Â鶹Éç

Ìý

Southfield Primary School is hoping to raise money to help pay for the headteacher of Nyogbare School in north Ghana in Africa to visit this October.

Ìý

If successful, the African head will stay at the home of Paul Tuffin, Headteacher of Southfields, during his visit.

Ìý

The two schools established a link after Southfield's Deputy Head, Jo Hallett, visited Nyogbare in 2001.

Ìý

Since then pupils at the schools have been learning about each others' cultures by sending postcards to each other.

Ìý

Southfields, an inner-city primary school, with 29 home languages among its 190 pupils, has also taped stories to send to the African school and raised money for printed alphabet hangings for 200 schools in upper east region.

Ìý

"If you walked around Southfields you would come across several displays about Ghana," says Jo Hallett.

Ìý

"The international link is an ever-present focus in the school and the children love it," adds the Deputy Head.

Ìý

Jo believes the international link has contributed to "excellence and enjoyment" through school improvement and creativity in its broadest sense.

Ìý

Paul Tuffin says that because of its meagre resources, he and everyone involved with the school need to be very creative in their fundraising activities:

Ìý

"I have hens running around in my garden at home so one of the things I do to raise some money is sell the eggs to the staff!"

Ìý

Notes to Editors:

Ìý

Â鶹Éç World Class is a new pan-Â鶹Éç initiative. Supported by a raft of programmes across Â鶹Éç TV and Radio, Â鶹Éç World Class aims to raise awareness of school twinning among children, teachers and parents.

Ìý

It also provides support to schools who wish to get involved in an international partnership.

Ìý

The initiative has strong support from within the Â鶹Éç. Chairman Michael Grade recently said that he sees the initiative as an important part of the Â鶹Éç's international role in "building understanding and engagement".

Ìý

Director General Mark Thompson has described Â鶹Éç World Class as "a fresh approach to our young audience". He says: "It shares our existing output in a relevant context and makes current affairs 'real' for young people."

Ìý

Launched Tuesday 1 March 2005, bbc.co.uk/worldclass offers schools information about getting started with twinning and outlines the reasons to get involved in the initiative. It also provides a chatroom for teachers to share their experiences and swap advice and tips, to make the experience as rewarding as possible.

Ìý

The website is the result of a network of partnerships between the Â鶹Éç and experts in school twinning, including the British Council, Link Community Development, UKOWLA (UK One World Linking Association), Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), Dolen Cymru, Youth Sport Trust, Plan International and Africa Bookcase.

Ìý

Virginia Crompton, Â鶹Éç World Class creator and Project Leader, is passionate about the initiative. She says: "It works. International twinning can be an incredibly enriching experience, not just for children but for parents and teachers too.

Ìý

"It can give schools a passport to the world: broadening children's horizons, bringing current affairs to life; improving literacy; promoting understanding of diversity, and much, much more."

Ìý

Schools across the country already involved in twinning are delighted that the Â鶹Éç is inspiring more schools to get global links.

Ìý

Tim Buckley, head teacher at Tithe Barn Primary School in Stockport, says: "You can't imagine the benefits you're going to get out of twinning - it's staggering what can happen.

Ìý

"It opens people's minds - not just the children's but everyone in the school community. It makes you question things, question your beliefs, it breaks down stereotypes, broadens your horizons.

Ìý

"When you get a letter from a school in Africa it's real and that's what makes it exciting."

Ìý

The initiative is supported across the Â鶹Éç with a number of programmes highlighting the benefits of the twinning experience:

Ìý