INTERNATIONAL THINKING in association with
A festival of cultures
Alison
Thomas visits
Hillside High,
which has
among its honours the
titles of Spanish School of
the Year and International
School of the Year
ROM SAMBA to salsa, from Chinese
F
dragon dancing to African drumming,
the annual Festival of Cultures at
Hillside High School in Sefton is a
joyful celebration of music, drama and
dance.
Around 200 children take to the
stage and many more pupils and staff contribute in other
ways. ICT creates the programmes and tickets, design
technology makes table ornaments, food technology
prepares exotic dishes from around the globe. The
art department decorates the hall and the modern
languages team provides multi-lingual introductions for
each act and an international quiz.
Last year, one group of students designed a series of
aprons to symbolise different countries, while another
put together an international cookery book. Both were Hillside calling: The Hillside High link with Malaga in Spain sees students in year 7 writing penpal letters and emails and hosting online
sold on the night in aid of charity. “It takes all year video-conferences. Meanwhile, scenes from past Hillside High Festival of Cultures are shown (below)
to prepare and the whole school is involved. It’s the
biggest event on our calendar and it’s international,” work with a tangible outcome, it really comes into its the way but their inhibitions are swept away by their science collaborates on a regular basis with schools in
said Lindsey Collins, international and cultural diversity own. enthusiasm and the need to collaborate in the interests India and Dubai and geography takes field trips to Italy
co-ordinator. Last year, 32 pupils from Sefton and Slovakia spent of the broadcast. She continued: “Our students learn and France.
For associate headteacher John Phillips this spirit a day working together to create a large wall banner French and Spanish, and those from our partner schools Sometimes a cross-curricular project takes root when
of co-operation and inclusion in the name of global for display in each school. In preparation, both groups speak some English. Everybody is prepared to have a colleagues from different departments notice areas of
learning is part of a supportive school ethos, which had produced images reflecting their lifestyles and go and they get around it somehow. Communication is shared interest and want to pull the threads together
raises aspirations and produces outstanding examination environments. one of the goals of the project.” so that children can see the connections. Geography,
results. On the day itself they selected their favourites and The school’s abundant international links have been music, art and science are currently collaborating on a
“We are in a disadvantaged area on the border of manipulated them with Photoshop, using Skype to garnered over the years. Some are Comenius partners, Brazilian theme with support from modern languages
Liverpool, but you would never know it if you visit communicate verbally and a piece of software that past and present, others are relationships that have come staff, who are teaching a little Brazilian Portuguese to
the school. It is bright, lively and rich in stimulus. The allowed them to share and edit the same screen. When a about in a variety of ways. In recent years eTwinning complete the picture.
international dimension is at the heart of it. We care group of Hillside High teachers later visited the partner has proved a rich source of contacts, so rich, in fact, that Another project that combines several disciplines
about other people,” he said. school, the striking end product was the first thing they the school has had to turn down some of the invitations is Asian Dialogues, which has introduced the school
Now a science and language college, Hillside High saw as they walked through the door. that have come its way. to new friends in South Korea and Taiwan through the
has engaged in international activities for a very long Compiling an online newspaper with schools abroad It is currently engaged on two Comenius projects, British Council’s Connecting Classrooms scheme.
time. As early as the mid-1980s it took part in a is another engaging way of bringing people together one with an environmental theme and the other focusing Second in English and part-time PE teacher, Sheryl
European Studies project with partners at home and to share ideas. This is relatively easy to organise and on technology and languages – eLanguages provides Friar, trialled it last year with one class, who researched
abroad and when the internet was still in its infancy its lends itself to any subject and age group. International further opportunities for cross-border collaboration. A Asian sport and diet before collating information on
pupils were using email to reach out beyond the school radio days also add an extra touch of immediacy, as Ms recent example was a comparative study of Liverpool their own lifestyles, which they posted on the Asian
walls. Collins explained. Capital of Culture 2008 and Malaga Capital of Culture Dialogues website for their partners to share.
Today, information technology plays an increasingly “We take a group to the City Learning Centre. If 2016 undertaken by a year 10 group from Sefton and This has now been rolled out across year 8. In
important role in a multitude of curricular and extra- children from other countries are available, they join us students from Colegio La Reina in Malaga. English they have composed letters about healthy
curricular initiatives that have earned the school no in person, others participate online or send in recordings The Andalusian connection is a link that Ms Collins eating, made a PowerPoint on typical British food
fewer than four International School Awards (ISAs). and stories they have prepared in advance. We spend brought with her when she came to Hillside High six and written a description of a game they enjoy that
In 2008 it gained two further accolades when it the day putting it all together and children from years ago. For pupils it starts in year 7 when they are would be understood by someone who has never
was named Spanish School of the Year by the Spanish around Europe and further afield email in with jokes paired with a penpal of similar ability and interests and played it. In maths they have produced bar charts
Embassy and International Secondary School of the or requests for songs. We go live on the internet from begin to cement relationships through letters, emails, from data they collected through a survey on food and
Year in the British Council/HSBC Link2Learn awards. 4pm until 7pm when our European friends are at home online chats and video-conferences. sport. In PE they have spent a day sampling various
At its simplest, modern technology allows students and able to listen. The interactive element makes it very In years 9 and 10 they have the opportunity to visit activities associated with the East including tae kwon
to exchange information and get to know each other. But exciting. The pupils absolutely love it,” she said. in person and every year in May around 36 linguists do, the ancient Chinese art of diabolo, and Chinese lion
when its power is harnessed to facilitate collaborative You might think that language barriers would get in travel to Spain. Many more pupils from all year groups dancing complete with music and costumes.
become involved when the exchange partners return Taken in isolation, each of these initiatives would
in July. be worthwhile and enriching. When they join together
“As time goes by they get to know each other really to create a cohesive whole, they embody the spirit of
well. We have some particularly keen students in year the ISA.
11 who communicate online with their friends in Spain Mr Phillips is a fervent supporter of the British
every week. More often than not, they know what’s Council scheme. “Ten years ago people had no point
going on before I do,” observed Ms Collins. of reference, nowhere they could go to see case studies
If international linking brings modern foreign or get ideas.
languages alive, the international dimension plays an Today, schools up and down the country are
equally important role right across the curriculum. producing vast amounts of high quality work, which is
Religious education organises a Holocaust Memorial available for others to see. You can do different things
Week, which extends beyond the department into other and go in different directions. The ISA encourages us
aspects of school life. all to be aware of that,” he said.
The maths department hosts international seminars, “Because it’s an award it sounds as if it’s the end of
where year 11 students and visitors from several other the road. In fact, it’s only the beginning. If you’re just
countries work in mixed-nationality teams. Design starting out, it gives you a target to aim for, with lots of
technology runs a similar event for year 9, while help and support to set you on your way. If you’ve got
it already, you want to do it again, involve more people
and explore new avenues. It has been a tremendous
focus for developing international work. I can’t praise
it highly enough,” he concluded. SecEd
• Alison Thomas is a freelance education journalist.
Further information
• Hillside High School: www.hillsidehigh.co.uk
• Connecting Classrooms: http://cc.britishcouncil.org
• Comenius: www.britishcouncil.org/comenius
• eTwinning: www.etwinning.net
• eLanguages: www.elanguages.org
• ISA: www.globalgateway.org/isa
SecEd • February 25 2010 19
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