Alagiah presents awards to schools (From Wiltshire Times)

Alagiah presents awards to schools

4:00pm Monday 13th October 2008 in Search By Victoria Ashford

SCHOOLS in Wiltshire are celebrating after picking up international awards for their commitment to forging links with other cultures.

The Grove Primary School in Hazel Grove, Trowbridge, and Sutton Veny Primary School, near Warminster, were presented with the International School Award by BBC newsreader George Alagiah at the Brewery Conference Centre in London last Wednesday (9th).

Alastair Ponsford, headteacher of the Grove School, said: “The award is a fantastic achievement for the school. There has always been a lot of interest in other cultures from the children and staff and we have just developed that a bit more.

“It is a wonderful achievement and reflects the effort from all the children and staff in the school.”

As part of the celebrations, the school was joined this week by Zuo Jiewen, or Alice as she is known, the headteacher of their partner school in Nanhai in southern China, who will be staying in Wiltshire for three days taking part in literacy and maths lessons, as well as being taken on a tour of Wiltshire and dining at the Red or White restaurant in Castle Street.

Sutton Veny Primary School picked up the award for the second time in recognition of their range of international projects and for ‘bringing the wider world into the classroom’ through its links with the ANZACS and participation in this year’s Junior Language Challenge, among other things.

Headteacher Christine Folker said: “I am delighted that our school has received this award for the second time. It recognises the wealth of international work we are involved in and acknowledges our commitment to celebrating cultural diversity.”

Pupil Noah Southby, nine, said: “It’s important to learn about different countries and cultures to help us understand more about the world we live in. We are a world of snowflakes - you never get two exactly the same.”

The International School Award was launched in 1999 to recognise schools that lead the way when it comes to bringing a global dimension to the classroom.

It is funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and managed by the British Council.

For more details visit www.globalgateway.org