Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane in Ackworth has been awarded the Intermediate level of the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.

The International School Award celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life and work in today’s world.

As well as weekly Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) lessons, pupils also participate in activities that celebrate different cultures and the community languages which are spoken by children and families in the academy. Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane is an MFL Centre of Excellence, leading MFL across Outwood primary academies.

The academy has also forged a partnership with a school in France, allowing pupils to take part in letter exchanges and video calls to share similarities and differences.

On hearing the news of the achievement, Rebecca Pattison, Principal at Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane, said:

“Receiving this reward is a true reflection of the passionate commitment that our children and staff show to internationalism at the academy.

“We believe in the value of every student, and this is reflected in how we've built our school communities. By naturally connecting students who share a community language with others across the trust, we've fostered friendships and a strong sense of belonging.” 

Shannon West, Head of UK Schools for the British Council, added:

“Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane’s international work has earned the school well-deserved recognition with the British Council International School Award - Intermediate Certificate.

“We are proud and delighted to work with this great school. Many thanks to everyone for all their commitment to developing international work and sharing excellent classroom practice and resources. This is enriching education for its pupils, and their excellent collaborative projects with partner schools overseas are bringing the world into their classrooms. International work is key support for developing skills young people need to be globally aware citizens of the future.

“Embedding an international ethos across a school can lead to International School Award Accreditation, the highest award level. Schools looking to join this supportive and engaging global network should contact us at the British Council.”

The Award is now available worldwide in countries such as Greece, India, and Nigeria. Over 6,000 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.

The International School Award encourages and supports schools to develop:

●        An international ethos embedded throughout the school

●        A whole school approach to international work

●        Collaborative curriculum-based work with international partner schools

●        Year-round international activity

●        Involvement of the wider community