Pictured: Staff from English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School with staff and children from Rainbow school in Germany with their School Partnership Agreement.
Since spring 2023, International Newcastle and Newcastle City Council and our counterparts at Stadt Gelsenkirchen (local authority) have been supporting a new partnership link between Newcastle’s English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School and Regenbogenschule (Rainbow School) in our twin city of Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Initially, the schools worked on a City Council funded collaborative art project in the summer to celebrate the 75th twinning anniversary of our two cities.
International Newcastle was delighted to support English Martyrs’ with a successful funding application to UK German Connection in August. This enabled staff to visit Rainbow School last week to develop their partnership. This was a positive step in building their long-term relationship.
Anthony Kennedy (Acting Head of School), Abi Madsen (Modern Foreign Languages Lead) and Sarah Bridgewood (German-speaking Teaching Support) spent 4 days in Gelsenkirchen and Anthony’s reflections on the visit are reported below, alongside some photos of the visit.
As well as signing the partnership agreement with Rainbow School and discussing future plans for joint projects and activities, they presented Rainbow School with the artwork produced by children at English Martyrs’, a large scale version of which is displayed at Newcastle Civic Centre as part of our city’s celebration of this twinning link. The visit coincided with the Newcastle-Gelsenkirchen twinning celebrations in Germany and also gave English Martyrs’ staff the opportunity to get to know the people and city of Gelsenkirchen.
Anthony Kennedy’s reflections on the visit
We are grateful to all those who made our time in Gelsenkirchen such a positive and informative experience. In particular, the staff at Rainbow school, Mrs Zimmerman and Mrs Röwekamp who made us feel most welcome. Also the Gelsenkirchen administration, especially Mrs Hubrich for coordinating our time, transport and arranging visits to additional educational institutions.
It was a privilege to meet the staff and speak with pupils at Rainbow school, who showed so much enthusiasm for our visit and a love of learning. It was fantastic to be able to visit the school, form new relationships and plan future opportunities with our partner school.
Newcastle and Gelsenkirchen share a rich industrial. Both cities flourished during the Industrial Revolution, with coal mining and heavy industries driving their economies. This common industrial background has created a unique understanding between our cities, as we appreciate the challenges and triumphs that come with such a history. It is a bond that unites us and allows us to learn from one another’s experiences.
Anthony Kennedy teaching children at Rainbow School about North East culture, the city of Newcastle and about English Martyrs’ Primary School
English Martyrs’ are very excited by the prospect of our school connection and through exchange programs, virtual classrooms and joint projects, our students will have the chance to interact with their German peers at Rainbow School, and learn about their language, traditions, and way of life.
This exposure will not only enhance their language skills, but also nurture their empathy and understanding of different perspectives. In addition, this link will provide our teachers with invaluable professional development opportunities. They will have the chance to engage in collaborative projects with educators from Germany, sharing best practices, teaching methodologies, and innovative ideas, particularly for children who attend both schools with little to no knowledge of the English or German language.
This link is not just about academic collaboration. It is about friendship, understanding and building bridges across borders. It is about fostering a sense of global citizenship within our school community, where students learn to appreciate their own culture while respecting and embracing the cultures of others.
English Martyrs’ staff visiting Talentkolleg Ruhr with students, who did a project comparing Gelsenkirchen and the Ruhr with Newcastle and produced a range of art, sculpture, digital media and written word which was exhibited
In a similar way to our cities historic twinning relationship, this school partnership agreement is not just a symbolic gesture, it is a commitment to collaboration, cultural exchange, and mutual support.
I am grateful for the support of UK-German Connection International Newcastle and Newcastle City Council and our school and city are looking forward to welcoming the staff and children and young people of Rainbow School to Newcastle in the near future to experience our North Eastern hospitality.
Anthony Kennedy, Acting Head of School and Deputy Head Teacher, English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School, Newcastle
Further information and support for schools’ international links
Declan Baharini, Director of International Newcastle and Sarah Edgar, Newcastle City Council (School Effectiveness) can support any schools in Newcastle interested in links with Gelsenkirchen (click here for details), as well as links across Europe and the world (click here for details). This is part of our mission to widen access to opportunities and experiences for children and young people and Newcastle school communities.
- We host events to share learning about international school partnerships between schools
- We work one-to-one with schools to develop appropriate links and activities
- We support schools with funding applications for international visits and have raised over £1m through the UK Government’s Turing Scheme for schools to take pupils abroad (especially those who are disadvantaged and/or have additional needs) for life-changing experiences
- We encourage schools to take part in British Council’s International School Award, to embed internationalism across the curriculum and achieve greater benefits for pupils, staff and the school community