Comenius Project

SCHOOLS´PRESENTATION  

UNITED  KINGDOM    

Raysfield   Infants’   is   situated   in   a   semi-­‐rural   setting   on   the   outskirts   of   Bristol   and   serves   the   local   area   of  Chipping  Sodbury.  The  vast  majority  of  pupils  come  from  families  of  white  British  backgrounds  where  both  parents  work  to  support  their  lifestyle.  A  significant  number  of  children  live  in  situations  where  there  has  been  a  breakdown  in  relationships  between  parents.  The  school  has  a  broadly  average  number  of  pupils  with  special  educational  need,  although  percentages  can  vary  from  year  to  year.  Although  need  is  varied  a  large  number  are  concerned  with  poor  on  entry   speech   and   language   skills   leading   to   delay   in   early   reading   and   writing   acquisition.     For   many   children,  physical,  personal,  social  and  emotional  skills  are  underdeveloped.    We  share  Governor  meetings  annually  with  the  juniors  and  both  schools  have  identified  community  cohesion  as  an  area  to  develop  in  order  to  raise  pupil  aspiration  and   develop   awareness   of   the   diversity   of   the  world   in  which   they   live.   The   school   has   achieved   Healthy   School  Status,  Active  Sportsmark  and  OPAL  gold  award  for  play  development.    

Three  years  ago,   the  school  evaluated  provision  under  the   ‘Every  Child  Matters’  outcomes.  Our  vision  was  to  create  exciting  learning  environments  both  indoors  and  outdoors  in  order  to  promote  learning  and  achievement  in  a  healthy,  safe  environment.  We  also  recognised  the  need  to  provide  children  with  opportunities  to  see  out  and  beyond  the   local   environment   and   planned   ways   to   promote   their   understanding   of   cultural   diversity,   through   language  acquisition   and   partnerships.   Now   in   our   third   year,   we   have   seen   a   rise   in   standards   and   achievement   and   are  currently   at   the   stage   of   creative   curriculum   development   to   further   enhance   the   use   of   the   outdoors.   We   are  working  towards  a  model  whereby  we  can  include  more  of  the  children’s  own  interests  and  ideas.  

We  value  the  opportunity  to:  

-­‐  Develop  staff  and  pupil  horizons  through  this  unique  opportunity  to  work  together  on  a  collaborative  project  

-­‐  Develop  and  expand  the  use  of  IT  to  enhance  teaching  and  learning,  

-­‐  Build  on  the  schools  research  based  ethos  whereby  children  and  adults  are  all  on  a  learning  journey  

-­‐  Support  the  development  of  community  cohesion,   in  particular  children’s  understanding  of  their  place  within  the  European    Community.    

FRANCE  

Our  school,  Saint   Joseph  de  Tivoli,   is   located   in  Bordeaux,  a   town   in   the  South  West  of  France,   listed   in  a  UNESCO  world  heritage,  close  to  the  sea  and  well-­‐known  for  its  vineyards.    

Saint   Joseph   de   Tivoli   is   a   catholic   private   school,   which   has   a   contract   with   the   government   and   under   Jesuit  guardianship.   It   welcomes   by   majority   children   from   families   social-­‐culturally   privileged   classes.   However   the  calculation  of   the  school   fees   is  done  contingent  on  the   income  of   the  parents  which  enables  the  welcome  of  more  modest  families.  

The  school  consists  of  a  nursery  school,  a  primary  school,  a  secondary  school,  from  11  to  17,  and  it  offers  as  well  post  graduate  classes.  We  have  2000  children  aged  from  4  to  20.  

The  project”my  world,  your  world,  our  world”  concerns   the  nursery  and  the  primary  school,   so  326  children  aged  from   4   to   10   and   17   teachers.   We   welcome   58   children   in   2   nursery   classes,   11   children   in   CLIS   (children  intellectually  deficient)  and  the  others  are  in  primary  classes.    

We  are   very  much  devoted   to   a   global   vision  of   a   child   course,   keeping   track   and   to   the  dialogue  between  all   the  teachers.  Moreover,  a  Comenius  project  is  launched  in  the  secondary  school.  

