Pupils connect with schools in Pakistan

SCHOOLS in Oldham have forged new links with schools in Pakistan in a bid to break down barriers and build greater cultural understanding.

Six teachers from the Murree and Bharakau area of Pakistan came to Oldham for a week last month and met staff and pupils at six schools taking part in the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms project.

The scheme promotes greater understanding between different cultures and sees pupils in different continents sharing learning on topics such as climate change and global citizenship.

There are two clusters of schools taking part in the three-year project who have been linked with 10 schools in two districts of the Pakistan capital, Islamabad.

St Aidan’s and Oswald’s RC Primary School, St Anne’s RC Primary, and Our Lady’s RC Secondary, all Royton, make up one group, while Royton and Crompton School, Crompton Primary and Mayfield School, Derker, are in the second.

Each cluster receives £12,000 over three years to develop activities to broaden international horizons.

Connecting Classrooms aims to connect 30,000 schools and two million young people worldwide by 2013.

Gail Webb, head of Oldham Council’s School Improvement Service, said: “This is a fantastic project which will open the eyes of both sets of young people to the wider world, help them to learn about each other and promote community cohesion.”

Christine Taylor, head teacher at Mayfield School, said: “The children at Mayfield have always had a strong interest in finding out how young people both within our community and beyond experience learning and family life.

“This project gives them a chance to talk directly across the world and bring an international aspect to their work.”