WANBOROUGH Primary School have partnered with French school Ecole Du Lac, near Poitiers, for a project that has seen them awarded more than £57,000.

The schools were successful in an Erasmus+ application made to the British Council and European Union for funding for their proposed Let’s All Grow Together project, which will run for the next two years.

The project has four aims: improving knowledge of mental health; developing and embedding a positive Growth Mind Set Culture in both schools; acquiring and applying new language skills; and appreciating and experiencing other cultures.

Wanborough headteacher Andrew Drury has been involved with the Erasmus+ programme for the last three years. It was when he was attending a seminar in Cardiff that he decided his school would apply for this.

He said: “To have two schools working together to give children an opportunity like this is excellent.

“It is already turning out to be a great process which involves everyone from parents, staff and pupils.

“I would highly recommend all schools getting involved with this and I cannot wait to the results over the next two years.”

Although to be able to participate in the project you have to have at least two schools.

Prior to this application the schools have collaborated on a number of smaller e-twinning projects, recently winning a Project Quality Label for a book project.

Over the past five years pupils from both schools have visited each other in their countries – part of the funding they have received from the project will go towards funding this.

The primary schools developed their relationship after advisors Pam Hook and Barbara Richards met each other at an event, they haven’t looked back since.

Last week Wanborough had already began working on delivering one of the project’s aims.

The children, staff and parents were working on growth mindset with Tim Hall from BeGo Coaching and Training. This also focused on the importance of team work, and together they built teepees, learnt how to juggle and learned magic tricks.

Mr Drury added: “This has not only been great fun but also very thought provoking on how we all approach tasks individually and within teams, developing strategies to bring out the best outcomes in everybody and understanding that positive and successful outcomes come from effort.”

In the new year all stakeholders will be learning about mindfulness with the children taking part in yoga classes for 6 weeks for six weeks.

And in support of the language and cultural aims The funding will help subsidise the annual Year 6 French trips for 2019 and 2020. Their French partners will be visiting Wanborough for a week in March 2019.