Developing the link

Hampton Hill applied for funding for a Joint Curriculum Project following a visit from a group of pupils and staff from Johyama Elementary School in June 2006. The focus of the project and of the trip was to look at school lunch provision, and attitudes to healthy eating in general.

Preparation

Preparations were mostly conducted by email between teachers at the two schools, using the translation service provided by Japan 21.

A series of meetings were held with parents and children prior to the trip, including a two hour language and culture taster session. In preparation for the project a two week survey of school lunches was compiled, along with data on content and nutritional value of various English foods.

Homestays

All members of the group stayed with Japanese families. The children were placed with families of children who had visited Hampton Hill the previous summer, meaning that in many cases a relationship between the English and Japanese families had already been established.  

The children settled in quickly – many of them with the help of a poster used during the 1998 Olympics which detailed how to use the ‘genkan’ (the Japanese-style bath) and chopsticks!  They integrated well into Japanese family life and enjoyed a varied range of activities, such as swimming, dodge ball, shopping and cooking.

School activities

The English pupils participated in a range of regular school activities and classes, including Japanese, art, maths, English, calligraphy and PE. Extra cultural activities organised by the school included the chance to try ikebana (flower arranging) and origami, and the chance to take part in a tea ceremony.

The English teachers were also given the opportunity to visit and observe an English lesson at a nearby high school, providing them a valuable insight into the differences between the two stages of the Japanese education system.

The project: school lunch provision

Johyama took great care to ensure that the focus of the trip was catered for. The English pupils ate with different classes each day and were able to try out a range of nutritious meals.  After eating, the Hampton Hill children then also had the chance to don their headscarves and join their Japanese counterparts in the daily task of cleaning the classroom and school.

A visit was also organised to a local lunch centre which produces hot lunches for 21 schools.  During the visit the pupils discovered how ingredients were sourced locally and found out how the menu was balanced in terms of nutrition.

Where next?

Hampton Hill has plans to further develop the project in a variety of ways.  These include:

•producing a series of films focusing on various aspects of the trip

•organising a ‘Japanese/International Week’ to enable all pupils to experience the Japanese-style school lunch – including the cleaning!

•using video conferencing and the internet to enhance the existing educational links between the schools

Pupil’s impressions and experiences

“Japan was a beautiful place and really changed my thinking about healthy eating.”

“I really enjoyed visiting Japan because I made loads of new friends.  It has also made me a lot more confident.”

“My home stay family were lovely and very warm-hearted.”

“The trip made me feel much closer to the pupils at Johyama Elementary. They made me feel welcome and I made lots of friends who I now keep in touch with. I will never forget my trip to Japan!”

Click below to read excerpts from one pupil’s journal of the visit:

Journal page 1 (PDF 500KB)

Journal page 2 (PDF 500KB)

Journal page 3 (PDF 500KB)

Journal page 4 (PDF 500KB)

Journal page 5 (PDF 500KB)