Olympics lead to huge rise in overseas links for UK schools
01 August 2012
The London 2012 Olympics have inspired a surge in UK schools setting up overseas links. More than 3500 new links between UK and overseas schools have been established through the British Council and BBC’s World Class project, with students using the Games as a way to learn about each other’s countries and cultures.
The British Council worked with BBC World Class to pair schools in the UK which had won the Olympic Dreams School Search competition with schools attended by ‘World Olympic Dreams’ athletes from around the world in celebration of 2012. The BBC’s World Olympic Dreams follows the progress of 26 World Olympic Dreams athletes including Usain Bolt and British basketball superstar Luol Deng, as they prepare to compete at the highest level at the London Olympics this summer. Working with BBC World Class, the British Council supports school partnerships between schools in the UK and those of the athletes.
But it wasn’t just the 46 schools who won the competition that were invited to Twin for 2012. The British Council, the UK’s international cultural relations body, found partners for any school in the UK wishing to link with schools across the world in the run up to the 2012 Olympics, giving UK students the chance to interact with their international peers.
Partner schools are not only encouraged to share their excitement and experiences about the upcoming Games but to also share creative ideas and work together on projects inspired by the Olympics.
British teachers Rekha Slatter from Edlesborough School and Derek Peaple from Park House School are twinned with School number 79 in Ulan Bator Mongolia. They said “Building on our partnership with School number 79, we travelled over the Easter Holiday to Mongolia to meet the pupils and staff of the school; it was the most inspiring experience of our lives. The overwhelming impression that came across from this trip was the pride children had in their school and country. We are hopeful that our partnership will develop as part of a longer term legacy involving teacher and student exchanges alongside continued learning from each other.”
Vicky Gough, Schools Adviser at the British Council, said: “As the Olympic Games approach, young people are more and more curious about other cultures and life in other countries which athletes competing in London this summer represent. By linking and supporting the partnerships UK schools have made with schools elsewhere in the world, we give thousands of young people and teachers the chance to learn first hand what life is like in schools in a country different from their own. The British Council encourages teachers and pupils alike to experience other cultures and supports this through our school linking work.”
Amanda Farnswoth, Project Executive of BBC London 2012 said: “World Class has been one of the most inspiring legacy projects for the BBC in 2012. We are proud to have given so many young people the chance to take part in a truly global conversation.”
Twinning UK schools with schools from different countries gives our young people the opportunity to better understand their place in the world. The British Council has supported these school links, allowing young people to gain the cultural understanding and skills they need to live as global citizens. Supporting and nurturing the development of these skills is essential in preparing young people to work in an increasingly global economy.
For more information, please contact:
Nisha Pawar
Communications Assistant, British Council,
Tel: +44 (0)20 7389 4967
Email: Nisha.Pawar@britishcouncil.org
Notes to editors:
For more information please go to: British Council, World Olympic Dreams or BBC World Class.
About BBC World Class:
BBC World Class is the BBC’s global citizenship project for schools in the UK and around the world in partnership with the British Council. In May 2012, The World’s Biggest School Assembly on the BBC launched our live global conversation strand. Schools everywhere can take part in topical debates, exchanging ideas and experiences. For the latest output see our Olympic and Paralympic Values Debates at BBC World Class. During the London Olympics World Class will be hosting the Olympic Fever Blog for schools around the world to share the excitement. Email worldclass@bbc,co.uk to find out more.
About the British Council:
The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. We are a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.
Our 7000 staff in over 100 countries work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes.
We earn over 75% of our annual turnover of nearly £700 million from services which customers pay for, education and development contracts we bid for and from partnerships. A UK Government grant provides the remaining 25%. We match every £1 of core public funding with over £3 earned in pursuit of our charitable purpose.
For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org or call our Press Office on +44 (0)20 7389 4268. You can also keep in touch with the British Council through http://twitter.com/britishcouncil and http://blog.britishcouncil.org/.
