Outstanding school winners celebrate international link awards

A North Lincolnshire school which was featured on BBC Breakfast News this summer has won the outstanding Primary school title in the Link2Learn Awards.

Broughton Junior School pupils were filmed by a BBC crew as they performed their daily Chinese morning exercises which they have learnt from their partner school in China.

It was their creative projects with Ying Chun school in Dalian as well as their whole school approach to  international partnerships which earned them the Link2Learn Award which celebrates excellence and innovation in international school links.

Get fit the Chinese way

"We went on a visit to China in 2003 and we were welcomed by a fantastic demonstration of morning exercises by their pupils - we were in awe!" says Peter Hargrave, Headteacher of Broughton Junior.

So they asked their sister school to teach them the exercises which Broughton then introduced to a group of their own dance students.

"They were enthralled," says Peter. "They really enjoyed the morning exercises and it improved their fitness too. We also noticed that the exercises seemed to calm them down and clear their heads so they were better prepared for learning. So in September 2008 we decided to introduce it to the whole school."

The special exercise sequences which take about four minutes, are now part of the daily routine for the Broughton students, just as it is in China.

It really wakes you up!

As well as the Link2Learn awards, Broughton Junior will be receiving an International School Award (ISA) for the second time at a special ceremony in London on 8th October.

They will be joined by 584 other primary and secondary schools from across the UK who are also ISA winners this year.

The ISA Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in the international dimension by UK schools and their partners.

Changing attitudes and aspirations

Broughton Junior School also study the cultures and history of other countries in the Commonwealth and Europe such as India, Jamaica, Australia and Spain. Their modern foreign languages include Mandarin and Spanish.

Peter Hargrave says the global dimension in their curriculum and school ethos has inspired the pupils to develop an interest in the world beyond their own towns.

"They have a real desire to interact and engage with the world now and the ISA awards have helped to raise their aspirations," says Peter. 

"Our Chinese link has changed our attitudes to China and maybe through our work with the teachers and students there, we can also help China to change in some ways."

How did they do that?

The link between Broughton Junior School and Ying Chun Primary in Lushun, China, is facilitated by the British Council.  

They are also supported in their linking activities by the North Lincolnshire council and Melior College in Scunthorpe.
 
Read more about Broughton's China links on their school website.

Watch the training video for the Chinese primary school morning exercises which is practiced by children all across China.

Watch Broughton School on BBC Breakfast.

The International School Award is run by the British Council and is funded by the DCSF (Department for Children, Schools and Families).

See the full list of Link2Learn Award winners and the ISA winners and find out how you can register for next year's awards.

If you are interested in twinning your school with China or any other country, World Class will put you in touch with organisations which facilitate school twinning.

Find out more about World Class China and download the schools pack. 

Join World Class in our Find A Twin section.

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