Four Devon schools chosen to boost global links

Four Devon primary schools, including one in Exeter, have been chosen to take part in a national initiative aimed at developing global education.

Redhills primary and pre-school in Exeter, Lady Modiford’s in Walkhampton and Meavy and Offwell schools have been selected to develop international links with Tanzania as part of a major new school twinning project.

Connecting Classrooms is an education initiative backed by the UK government and the British Council.

The Devon schools have been selected in recognition of their commitment to teaching pupils about global issues and awarded £6,000.

They are collectively known as the Rafiki or friendship group.

Stuart Busby, the head of Redhills Primary which leads the Rafiki Group, said teachers and pupils were working with primary schools in Tanga in Tanzania to develop skills to work in a global economy and to learn about becoming responsible global citizens. His school is already twinned with Magaoni Primary.

Mr Busby said: “I am delighted we have all been awarded the funds to continue our exciting international work.

“A key strength of our work is that it is fully embedded into our daily curriculum, which ensures that it is both sustainable and relevant to our communities.

“The work has also allowed schools in Devon to collaborate more closely. For example, this term we will be holding a joint environmental day and in the summer a joint sports day using footballs made of recycled carrier bags, a common sight in Tanzania.”

Devon’s head of education and learning, Sue Clarke, said: “Our children are going to be citizens of a world which is shrinking all the time and competing to make a living in a global economy.

“It is really important for them to understand about life in other countries and this programme is tailored to give practical experience of many of the topics they will cover in a number of subjects in the curriculum.”

Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, said: “I am very pleased that schools in the Rafiki Group are taking on this excellent opportunity to link with schools in other parts of our world.

“Young people and teachers can make a fantastic contribution by sharing the best of Britain with their peers around the world and at the same time, the great thing is that they can get invaluable knowledge of what life is like in other countries.

“Connecting Classrooms will enable pupils to learn about the world around them, about the facts of poverty that face children their own age in developing countries, and how education can help eradicate poverty. It will also benefit teachers by enhancing their professional skills.”

The programme has already funded staff from Devon to take part in an exchange visit in Tanzania during August 2014 where they worked on classroom-based projects together, with the aim of giving young people a unique and hands-on international learning experience.

Tanzanian headteachers visited Devon in November 2014 and joined in environmental work and a variety of craft projects. They also had the opportunity to share their knowledge of the Battle of Tanga in 1914, which enriched Redhills pupils’ knowledge of the wider impact of World War 1.

Staff from the UK will be returning to Tanzania in August 2015. They will be taking funds over with them raised by their schools’ Enterprise groups, pupil-led clubs which have been producing and selling a range of goods, such as loom band bracelets and origami dinosaurs, to raise funds to build new toilet facilities at Tanzanian schools.

Tanzanian staff will return to Devon in October 2015 to join on with Harvest celebrations.

To find out more about this innovative global work visit www.rafikigroup.org  or follow them on twitter @rafikigroup

The website contains details of how individuals or companies can sponsor an orphan at one of the Tanzanian schools for £50 a year (in return receiving photographs and regular updates on their child’s progress) The website also contains a progress report on the Rafiki Group’s project to build a new primary school in a Tanga town.