Following on from the £500,000 accessed by 10 Newcastle schools for visits to their school partners abroad in 2024, we are delighted to announce that a further £530,000 has been awarded to 16 Newcastle schools for international visits in 2025.
Over 450 children and young people with accompanying staff from primary schools, secondary schools and specialist provision will take part in life-changing visits between February and June 2025 to France, Germany, Italy, Spain, India and the USA.
These are opportunities that these children would not be able to access without the support of their schools and Turing Scheme funding, which enables pupils from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, in particular, to travel to a partner school in another country.
Briefings, application support and ongoing help and advice has been provided to the city’s schools by International Newcastle and Newcastle City Council, as part of our work to support international connections, links, languages and intercultural awareness (see our updated brochure: Empowering Newcastle’s Youth for a Global Future for more details and click here or see below for more details on how we support international links for schools and for details about the Turing scheme).
There was more interest this year than ever before and we were delighted to support schools who applied, as well as those who didn’t apply, but wanted an international connection to a school abroad. Round 4 Turing Scheme is supporting these 16 schools to go on international visits in 2025:
Primary schools
- St Joseph’s (Nancy, France)
- Lemington Riverside (Nancy, France)
- Tyneview and St Peter’s (Istanbul, Turkey)
- Sacred Heart (Rome, Italy)
- Central Walker (Zaragoza, Spain)
- English Martyrs’ (Gelsenkirchen, Germany)
- St Paul’s (Rajkot, India and Nancy, France)
- Benton Park (Nancy, France)
- St John’s (Barcelona, Spain)
- Wingrove (Nancy, France and Amsterdam, NL)
- Broadwood (Mallorca, Spain)
- Our Lady & St Anne’s (Rome, Italy)
Secondary schools
- Callerton Academy (Zaragoza, Spain)
- Walker Riverside Academy (Atlanta, USA)
- Benfield School (Zaragoza, Spain)
Specialist provision
- Thomas Bewick (Alicante, Spain)
Support for Newcastle schools
Since 2020, we have worked closely with the City Council (School Effectiveness) and schools to build up their awareness, interest and ability to establish international partnerships and their willingness to participate in the Turing Scheme.
Declan Baharini (International Newcastle) and Sarah Edgar (Newcastle City Council, School Effectiveness) support Newcastle schools to apply to the scheme, including help with international links, developing a strategic approach and checking applications.
We have a strong track record and recommend schools work with us. Our support is provided free of charge.
You can find out more about the importance and impact of international links and visits in our recent brochure, Empowering Newcastle’s Youth for a Global Future, which includes case studies of local schools who we have supported to access Turing funding.
Newcastle schools report that being part of an international visit has a dramatic, positive impact on the pupils, teachers and families involved. These are opportunities that would otherwise not be attainable for many pupils in the city, especially those from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups.
There is always a high level of interest in this scheme across the UK. It is an important route for schools to access funding to enable their pupils to have life changing experiences by going abroad, as part of a broader strategy around internationalism in schools.
Some schools have existing links with partner schools in other countries, many are just beginning to explore links and thinking about how an international approach could benefit pupils, staff and the whole school community.
Whatever the case for your school, do get involved if you are interested in establishing an international partnership. Contact sarah.edgar@newcastle.gov.uk
A strategic approach to internationalism
We recommend that schools develop a strategic approach to internationalism and intercultural experiences across the school community. International visits supported by Turing Scheme could be one part of this approach.
Schools can develop international links without going on visits, thanks to the opportunities of virtual collaboration, including joint lessons, joint projects and enabling children and teachers to get to know each other.
What does Turing Scheme support?
Pupils aged 4-19 years from UK schools can access funding to visit partner schools anywhere in the world (except British Overseas Territories) where pupils spend most of the time in the classroom.
There is a focus on enhancing skills and education outcomes, as well as providing opportunities to pupils who are disadvantaged, from underrepresented groups and those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We know how valuable this grant is to many of our families as it enables learners to access opportunities which would otherwise be unavailable to them.
Please note that there is no funding for overseas schools to visit the UK as part of this scheme. We are awaiting details of any further Turing Scheme funding from the UK Government.