International Studies

At Cronton CE Primary School our KEYS Curriculum is built around the National Curriculum, enriched to reflect the children and community we teach in. As a church school our Christian ethos and school values are the heart of everything we do.

We believe every child can be their BEST with our Vision statement reflecting this.

“I can do everything through God who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13

International School

Our International work is very important to us. It forms part of our intent to ensure all our children are provided with a bespoke, unique and exciting curriculum that is tailor-made to suit our children, their learning and their futures.

Every child is unique and important. They are at the centre of their learning; starting as part of a class, whole school, the local community and then on to their future role in modern Britain and as a future global citizen.

Purpose of the Award

The International School Award (ISA) acknowledges school collaboration internationally and provides a framework for recognising schools that:

• champion international work and collaboration with partners to build and develop lasting relationships
• benchmark best practice and share professional development in teaching and learning
• engage young people in both the global economy and global citizenship and develop their skills for life and work

• support whole-school projects that contribute towards school improvement
• enrich education through international work.

We have been an accredited International School from 2010. We have continued to form relationships with schools across the globe such as Spain, Australia and Tanzania. We were accredited again in 2019 and John Rolfe, from the British Council, came to our school in order to personally deliver and present the award to us.

We are very proud of our international work and know the children enjoy it and learn a great deal from this aspect of our curriculum.

Cronton C of E Primary School has had a strong link with the ACE charity (http://acecharity.org/) and as a school, we have raised money for ACE with the ongoing support of their Headteacher, staff, families and the local church congregation. In October 2017, Mrs Thomson visited the official opening of Arise Community Primary (https://www.facebook.com/Arisecommunityschool/), a school, which is maintained and developed by ACE. 

We are extremely excited to announce that this longstanding, joint working has now taken a very exciting step further. Recently, we have been successful at applying for an enriching, fantastic programme called 'Connecting Classrooms', which is run by the British Council (https://connecting-classrooms.britishcouncil.org/). This international programme supports teaching and learning about global issues. It enables pupils to learn and work together on the big issues that face the world today.

The two selected global learning themes that the both schools will focus on, are: Zero Hunger and Gender Equality.

Furthermore, “Connecting Classrooms” will also allow for an exchange of teachers between
Cronton and Arise Schools with so many potential benefits for pupil learning, teachers and the schools as a whole. Miss Rogers (Y5) and Mrs Simm (Nursery) will have a chance to go to Tanzania in February and share their knowledge and skills with the teachers there while passing on all the learning that has taken place in Cronton. In the summer term, we should welcome the headteacher and another teacher from Arise to do the same in Cronton. 

What an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the students and staff at both schools! 

Keep checking our Connecting classrooms Blog for updates and the newest learning! 

We had an exciting meeting with our link school in Tanzania to discuss about our lives and compare. We were able to zoom into all the classrooms and share questions and answers about each others life. It was amazing and very emotional when they sang their school song. 

All our children celebrated European Day of Languages. Each class looked at a different country. We want to increase the children’s knowledge and understanding of other countries and their cultures within Europe. All classes will learn parts of the spoken language of their chosen country. This will be known phrases and information. Each class within the school – including Nursery have a country in Europe and according to the age of the children learned about the following aspects: World geographical position, Flag/National Anthem, currency, Traditional costume/traditional food and Important companies – export and import as well as many other aspects.

These are the countries each class looked at. 

Nursery – Spain

Reception – France

Year 1 – Italy

Year 2 - Sweden

Year 3 - Switzerland

Year 4 – Greece

Year 5 – Netherlands

Year 6 – Germany

Harvest

Harvest Festival

For our Harvest this year, we looked at harvest around the world. Each class looked closely at a different country and how they celebrate Harvest. This was then placed into a whole school worship and shared with parents. This took place over two days. First the EYFS and KS1 completed an assembly based on different countries and how they celebrate the harvest for their country.  In KS2 the children researched each country and what their harvest was and when it was produced throughout the year. They created posters, poems and prayers and all children spoke at the Assembly to share the Harvest of each country. 

Diwali 

The children took part in understanding the Hindu festival of Diwali. All children will complete work in their international book. This will be a sequence of learning to develop an understanding of the religion and belief of Hinduism.  The children investigated and designed, Rangoli patterns, made diva lamps, tasted food from countries such as India, dressed in traditional Indian costumes and learned some traditional Indian dances.

This is to support the development of equality and diversity and the British value of respect for other cultures. The children will learn about the festival of lights and understand where and how it is celebrated.

The children learnt about the story of Rama and Sita. They looked at the traditions of the festival. As gardeners, year 5 helped the seedlings create their Rangoli pattern for the deva lamp. 

Happy Diwali!

Reception had a great week learning all about Diwali and how it is celebrated! We made a rangoli pattern, cards, diva lights to welcome Rama and Sita home and to welcome Lakshmi into our classroom and homes to bring luck and good fortune. We had our own Diwali celebration meal as well! 

Chinese New Year 

This week we have celebrated Chinese New Year - the Year of the Snake.

The whole school took part in an assembly to introduce the story behind the names of the Chinese years, led by Mrs S. Jones. The children will learn more about Chinese culture and celebration of the New Year. Planned activities included performing a dragon dance, tasting traditional food, making money envelopes and learning why there is such a big celebration of this event in Manchester and Liverpool. We looked at how the celebrations take place and learnt about the stories behind the traditions. children learned facts about the country of China and then learned about how the new year is celebrated. Lots of different activities were completed our own fact sheets about the festival.

Fair Trade Fortnight

Over the last fortnight our children have been learning about Fairtrade. We feel it is important to raise awareness about the importance of ethical trade and promote fair trade products. The children learn more about the importance of fair trade and the positive impact it can have on the lives of farmers and workers in developing countries.

The children created and developed a market place to support fair trade and thought about the future of our trade networks and how through what we buy we can encourage the development of a kinder fairer world.

We shared the market during our Mother’s Day coffee morning and it was a great success. We sourced, created, calculated and sold products at a fair price. Each class made a profit for all their hard work. This work will support their classroom learning about Fairtrade and the people behind the food and products we buy.

World Book Day 

During this week, each year group from nursery upwards, selected a country of their choice and studied traditional tales or native authors, and compared these to our own, looking for similarities and differences. Reception – English - linked to Arise school to read stories from English authors and vice versa for the children at Arise. The children linked via Teams to tell each others classes a traditional tale from their country. It was amazing and the children loved learning about other countries stories and tales.

Each class looked at a booked based on a different country. 

Nursery – Africa – Handa’s Hen Handa’s Surprise

Reception - Tanzania  - We all went on a Safari 

Year 1 India – the tiger child 

Year 2 - Australia - Fire Bird - Aboriginal Tales  

Year 3 Native American Indian Tales  

Year 4 – African tales  -

Year 5 – Spain  - Don Quixote 

Year 6 - South America - The Great Kapok Tree