Brazil
We successfully applied for and received a Connecting Classrooms grant for work with a school Brazil. The Humanities Directorate were able to use the link to access case studies to support the curriculum and give further dimensions to the curriculum. In August 2015, Mrs Yates visited our partner school in Brazil where she was able to see the teaching and learning styles used in Brazil and share the students work with their Brazilian peers. In November 2015, we welcomed our Brazilian colleague to Consett Academy.
Le Fèvre Grant
France – A partnership was established with Jules Ferry School in Conty. Mrs Potter and Mrs Somerville visited the school in January to begin planning work which could link the two schools and a project on the WW1 Centenary was agreed upon. This project enabled us to apply for funding to support student movement between the two countries and we were awarded a Le Fèvre Trust grant for £5000.
In July 2014, we hosted our first exchange visit where students attended Consett Academy and worked with their peers on a range of topics, following a normal timetable as well as taking part in organised visits. Our students returned to France in November where work on the joint history project around WW1 continued. We once again hosted our partner school in April 2015, this time with Y7 students getting involved in activities and visits.
In July 2015, we once again successfully applied for a Le Fèvre Trust grant and are currently planning the next stage of our work with Conty.
Erasmus+
Active Citizenship for Sustainable Living
In September 2015, we were very fortunate to apply successfully for funding through ERASMUS + to be able to work on a project for three years with six other schools from across Europe. Over the course of the project, staff and students at Consett Academy have been able to visit Italy, Spain, Greece, Croatia and Lithuania.
CAFS
In September 2017, we were very fortunate to apply successfully for funding through ERASMUS + to be able to work on another project for three years with seven other schools from across Europe. Over the course of the project, staff and students will be able to visit France, Spain, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.
The project will last for 3 years with the major goals being, first, to enhance our learners’ motivation and investment in their learning, to allow them to develop their skills related to autonomy, learning method, ICT and oral communication in foreign languages, and thereby raise their chances for a better professional inclusion in the future. Second, to offer our learners an opportunity to learn about other European cultures, and thus, broaden their intercultural competences and foster their European citizenship. Finally, to give our learners the opportunity to improve their self-esteem and self-confidence.
November 2017 - Transnational Project Meeting - Spain
January 2018 - ICT Workshop - UK
June 2018 - Transnational Project Meeting - Greece
International Schools Award
In September 2015, we were granted the Full International Schools Award by the British Council and were re-accredited in September 2018.
Page reviewed and updated April 2019
