The International School Award (ISA) is a recognition from the British Council of a school’s commitment to fostering a commitment to embedding international and global citizenship awareness within the curriculum through innovation and collaborative work with a partner school.

Our school has achieved the ISA twice thanks to our dedication to embedding global learning within the curriculum and our partnership with Las Bethlemitas, Colombia and Fazaia Degree College, Pakistan.

We are thrilled to be able to share that we have just been awarded ISA Reaccreditation for 2021-2024! Notably, our assessors said:

“It is clear to see that Rise Park Primary continues to build and embed a real global learning ethos which is reflected in and informing long-term planning and policy – supported by a range of on-going international activities and initiatives that are developing active global citizenship skills, knowledge and understanding.  An international focus is embedded across the curriculum and in the teaching and learning experience for all. The school has partner schools in Colombia and Pakistan with whom, despite COVID, a range of interesting activities have taken place throughout the school year and which have been used as an effective vehicle with which to enable increased awareness of ways of life, cultures, language and experiences in the world, develop critical thinking skills and to explore wider active global citizenship issues. In terms of its Ambassadorial role, Rise Park Primary is pro-actively sharing outcomes of their international work widely and is enabling local colleagues to engage specifically with the International School Award through targeted ISA training sessions and support. An exemplary Impact Evaluation – congratulations on all your global learning work and achievements during what has been such a difficult year.”

Here’s a taster of some of our ISA activities from 2021, which contributed towards our Reaccreditation:

I am many, I am one – Riseparker self portrait project: For this activity, our pupils learned about what ‘culture’ is and the different elements that make us who we are. Each child completed a self portrait that reflected all the different elements that make up their personal identity. We shared them virtually with our partner schools and created a Rise Parker portrait exhibition. Our children enjoyed the opportunity to be creative and learn about other people’s heritage and culture.

“This activity expressed myself and it showed my uniqueness.” – Joel, Year 5

“Culture is what language, what food we eat, religion.” – Renee, Year 3

“I learned that everyone is unique.” – Emelia, Year 4

Sustainable Eating and Living: A key element of our school’s ethos is a commitment to sustainable living. From its inclusion in our ‘Rise Parker Goals’ (based on the UN global goals) to our Eco Monitors & Chicken Carers, looking after our planet for future generations is something which is taught & aspired to at Rise Park. Our whole-school curriculum therefore reflects a global perspective on sustainable living, including topics such as ‘Our environment’ (Year 2), Fair Trade (Year 3), Environmental issues (Year 4) and Rainforests and sustainability (Year 5), which supports our children’s development as global citizens as they continue their learning journey through school.

“Farmers need your help – it helps farmers if you buy Fair Trade.” – Yusuf, Year 3

“People are cutting down trees in the Amazon rainforest to farm for beef. This is wrong.” – Muhammed, Year 5

Languages and our community: Our whole school community took part in a cross-curricular Languages theme week in October 2020, which aimed to celebrate the languages spoken in our school community and linked to our curriculum topics. For more information about what happened during this week, please see our Theme Weeks page!

“We learned Polish because two people speak it in my year group.” – Ameilia, Year 3

“I enjoyed learning about Hungary because that is where our Teaching Assistant is from. I enjoyed learning about the dances with Mr. Jones.” Eleanor, Year 4

“I enjoyed making the ‘Hello’ bubbles for our posters around school.” – Laura, Year 5

“We learned about German language – Guten Tag! It was linked to our topic WWII.” – Abigail, Year 6

We are Changemakers: We acknowledge that our pupils are growing up in times of rapid change and that they have many big questions about what is happening in the world and their place within it. Our Changemakers activities foster conversations about different aspects of life in society and aspects of activism, stimulated by a range of media (including books, images, news clips, art and poems) so that our children have opportunities to look at the world from different perspectives and have the vocabulary to express their reflections on this. In Summer term, our children completed a homework project on a Changemaker of their choice and one of our Year 6’s recently presented his in a whole school assembly.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or how you have grown up, you can do anything if you believe in yourself and work hard.” – Lorenzo, Year 6