– Barker’s Lane Community School, Wrexham, Wales
– Shan Stapely
– Fram School, Fram, Slovenia
The project ‘Let's Be Buddies’ was conceived through the cooperation of Simona Napast in Slovenia and Shan Stapley in Wales and ran from January 2008 – December 2008.
Barker’s Lane School had a ‘buddy system’ in place where older pupils spend time with younger pupils at break times playing games with them and acting as an older role-model. This initiative was shared with the Slovenian school and they introduced a similar system at school in Fram. As the project progressed the buddy system crossed national boundaries and older children from Slovenia acted as buddies for younger Welsh children and vice versa. In addition to this children from both schools shared songs, games and stories and learned about each others countries and cultures.
The buddy system is part of the PSHE curriculum but the project also touched on language. The children wrote instructions, part of English language curriculum but with a purpose and an audience. They wrote letters to each other, again writing for a purpose whilst finding out about children in other countries at the same time. The Slovenian children were very good in English so there were little problems communicating.
The younger children made and received gifts, mobiles, teddies, postcards all part of our creative curriculum in the foundation phase. Learning about children in other countries also widened their understanding about Knowledge and Understanding of the World in the foundation phase.
The project won third prize in a UK-Slovenia competition which gave teachers from both schools the opportunity to visit each other during the project. Before the teachers visited Slovenia we had little idea about the country and its education system. On our return the teachers from Wales couldn't stop talking about the excellent quality of English language, specialist teachers from Year 1. The size of the classes about 20 – 24, the older children aged 12 - 14 still in the Primary system but really enjoying working with smaller children didn't seem to have the problems of teenage indifference that sometimes High schools in Wales may have. They are also very proud of their country and we all came back wanting to concentrate on the ‘Curriculum Cymreig’ and inspire our own students with the same passion for Wales”.
The project has given the younger children an increased confidence whilst the older children have been taught about responsibility. The added value of the scheme existing across national boundaries has been hugely beneficial.
Friendships and good working relationships have been formed and there is a desire in all our teachers and students to work on more European projects.
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