Central Walker Church of England Primary School has thrown open its doors to pupils and teachers from Zaragoza, Spain, as part of an exciting international exchange in March.
The visit forms part of a growing partnership between Newcastle schools and the Aragón region of Spain, developed through collaboration between the Newcastle School Effectiveness team , International Newcastle and the British Council and the Education Team in Aragon. Currently, there are over 14 active school partnerships between Newcastle and Spanish schools, reflecting a significant expansion in recent years. Establishing a strategic link with Spain has become increasingly important, as the majority of secondary students in Newcastle now opt to study Spanish rather than other languages. This shift not only supports language learning and cultural understanding but also ensures that pupils have access to international opportunities that align with their language choices and future aspirations.
During the visit, pupils from Zaragoza spent time learning alongside Central Walker children, taking part in shared activities designed to build friendships and confidence and develop their languages skills. These included collaborative PE sessions and creative work linked to the Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages, such as making friendship butterflies together.
The visit builds on earlier partnership work, including a previous visit by Central Walker staff and children to Zaragoza last year, where students made friends at their partner school, C.P.I. Arcosur.
After this week’s visit, Central Walker pupils will head to Zaragoza in June, taking the partnership to the next level. The city-wide exchange continues, with Benfield and Excelsior secondary schools also heading to their Zaragoza schools.
Meanwhile, other Newcastle schools are gearing up for international adventures to our sister city of Atlanta, our French twin city Nancy, Rome (with NU Foundation’s help securing a partner), Spain and the Netherlands.
Supported by the Turing Scheme, these exchanges offer exciting international opportunities for pupils, especially those who might not otherwise get the chance to travel abroad. By combining classroom collaboration with real‑world experiences, partnerships such as this help pupils develop language skills, confidence and a strong sense of global citizenship.
Turing 2026-27 and the return of Erasmus+
International Newcastle and the City Council supported schools in February and March to apply for the final round of the Turing Scheme for visits next year. The results will be due in June. Schools have applied to visit France, Spain, Turkey, India, The Netherlands, Portugal and Italy and if successful, will go on visits between January and June 2027. International Newcastle and the City Council (School Effectiveness) continue to provide support for schools preparing for their visits.
The UK has rejoined the Erasmus+ programme with applications due to open in November. International Newcastle and Newcastle City Council (School Effectiveness) are part of a national stakeholder group to support schools to engage in the programme. Briefings for schools will be held and support provided for them to apply for the programme. There are wider opportunities for the city with Erasmus, which covers student exchange (schools, colleges, Higher Education), as well as vocational exchanges, professional development, youth groups and sports.