SINNINGTON Primary School is linking up with schools in Turkey, Latvia, Poland and Romania as part of an EU scheme to create partnerships across Europe and improve education standards.

Teachers and possibly pupils from the school will visit their partners and work on joint projects over the next two years through the Comenius programme, which is funded by the European Commission and managed in the UK by the British Council.

The programme provides funding and professional development to enable pupils and teachers across Europe to work together and learn about each other’s culture and education methods.

Headteacher Jill Wells said: “We are very excited to have been selected for a Comenius grant so that we can enhance the lives of our children in terms of their understanding and tolerance of others in Europe.

“This is a unique opportunity to work with teachers and pupils from different European countries.

Jill said that the project involves the promotion of non discrimination and respect for diversity.

“We will be looking at prevention of gender discrimination in schools and promoting positive role models, male and female. Our project motto is ‘Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself’, she added.

“Luckily for us, the children in the European schools all learn English but we will try to learn some basic phrases in each language.”

They will be working together on projects including investigating the different role models in our local community, nationally as well as historically.

Pupils will use email and other online technology to communicate with their partners but there will also be opportunities for some pupils and teachers to experience the languages, school and home life of their partners, through study visits.

The programme aims to develop knowledge and understanding of different European cultures and languages.

And as well as learning about their partners’ society, the programme also helps young people learn more about their own culture and build links within their own local community.