Education links with Aragón, Spain
We established a new strategic partnership with the region of Aragón in Spain in November 2022. This was in response to demand from Newcastle schools to support their language teaching and learning, as well as to bring benefits to staff, pupils and the whole school community from having an international connection.
We have supported around 20 new links already and are inviting more schools and colleges, from primary to Further Education, to get in touch and register interest in a Spanish partnership.
How to register interest in a partnership
Schools and colleges are invited to express their interest using a partnership form which will then be shared with our education partners in Aragón to find a good match in their region. The form asks for basic information:
- the type of school (Primary, Middle, Secondary or FE/College)
- contact details for the partnership
- student numbers and if they learn Spanish
- areas of interest in the curriculum for the partnership
- any other activities they are interested in collaborating on (e.g., sport, music, theatre, environment, culture and other themes)
- what type of opportunities the education establishment is interested in (online exchange, student visits in person, work experience or other opportunities)
Education partners will then be put in touch with each other to talk about how they will work together and begin building relationships between the schools or colleges, teachers and pupils. We can also provide support around how to develop partnerships and the types of activities schools can do together.
- Click here to download the partnership form
- Complete the form and send it to sarah.edgar@newcastle.gov.uk in the City Council’s School Effectiveness team.
About Aragón
Located in north eastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to south): Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is the city of Zaragoza. There is a lot of interest from schools in Aragón, in both urban and rural settings, who are keen to establish partnerships with our schools.
This strategic partnership approach has been developed by International Newcastle and Newcastle City Council (School Effectiveness) with the support of British Council and the Education Department of Aragón.
Further support for schools
With the City Council’s School Effectiveness Team, we continue to support any Newcastle school interested in developing their approach to languages, international links, intercultural awareness and celebrating diversity. Click here for our guide.
Contact sarah.edgar@newcastle.gov.uk in the first instance, if you are a Newcastle school and want to get involved in an international link.
Follow the links to Newcastle City of Languages, Connecting Internationally and Internationalism in the City workstrands for more information.
Follow us online to find out the latest activities and opportunities for languages in schools and communities: twitter, facebook, linked in or check our news page.
We host workshops and webinars on developing and supporting international links and a whole school approach to internationalism, as well as funding opportunities to support partnerships.
Click here to download a report on international school partnerships with British Council and schools held in Newcastle, which explores benefits of links, sustaining partnerships, the support available and sharing learning.
We have supported schools to access UK Government Turing Scheme funding since 2021. We hold regular briefings when the Scheme is announced each year and work with schools to develop their links (if they do not already have one) and to understand the funding programme. We check and help amend applications.
- Click here to see information about the Newcastle main briefing session for Round 3 applications in February 2023, which we followed up with webinars and one to one discussions with schools
- Click here to see the presentation from the 2nd February 2023 session