Children taught how to be global citizens through 'partner school' project

A NEWPORT school, which has developed a link with a school in Uganda, is now helping other local schools to do the same, to enrich the lives of their pupils and help them get a deeper understanding of global citizenship and sustainability.

St Julian’s Primary School first developed a link with Busiu Primary School in Mbale, Uganda, in 2015. Staff at the Newport school have since supported five other schools in the city to establish their own links, leading to staff from all six Newport schools visiting their partner schools in Uganda in June 2024.

Luke Mansfield, headteacher of St Julian’s, said: “The new Curriculum for Wales has four purposes, one of which is to develop our children as ‘ethical informed citizens ready to be citizens of Wales and the world’.

Mr Mansfield teaching in Uganda (Image: Luke Mansfield)

“We have found that so much of the work we had been doing with our Ugandan partner school really helped our children to understand some of the characteristics within that purpose - for example, having an understanding of and celebrating other cultures, understanding the global goals and human rights and also developing children’s understanding of sustainability.”

Mr Mansfield said the children were eager to learn about Uganda from their link school, and about the lives of the pupils in the African country.

Child in Uganda receiving letter from child in Newport (Image: Luke Mansfield)

He added that pupils have picked up many skills through the partner school link including writing, as they have sent letters to the children in Uganda.

Visit to Ugandan schools

In June 2024, 15 teachers from St Julian’s, Ringland, Pentrepoeth, Maindee, Tredegar Park and St. Andrews primary schools, visited their partner schools in Uganda.

Before the visit, many families got involved by raising money and donating items to be taken to the Ugandan schools. As well as pencil cases, pencils and paper, the children also gave Newport County football shirts.

Child wearing Newport County shirt (Image: Luke Mansfield)

One school purchased netball posts, footballs and sports kits for their link school. Two schools purchased sewing machines to help their link schools teach textiles skills, and how to make or mend clothes.

The trip was fully funded by a grant from Cardiff University’s international learning exchange programme, as part of a project on global citizenship and sustainability.

Children in raised money for goal posts (pictured) for Busiu Primary School (Image: Luke Mansfield)

When the staff were in Uganda. video calls were made to Newport which meant the pupils could 'meet' from across the world. Children and teachers from both countries were able to share best practice and learn from each other.

“It was lovely to see the power of technology connecting children who were 6,000 miles apart.

One teacher, Mr Martin, video-called his school from Uganda (Image: Luke Mansfield)
"There was a real highlight when one child from a Newport school asked which football team the Ugandan children supported, to which they replied, ‘Manchester United’, and immediately everyone in both schools erupted with laughter and cheering,” said Mr Mansfield.

He added: "The teachers spent time understanding how the Ugandan teachers teach and what their curriculum includes, as well as sharing with them their own teaching and curriculum developments in Wales.”

Newport schools staff meeting the district education officer (Image: Luke Mansfield)

Teacher, Mr Prewett, planting a tree (Image: Luke Mansfield)

The team that visited from Newport was particularly interested in sustainable living and found nearly every school in Mbale grows their own food and crops for the children to eat, which gave them valuable insights that the teachers plan to use in lessons.

In September 2024, some of the Ugandan headteachers will visit the Newport schools, providing another opportunity to learn from each other.

Traditional dance (Image: Luke Mansfield)

Pupils in Uganda (Image: Luke Mansfield)

Mr Mansfield said this visit "will also allow the children of the schools taking part in the project, as well as schools more widely in Newport, to hear more about the Ugandan people they have become familiar with through the video calls, blog posts and vlogs which staff have created to engage the children in the project."