MOST of us remember the excitement of scribbling those first few notes to an overseas pen pal, and the anticipation of receiving a letter in return.

Interest often waned within that same year and aside from the occasional exchange trip to Germany or France for language students, that was about the sum total of international influence on school life.
But things have changed dramatically since then.

Where 30 years ago British teenagers excitedly discovered their French cousins drank hot chocolate from a bowl rather than a mug, today's youngsters are learning important social lessons from each other, ranging from the contrast between their carbon footprints, access to education and attitudes towards HIV in their respective countries.

The importance of youngsters understanding their place within a global community is now high on the teaching agenda and the buzz word is "collaboration".

And when it comes to international relations a comprehensive school in Otley is leading the field.

Prince Henry's Grammar School in Otley – which has kept its centuries old name despite becoming a comprehensive – was the first high school in the country to win the Global Schools Award at the highest level, recognising good practice in the delivery of the Global Dimension.

It has also won the International School Award twice and now has 12 partner schools in 12 different countries.

Its links have proved so successful it now plays a vital role in supporting other schools in making overseas connections. And while there are still the traditional exchange trips for language students, who stay with a host family, most of this new generation of partnerships are not about travel but about collaborating on projects in as many subject areas as possible so that pupils can gain greater understanding of the world around them.

Otley students have worked with pupils in the Czech republic and China on a healthy living project looking at issues such as the impact of lifestyle choices in their different countries and the role of food and drink in cultural identity.

Chris Lillington, assistant head teacher at the school, said its most successful partnership was with a high school in Leeds' twin city of Durban, South Africa.

It has been utilised in lessons across the board, from design and technology to geography.

Geography students kept a weather diary and shared the results with the pupils in South Africa, demonstrating the contrasting climate in each country.

And when they compared their carbon footprints, Mr Lillington said: "It showed our kids how much harm we are doing to the world compared to them."

He said speaking to youngsters who were experiencing the issues or climate or conditions they were studying, personalised the topics and made them far more relevant.

Thanks to its partner school in Nicaragua, the West Yorkshire pupils have even heard first-hand about the impact of fair trade on residents in a real community.

Mr Lillington added: "We are trying to get kids not just to learn about other children but to learn from those children.

"It's so much more motivating if you're not just producing work to get a tick on it but you have a real audience in a real school."

He said: "Otley is not the biggest multicultural conurbation.
"We are preparing our kids for life beyond the Chevin.

"There's a big world out there which we want them to discover."
They were asked to take part in huge global BBC project "Obamarama" – gathering the views of young people to Barack Obama's presidency from schools in every part of the world.

And because of their strong international relations they were asked to contact their partners to get them involved.

The school's international links began when it became a specialist language college 10 years ago but those contacts have ballooned over the past five years, as teachers recognised the impact such relationships could have on students.

Mr Lillington said: "It's a whole-school approach, to embed a global ethos in school and really develop students' awareness of themselves as global citizens."


Connected with the world

WE'RE all familiar with teenagers developing a fascination with far-flung places and plotting their travels but younger pupils are now discovering the benefits of international contacts.

Students at Robin Hood Primary School in Rothwell have already met the President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, when he visited their school this year and they are counting down the days to April when they will be welcoming around 120 staff and students from countries such as Poland, France,Turkey and Finland.

Robin Hood has won the full International Schools Award and is involved in two projects funded by the British Council.

Connecting Classrooms links it to schools in Uganda and Senegal and the Comenius project links it to nine European countries.

Plus it is already planning new links with schools in Europe and Latin America.

The school's international co-ordinator Carol Wathen said most primary schools were just starting to forge links overseas but Robin Hood, for three to 11-year-olds, was leading the way.

Pupils there have pen pals in various countries including Iceland, Poland and Spain and have enjoyed fascinating visits from teachers from the two African countries.

They can use their school cyber-cafe to write emails to them and sometimes even get to communicate with partner schools through video conferencing.

But more importantly, they are making use of their contacts in schools hundreds of miles away to shape their view of the world.

Their next collaboration will be on an art and drama project with students in Italy next year – which will also see the teachers share ideas. Mark Wilson, headteacher at Robin Hood, said: "Our aim in developing international links is to help connect our children with their world. We want our children to be informed, understanding and tolerant 21st century world citizens.

"Pupils at Robin Hood are introduced to the Spanish language aged three and continue learning about the language, the country and the culture throughout their primary years.

"The school's international work has created amazing opportunities for staff and children. While staff have learned from colleagues around Europe, our pupils have met the President of Iceland and have forged links with school children all around the world."

How to learn of other cultures

Robin Hood Primary School in Rothwell six student AJ Kelly, 10, said talking direct to children in other countries was a much more interesting way of learning about other cultures than simply reading about them.

"I think it's much better to actually talk to them about it because when you're just reading it from a textbook you might not get as much information – because you get more information from the actual people that live there."

He has already discovered cultural differences that he didn't know existed, through his pen-pal.

"I've got my own pen pal Leo from Iceland and I really enjoy writing to him.

"Sometimes people type letters up on the computer or sometimes we write them in our best handwriting.

"I've learned that there's completely different sports and they play different games to us."

And forging links abroad has already whet his appetite for more international links.

"I would like to find out about China or Japan or something like that because I've heard they've got lots of different cultures and eat different foods."

Friends in 3 different countries...

Cora Smith, 11, of Robin Hood Primary has pen pals in Iceland, Poland and Spain who she writes to regularly, through school.

She said finding out about their lives had not just been interesting, it had also been very informative.

"They told us how their food, clothing, houses and culture and traditions are different to ours.

"You think most things are the same but it wasn't."

She added: "We have actually had the President of Iceland come, that was very interesting."

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