Internationalism at Heartlands Academy
Heartlands Academy has been awarded the prestigious "International School Award: Introducing and Developing Internationalism", by The British Council working in association with the Department for Education.
The award was given in recognition of their inclusion of internationalism in the curriculum. They have demonstrated an excellent approach in promoting an international dimension across the Academy, and highlighting the benefits of learning in a global context.
Links with over twenty schools in ten countries worldwide have been established, and many international projects have been taking place throughout the last three years. One example is the INDIE project which addressed diversity, inclusion and student voice. Pupils who led the project were able to organise many events in collaboration with Italian schools. In addition, they organised an INDIE concert which celebrated the international dimension and the different cultures represented at the Academy. These pupils gained the opportunity to be trained as Young Leaders and eventually they had the chance to take part in the European Young Parliament event in 2010 which took part in Brusselles. At this event, they had the chance to share their ideas and experiences and explain how they were able to lead and be included in the project.
In 2010 Heartlands Academy’s International School Council Committee launched the Connecting Classrooms European project, which is organised by the British Council. Heartlands Academy is the leader of a Birmingham schools cluster in this project, which works with schools from different countries, including Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, and Israel. Once again the action plan of this project emphasises diversity and inclusion in schools and at looking how our youngsters are included in national and international projects regardless of their race, language, religion or culture. Pupils from the five countries started to work on projects such as exchanging letters, skipping, making videos about their school and country and exchanging them; raising student voice and leadership through the young leaders programme, school exchanges, events and curriculum activities organised and led by students. The project will last for two years.
Over the last three years there has also been a Pakistani Schools Project,involving many events and activities organised by students at the Academy and the Pakistani cluster of schools, for example International Paperless day and the International Assembly. In December 2010, twelve students and staff from five schools in Pakistan came to share good practice and look at the different styles of learning and teaching. In March 2011, teachers from Birmingham, including Heartlands Academy, went to schools in Pakistan.
Heartlands Academy is also playing a role in the EACT International Academies Champions, which focuses on the importance of diversity and inclusion. Students have started working on a project with schools in Sierra Leone. A West African day which will involve all the curriculum areas will be taking place in March 2011.
Moreover, many international days have been taking place, in order to give our youngsters the opportunity to explore and have an insight into other cultures. Again, different curriculum areas, professionals and workshops work together to implement an international ethos at the Academy.
Finally, for the last two years, pupils had the opportunity to visit different countries such France, Spain and Italy, in order to give their curriculum learning an international context and bring the global dimension alive to them.
Khadija Smith, Head of MFL, said: "Many projects, links, visits abroad and international activities have been taking place, and the Academy’s commitment to extending and embedding internationalism in the curriculum is a valuable aspect of its ethos."
