“Difference is of the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. The answer to difference is to respect it. Therein lies a most fundamental principle of peace: respect for diversity." - John Hume.

International Links lead - Robin Smith

Through the inclusion of an international focus at Millfield Primary School, we want to offer to our children a range of experiences that will enhance their cross-cultural understanding and raise awareness of their British values in the context of their place within the global community. Furthermore by integrating shared project work based on the UNESCO sustainable development goals into our curriculum, we wish to equip our pupils with the knowledge, values and understanding that we all need to live on a shared planet.

The international dimension will give our pupils an informed awareness of countries, cultures and languages other than our own. It will encourage greater involvement in environmental issues, develop curiosity about other cultures, enable children, staff and governors to experience daily life in other countries, promote the use of ICT in meaningful contexts for the development of communication skills and finally, provide an added opportunity for the promotion of tolerance, equal opportunities, racial equality and global citizenship. All of which are skills and values that they can transfer into their daily lives.

This is vital for our pupils for a number of reasons. We have a predominantly white British intake at the school which means that pupils are not exposed to many other countries and cultures through their peers. Most pupils do not travel very far outside of the local area and have very little experience with children their age from outside of Norfolk and the UK. The international dimension gives all Millfield pupils a real life context in which to discover the variety of the world around them and embed the values of empathy, diversity, respect and compassion at the core of our school ethos.

Integrating the 17 Sustainable development goals into our Curriculum

So that our pupils are responsible global citizens, we want to integrate the UNESCO sustainable development goals into our current curriculum. They are as follows:

1. No Poverty: Access to basic human needs of health, education, sanitation
2. Zero Hunger: Providing food and humanitarian relief, establishing sustainable food production
3. Good Health and Wellbeing: Better, more accessible health systems to increase life-expectancy
4. Quality Education: Inclusive education to enable upward social mobility and end poverty
5. Gender Equality: Education regardless of gender, advancement of equality laws, fairer representation of women
6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Improving access for billions of people who lack these basic facilities
7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Access to renewable, safe and widely available energy sources for all
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Creating jobs for all to improve living standards, providing sustainable economic growth
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Generating employment and income through innovation
10. Reduced Inequalities: Reducing income and other inequalities, within and between countries
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Making cities safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable
12. Responsible Consumption and Production: Reversing current consumption trends and promoting a more sustainable future
13. Climate Action: Regulating and reducing emissions and promoting renewable energy
14. Life below Water: Conservation, promoting marine diversity and regulating fishing practices
15. Life on Land: Reversing man-made deforestation and desertification to sustain all life on earth
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Inclusive societies, strong institutions and equal access to justice
17. Partnerships for the Goals: Revitalize strong global partnerships for sustainable development

Opportunities to explore the SDGs through the current curriculum are available when looking at the learning objectives across the following subjects:

• Science
  • E.g. Plants, animals (inc. humans), living things and their habitats, evolution, electricity.
• Geography
  • Human and physical geography, knowledge about the world, the UK and their locality.
• History
  • Changes within living memory, lives of significant individuals, historical concepts such as continuity, change, cause and consequence.
• PSHE
  • E.g. Equality, diversity, empathy.

Where links are available and relevant they will be highlighted in the school’s long term curriculum maps.

International Projects Framework

Each phase group will have projects to work on linked to our two year rolling curriculum due to our mixed age classes.  International activities are those in which children will improve their:

• knowledge and respect for other countries and cultures
• knowledge of global issues
• cross-cultural communication skills (including but not limited to language learning)

Reception:

•  Link with ELGs understanding the world and/or expressive arts and design.  – ‘Getting to know you’ resource to link with India.

Early phase:

Y 1

•  Indian celebrations – Diwali. (Collaborate with Pathankot)
• International celebration – Peace day

Y2

• Indian celebrations - Holi - India education pack. (Collaborate with Pathankot)
• Coastal comparison with Malaga.

Middle phase:

Y1

• Geography - Rivers of the world – Global goal 6: Clean water and sanitation. Global goal 14: Life below water.
• PSHE - Mental health and well being - Global goal 3: Good health and well being. (Collaborate with CEIP Revello de Toro).

Y2

• Spanish Language and Culture
• Climate connection challenge – Global goal 13: To take action against climate change. (Collaborate with CEIP Revello de Toro).

Upper phase

Y1

• Science – Animals and their Habitats - Life on Land – Global goal 15: Life on land. (Collaborate with CEIP Revello de Toro).
• PSHE - Gender equality – Global goal 5: Gender equality. 

Y2

• Geography – Zero Waste(Collaborate with CEIP Revello de Toro)
• Spanish Language and Culture