British Council has announced a new programme to support UK schools to build lasting international partnerships with schools in Ukraine and explore reading as a tool to expand horizons, build confidence and boost mental wellbeing.
Designed for learners aged 7-14 years in state primary and secondary schools, schools will work together on activities to encourage reading for pleasure, building an understanding of each other’s cultures through a common love for reading. They are offering full support and resources, including a fully-funded workshop in Poland, where partner teachers will meet in person to create a strong foundation for the partnership.
What’s on offer
British Council will provide the following support for your school:
- a match with a state-funded partner school in Ukraine
- funding for one teacher to attend an in-person, two-day partner matching and planning workshop in Poland, including a contribution to supply cover
- training and guidance on international school partnership planning and implementation, including training on trauma-informed practices
- a dedicated partnership facilitator who will host three webinars during the partnership and provide ongoing support to each participating teacher
- flexible classroom resources – specialist resources on the theme of reading for pleasure and Ukrainian language and culture, created by the British Council and the National Literacy Trust.
Why take part?
- Develop a love of reading and broaden your learners’ horizons through this unique opportunity for UK schools.
- Enrich your students’ learning, nurture a love of reading and bring a meaningful international perspective into your classroom and the wider school community.
- Access flexible, collaborative activities on reading for pleasure, developed in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust.
- Supports you to nurture a love of reading and engage your learners through exchanging experiences with a real audience in another country. Together, partnership schools can explore the benefits of reading as a tool to expand horizons, build confidence and boost mental wellbeing.
- Celebrate Ukrainian language and culture in your school, and we especially welcome applications from UK schools with Ukrainian students.
Click here to find out more about how the scheme will work and the commitment required from schools
Click here to find out how to apply. Applications are open to state-funded primary and secondary schools in all four countries of the UK. This includes schools that do not already have international partnerships, special schools, pupil referral units and UK schools with students of Ukrainian heritage. Participating students must be in the age range of 7 to 14 years old.
Dates and deadlines
You can choose to apply for the programme in one of three cohorts.
Cohort 1
- Applications open now. Deadline: 28 February 2025
- Attend a workshop in Poland in the week of 10 March 2025 (exact dates to be confirmed)
- Project activities begin in April 2025 and can continue into the new academic year
Cohort 2
- Applications open now. Deadline: July 2025
- Attend a workshop in Poland in September 2025
- Project activities begin in September 2025
Cohort 3
- Applications open now. Deadline: November 2025
- Attend a workshop in Poland in December 2025
- Project activities begin in January 2026
Government support and 100-Year UK-Ukraine Partnership
The UK-Ukraine School Partnerships programme is funded by the UK Government, in support of the 100-Year Partnership between the UK and Ukraine. The 100-Year Partnership is an ambitious, long-term commitment to broaden and deepen the bilateral relationship across defence, trade and other areas and enable closer community links between both countries.
The UK-Ukraine School Partnerships Programme is the flagship education offer for the 100-Year Partnership, signalling the UK’s support for fostering cross-cultural understanding among pupils, teachers and wider school communities and to help bring international awareness into classrooms. The programme is delivered by the British Council in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust.