A group of Year 5 pupils from English Martyrs’ Primary in Fenham had an unforgettable adventure recently, when they travelled to Germany to visit their twin school. Gelsenkirchen. During the four-night stay, 27 pupils spent time at Regenbogen Schule (which means “Rainbow School”) in Gelsenkirchen, where they got to practise their German, learn about a different culture, and make some new friends along the way. This was the first time that pupils from English Martyrs Primary had travelled to Gelsenkirchen, and the school hopes it won’t be the last.
Deputy Headteacher and lead on the partnership, Anthony Kennedy, provided feedback on their German partnership and visit.
“We first made contact with Rainbow School through with the support of International Newcastle and Newcastle City Council. Declan and Sarah were instrumental in setting up our partnership. This led to an art project back in May 2023. It was part of the 75th anniversary of Newcastle and Gelsenkirchen being twinned as cities. Since then, we’ve taken part in a few virtual events and two other visits where some of our staff went over to work with their English teachers.”
“We then applied for Turing Funding, again, with the help of Declan and Sarah we were able to secure a significant amount of funding to help run this incredible trip. The trip was packed with a mix of learning, culture, and fun. Some of the highlights included a tour of the Veltins Arena – the home stadium of FC Schalke 04 – and a visit to the Zollverein Coal Museum, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The children also got to take part in a normal school day at Rainbow School, and were even invited to join in with their annual sports festival. They teamed up with the German pupils for events like long jump, shot put, and sprinting.
Another exciting part of the trip was a visit to the town hall – the Hans Sachs Haus – where they were welcomed by the Deputy Mayor and other local officials. There, they chatted about the special link between Newcastle and Gelsenkirchen, which started just after World War Two. The meeting was held in the ‘Newcastle Room’ which was decorated in pictures of North-East landmarks, celebrating the relationship they have with Newcastle. Afterwards, the group enjoyed a sightseeing tour and learned more about the local area.
An international partnership such as ours is important for English Martyrs’, because it helps our pupils develop cultural awareness and respect by exposing them to different traditions and ways of life. This broadens their perspectives and encourages open mindedness from an early age. This was the first time that pupils from English Martyrs Primary had travelled to Gelsenkirchen, and the school hopes it won’t be the last.
Trips like this are really important for our children, they help our pupils understand and respect different cultures and ways of life, and that kind of experience stays with them. We saw their confidence grow every single day – and now they’re all eager to see more of the world!”
Feedback from pupils highlights what they enjoyed and what it meant to them:
I really enjoyed the sports day. We were mixed in with Rainbow School pupils, so we could chat with them and find out more about what their school is like.. (Ernestas)
It was at a real sports ground where we did events like the long jump that we wouldn’t normally do at school. It was a break from school, but we were always learning. (Krissy)
We were learning new skills that we will need when we are an adult and go travelling to different places. I would definitely recommend going on a trip like this – it was fun the whole time! (Ben)
I loved our day at the park with the Rainbow School. It was a great chance to practice some German and play with the other kids – we really got to know each other.” (Daisy)
The visit was funded by the UK Government’s Turing Scheme, which IN and NCC supported them to apply for in 2024. In accordance with the funding principles, the school identified children from the most deprived backgrounds and underrepresented groups, who would otherwise not be able to access such an opportunity.
