The Best Guide for the Neston Area

Neston High Represented at Cape Town Schools

Published: 23rd April 2019 15:58

Over February half term, Mrs Pritchard from Neston High and three other Cheshire teachers, visited partner schools in Cape Town, South Africa.

Students of ID Mikhize and Siviwe with their pledges

The format of the international links partnership, funded by The British Council, has altered recently and the school is now part of a UK cluster which consists of Neston High, Whitby High School, Hillside Primary in Helsby and Weston Primary School in Runcorn.

In Cape Town, the partner schools are Siviwe School of Skills, ID Mikhize, Wynberg Girls Junior School and Ottery Road Methodist Primary School. The four South African schools are located in very diverse areas, the two high schools are situated in the township of Gugulethu.

Over the week the UK staff spent time in each of the four Cape Town schools, collaborating with other teachers, delivering lessons and developing ideas for embedding the links they have already made with these schools.

Students of ID Mikhize and Siviwe with their pledges

The British Council, as part of the funding process, require all the partnership schools to carry out a joint project based on one of the 17 sustainable development goals created by the United Nations. The UK cluster have chosen goal 13: Climate Action. Much of the focus of this visit involved the schools planning and working on projects that highlight what we can do as responsible citizens, to reduce climate change through recycling, using less plastic and more.

The UK staff delivered lessons on how to make eco-bricks and created a presentation of student pledges on recycling. The team are hoping that a future visit to Cape Town will enable them to create a seating area in the school grounds.

Students of ID Mikhize and Siviwe with their pledges made from the eco-bricks the schools will continue to create over the next 12 months.

.They have also started to promote Climate Action at Neston. Students have been saving their bottle tops so they can be used during Enrichment Week later this year, to create a display on zero waste. A presentation on how to make eco-bricks has been shown in tutor groups.

Mrs Pritchard and Yolanda Lupondo, the Principal of Siviwe School
of Skills

Neston is looking forward to a reciprocal visit by some of the partner schools' staff in June to continue the work. Mrs Pritchard said: "Despite the differing circumstances of the Cape Town schools, it was fantastic to see
them all working together, overcoming barriers and striving towards the same goals.

"I am really excited to carry on the work we have started, and feel very privileged to be part of an amazing team."

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