Prospectus
Full International School Award
A Truly International School
The Downs School has been awarded the prestigious full International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the wider world into the classroom.
The International School Award is an accreditation scheme run by The British Council for the Department of Education and Skills in the UK. The scheme recognises and rewards excellent practice in adding an international dimension to the school curriculum.
At The Downs School we want to make a difference to our students and equip them with the knowledge and skills required to operate in the global context of the 21st Century. We also want to provide a curriculum that motivates and engages students and enables them to communicate competently with people from other countries and with different cultural outlooks. Our lasting partnerships with schools overseas is an invaluable way to enrich school life, share expertise and excite our students and staff about global issues.
The award was earned by submitting a huge portfolio of evidence of all the international activities that take place here at The Downs. The activities highlighted include links with our partnership school Araniko, in Nepal; the development of the teaching of Mandarin Chinese, the international aspects of Cross Curricular days, for example,'mini Olympics' day and talking Japanese; the successful exchange programmes with France, Spain and Germany, the international curriculum taught at the school and finally all our community language and cultural activities in connection with the Education Business Partnership which schools from all over West Berkshire attend.
The International School Award is a fantastic accolade for the school and recognizes all the staff and students hard work and involvement to obtain the award.
Mrs Millar, who was responsible for putting together the Downs School’s submission to The British Council, said;
One of the most exciting things about being presented the International School Award is that it is a public recognition of all the hard work of staff and students. It also represents a lot of enjoyment as we have worked towards it - not only all the visits abroad but also the welcome that we have been able to give to visitors from other countries and our own. It shows an opening of minds to the rest of the world in a very positive way. The curriculum work that has gone on has ensured an understanding of other cultures and the realisation that just because something is different does not mean that it is worse! Many students and their families have formed lifelong friendships via our exchange programmes with France, Germany, Spain, Denmark and others!
