Lincoln school pupils host international sports learning event

Pupils at a Lincoln school have been working with students from Italy, Spain and Turkey to learn about different cultures through sport.

The 50 pupils at Sir Robert Pattinson Academy joined the British Counsel-funded project Olympeace, which has brought together nearly 100 pupils from the four countries.

Delegations from the schools in Terrassa (Spain), Pescara (Italy) and Ankara (Turkey) arrived in Lincoln last week on the UK leg of the project, which started in September last year.

While in the city the pupils and teachers took part in rugby matches, street dance and a mini–Olympics. The visitors all stayed with host families in Lincoln.

The students also organised an Olympic opening ceremony, arranged sporting activities and studied the history of the Olympic movement.

The project will culminate in an Olympics-style closing ceremony during the final visit to Turkey in February next year.

Nadia Daubney, the teacher at Sir Robert Pattinson Academy who has led the Lincoln team, said: “The school has been involved in these international projects for many years and it has changed the lives of our students.

“Many of them emerge from these projects with a real sense of purpose and drive, become much more involved in the life of the school and we see positive improvements in their school work.

“It broadens their mind, piques their interest in the wider world and inspires them.”

Pilar Teixido, a teacher from the Catalonian school involved in the project, said: “It’s given all our students a fantastic opportunity to experience different cultures in a very real and practical sense.

“They make friends which they will keep going for the rest of their lives and is a fantastic experience.”

The programme is just the latest in a series of international projects undertaken by North Hykeham-based Sir Robert Pattinson Academy.

It has already established a partnership with a school in Lebanon and earlier this year completed a similar media-themed international project with schools in Finland, Italy and Romania.

Head teacher Helen Renard added: “Modern education needs to look beyond the traditional confines of a classroom and provide pupils with opportunities to experience cultures, language and diversity first-hand.

“We know these international projects inspire our pupils and we are determined to continue to find opportunities to broaden their learning and widen their horizons.”