It’s not often that I get to visit a school, so I was really pleased when Alan Sinclair, Teacher of Music and Emma Drennan, Principal Teacher of Modern Languages at Carluke High School, invited me along to a special day of sharing and celebration with not one but two of their international partners, writes our Communications Manager, Jordan Ogg.
Last week, pupils and staff from Institut Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia in Barcelona, Spain, and Mercy College Coolock in Dublin, Ireland, were welcomed as part of their Erasmus+ funded 'What’s Ours is Yours' project. A busy schedule saw the pupils collaborating through a variety of activities, taking in Spanish language tasks, multimedia production, a Ceilidh in the PE department and Scottish cookery classes in the afternoon.
It was an insightful opportunity to see first-hand how the schools have embraced international and inter-cultural learning and, in particular from a Scottish perspective, how Carluke High School's approach has complimented the wider curriculum. For example, I was impressed to see film and home economic students engaging with classes on music technology and modern languages – and all through this one partnership.
Mr Sinclair explained how the project was aiming to change attitudes and promote responsible local, national, European and global citizenship. Learners had come from a variety of backgrounds and they had been able to develop their skills in forward planning, collaboration, skills of persuasion and leadership. And as if all that wasn't enough, there was a group dinner with Scottish fish suppers (which, alas I could not attend due to another engagement) followed by a high school jam concert which the wider Carluke community was welcome to attend.
I had a great time visiting the school and wish to thank everyone for making me feel so welcome. It was an inspiring example of international partnership at work in Scotland, and I hope their connections will continue to grow in the future.
Scotland has done very well with Erasmus + funding for schools in recent years, and in the coming months there will be new deadlines announced for the next round of applications. So watch this space and make sure to get involved if you want to achieve some of the great things that Carluke High School and it’s international partners have been able to make happen.