Indian Partnership

(SOS Wanadongri, Nagpur, India)

Following a successful bid application to the British Council, Thrupp Primary School staff and pupils have been working together with the School of Scholars, Wanadongri in Nagpur, India.

Thrupp School has had a partnership with SOS Wanadongri in Nagpur, India since 2012. The children have thoroughly enjoyed meeting the teachers from India and working on our joint projects. Please read on to find out more about more about our partnership and the reciprocal visits by staff from 2012 to 2015.

2015

After another successful bid to the British Council for funding, Mrs Jayasri Das Gupta visited Thrupp School for one week in June 2015. As part of our collaborative work, she looked specifically at what we were doing at Thrupp on Learning Powers, favourite stories and traditional sports games. Mrs Das Gupta thoroughly enjoyed her visit and went back to India with some wonderful memories and more knowledge of our education system.

In October half term, Mrs Pritchard visited SOS Wanadongri and shared work completed by Thrupp children on our joint projects. Most of her days were spent at our partner school (SOS Wanadongri). However, she also visited 3 other schools, including a pre-school with children aged from 2½ years old to 5 years.  Mrs Pritchard observed a variety of lessons in the different schools and led discussions with teaching staff about expectations of pupils and teachers. Other meetings and questions and answer sessions were also held with teachers, senior staff, pupils and a governor.

Due to the vast amount of languages spoken within the school population, nearly all lessons at the school are taught in English. I was asked to show the teachers how they could involve the children more in their lessons, particularly orally. As part of their staff development for teachers, Mrs Pritchard led a story telling session with a group of 40 to 50 six and seven year olds, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

During the course of the week, she also had the privilege of being taken to several of the teachers’ homes for an evening meal.  Mrs Pritchard said ‘It was wonderful to spend time with their families and get some first-hand experience of their family life and culture.’

2013

We were once again successful in our bid for further funding from the British Council. The funding is enabling our children to complete more joint projects, and for teachers from Thrupp and SOS Wanadongri to make reciprocal visits later this year.

Ms Anjali Untawale, a teacher from our partner school, The School of Scholars in Nagpur, came to Thrupp in June 2013 to work with us for a week. She spent some time in all of our classes, meeting the children and staff and experiencing daily life at Thrupp School.  She also attended meetings with our School Council, Eco Warriors and Governors.

Mrs Rogers, our Reception/Year 1 teacher, led the project work at Thrupp and visited India for 1 week in October. She shared photographs with the children and staff and passed on information about the wonderful experience she had. We had the pleasure of another teacher visiting us from SOS in late November. Ms Meera Puri was extremely complimentary about Thrupp School and our 'delightful' children.

2012

In 2012, Thrupp School had the privilege of joining 9 other schools from Gloucestershire to become part of a collaboration to work with schools in India. In June, we were delighted to welcome a group of teachers and Headteachers from several schools in and around Nagpur, India. This was the start of a wonderful partnership to help develop our children’s understanding of another culture. It was also an excellent opportunity for the staff to find out about the different teaching methodologies and curriculums.

In October, our Headteacher June Pritchard and After School Care Leader Marion Pitt, travelled to India with a delegation of teachers from the other 9 schools involved from Gloucestershire.  All of the teachers visiting partner schools in and around Nagpur had worked on several joint projects, including finding out about their contrasting localities. The visit was extremely successful and further projects were planned.

Chinese Immersion Week

Mrs Mylechreest has made several successful bids to take some of our Year 5 pupils away  in the Summer Holidays to experience a week of Chinese culture and language. It has provided a wonderful opportunity for the children to join pupils from schools all over the country, as they  immersed themselves in a Chinese experience they will never forget! The children who have been on the residential had an amazing time and used their new found knowledge to lead a Chinese Club once a week for other children at Thrupp.

Swiss Students

For the last 5 years, we have hosted students from a college in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland. 2 students spend two weeks in June at Thrupp School, as part of their work experience. They work in several of the classes; teaching the children about Switzerland and sharing stories and songs. We are looking forwarded to welcoming more students next year.