Saint  Joseph  de  Tivoli  is  one  of  the  oldest  schools  in  Bordeaux  and  we  are  currently  building  a  new  HQE  school  (High  Environmental  Quality  -­‐  BREEAM  In  United  Kingdom)  which  leads  us  to  work  on  the  sustainable  development  with  the  pupils.    

Pupils  start  to  learn  English  from  4  years  old;  they  can  choose  a  second  language  (Spanish  or  German)  from  8  years  old.  

We  are  fortunate  to  have  an  access  to  an  IT  room  where  children  have  their  own  computer  and  benefit  from  our  IT  consultant’s  advices.  

From  nursery  onwards,  pupils  practice  judo  one  hour  per  week  and  have  access  to  the  school  sports  facilities.    

A  wide  range  of  activities  is  offered  to  the  children:  cultural  and  musical  activities;  experimental  workshops.    

We   aim   to   encourage   a   broader   understanding   of   different   values,   like   respect,   tolerance,   sharing,   care,   open-­‐mindedness.  It  results  in  a  continuous  interiority  project,  and  the  animation  within  the  school  of  an  association  called  “Tivoli  Sans  Frontière”  (Tivoli  without  borders)  which  enables  older  children  to  contribute  in  the  building  of  schools  in  Africa.    

We  are  very  demanding  and  willing  to  discover  different  ways  of  teaching,  different  ways  of  teaching,  different  ways  of  learning  from  other  European  countries.  

We  care  for  sharing  values,  and  for  mutual  benefit  from  differences.    

SWEDEN    

Satra  Brunns  preschool  is  located  in  Sala  Municipality.  There  is  a  small  village  close  to  Sala,  Västerås  and  Avesta.  Our  preschool  is  located  near  the  forest  and  nature,  which  we  use  daily.  Preschool  is  governed  by  pre-­‐school  staff  directly  under   the   leadership  of  principal.  All   together  we  have  eight  personnel  working  during  the  day.  We  have  our  own  chef  who  cooks  meals  mostly  from  scratch,  which  we  cherish  very  much.    

Our   curriculum   is   issued   by   the   government.   The   curriculum   guides   the   kindergarten   and   thus   fulfills   the  requirements  of  the  State.  It  also  expresses  the  demands  and  expectations  that  children  and  parents  have  on  us.    

We  want  the  children  to  be  safe,  reflective,  feel  joy  in  their  daily  lives,  feel  involved  and  able  to  influence.  We  work  with  a   conscious  attitude  among  children  and  adults,  by  dividing   the   children   into   smaller  groups  where  we  have  been  able  to  see  and  talk  to  each  child.  By  this,  we  have  noticed  that  the  children  have  developed  the  ability  to  take  responsibility   for   their   actions,   to   express   their   thoughts   and   opinions,   allowing   them   to   get   an   opportunity   to  influence  their  situation  (everyday).  By  changing  our  approach  to  children's  learning,  children  have  got  to  come  with  their  own  proposals  on  how  they  think  their  learning  will  take.    

We  are  also  working   to  document  every  child   learning   to  show  their  development.  We  believe   it   is   important   that  parents  get  a  glimpse  into  their  children's  development  and  stay  in  the  nursery.  Through  dialogue  and  interviews,  we  document  in  the  portfolio,  children,  reflections  and  experiences.  We  work  extensively  with  both  language  and  free-­‐range  and  think  that  both  are  important  and  necessary  for  children's  continued  development.    

Through   our   cooperation   with   our   partners   in   the   various   countries   participating   in   the   project,   we   see   a   great  opportunity  to  immerse  ourselves  in  our  learning  and  hence  widen  the  children's  learning  and  understanding,  both  for   language   and   free-­‐range   but   also   for   our   municipality,   our   country   and   European   countries.   Whilst   we   also  appreciate   that   staff   have   the   opportunity   to   develop   and   enhance   knowledge   of   IT,   managing   various   ways   to  communicate,  work  with  digital  cameras  and  camcorders  etc.  We  will  also  gain  knowledge  of  and  about  the  various  countries'  activities,  how  to  teach  to  children  in  different  ways  with  respect  to  language  and  play.  

HUNGARY      

Our  Nursery  School  is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the  town  in  a  quiet  greenbelt  area.  It  is  part  of  a  big  Child  Care  Centre  where  there  is  a  Créshe,  a  Speech  Therapy  Centre,  a  Home  for  the  Elderly  and  the  Disabled.    The  Nursery  School  can  be  found  far  from  noisy  crowded  streets  and  roads  in  a  beautiful  greenbelt  area.  It  was  built  in  the  1970s.  There  are  three  classrooms  for  the  learning  teams.  There  is  a  gym  in  the  building,  a  staff  room    and  a  changing  room  for   the   staff,   one   special   training   room   for   skill   development   activities   with   special   needs   children,   a   surgery,   a  laundry  and  a  bathroom  for  the  staff.  

Our  staff  are  well  aware  of  the  fact  that  Every  Child  Matters  even  if  they  are  different,  some  are  mentally  and  physically   handicapped,   or   are   of   special   needs   children.   So,   we   tried   to   find   a   pedagogical   programme  which   is  flexible,   is   full   of   life,   expresses   the   teachers’   creativity,   and   develops   children’s   skills.   This   way,   we   found   the    Activity  Centered  Pedagogical  and  Educational  Programme  which  we  have  adapted  according   to   the  specialities  of  the   institution.   This   programme   can   be   successfully   used   to   integrate   children   with   special   needs   into   the   main  stream  of  our  Nursery.  Our  staff  ’s  main  aim  is  to  provide  love,  comfort  and  safety  for  children  when  they  first  come  to  our  institution,  and  to  deepen  these  feelings  during  the  three  years  of  their  stay  here.  

In   our   Institution,   20%   of   the   children     regularly   receive   Child   Care   Support   from   the   Local   Government.   These  children  come  from  families  where  their  living  standard  is  very  low  because  of  the  parents’  finacial  situation,  or  the  low  education.  

We  permanetly  examine  the  parents’  social  and  financial  background,  and  give  them  information  about  the  support  system.  With  the  Comenius  project  we  would  like  to  broaden  our  horizon  on  European  Dimensions,  learn  about  other  cultures,   traditions,   living  conditions,  pedagogical  and  educationl  activities  within  and  outside   the  curriculum.   It   is  always  good  to  learn  the  best    practice  from  other  nations,  institutions,  exchange  ideas.  We  would  like  to  teach  our  children  to  respect  people  from  other  countries,  their  language,  culture,  etc.  We  must  teach  our  children  that  we  all  in  the  world  are  inhabitants  of  a  ’Global  Village'  we  should  be  proud  of  ,  love  and  take  care  of.    

 SPAIN    

Ceip  Maestro  Juan  Apresa  is  situated  in  Arcos  de  la  Frontera,  Cádiz.Spain.    

Arcos   is   a   village   of   32.000   inhabitants   and   it   is   near   the  mountains   and   the   nature.  We   have   infants   (175)   and  primary  students  (around  300)   in  our  School.  The  School   is  divided  into  2  buildings  and  the  principal   lead  both  of  them.   The   school   has   its   own   dining   room   where   some   students   eat   their   lunch   everyday   at   14.00   o'clock.   The  majority  of  students  come  from  a  new  area  of  the  village  where  our  School  is  well  recognized.    

Juan  Apresa    is  a  bilingual  School    where  we  teach  as  much  as  we  can  both  languages(Spanish/English).    We  also  have  two  assistants  who  help  in  our  teaching  in  a  daily  basis.  We  are  very  concern  about  the  second  language  therefore  we  are   trying   to  keep  engage  within   the  European  way  of   life  and  teaching   that´s  why  the  school  has  been  previously  involved  with  Comenius  and  other  Bilingual  activities.    

Being   in   a   Comenius   project   would   be   a   great   opportunity   to   increase   our   students   awareness   and   motivation  towards  their  competencies  and  to  exchange  information  with  our  colleagues  in  Europe.  We  would  like  to  create  an  exciting  environment  where  students  play  the  main  role.    

We  do  believe  we   can   gain   a   lot   of   things   from   this   exchange   and  we  are   all   looking   forward   to   starting  our  new  world.  

For  more  information  about  our  school  do  please  visit  our  website  at:  www.maestrojuanapresa.com