Stringer International
International Dimension
- Cameroon Project: Supported by Global Schools Partnership grants. Linking Stringer with Lycee Classique de Kaele since 2005. A Partnership Agreement has been drawn up between two schools outlining cooperation in five curriculum areas (MFL, Geography, Art and Design, History and Sport). Reciprocal visits have taken place since January 2006. Stringer's Head of Geography visited Cameroon in Jan 2006, and deputy headteacher from Cameroon visited us in May 2007. Two teachers from Stringer visited Cameroon in 2009, followed by Stringer hosting another two Cameroonian teachers in 2010. Reciprocal visits are due to continue through to 2011. The visits allow for curriculum development and activities in both partnership schools. Pupils at Dorothy Stringer have become pen-pals with Cameroonians, photo diaries have been exchanged and Cameroon has become part of the curriculum in Humanities subjects. Cafe Cameroon, a weekly Fairtrade cafe in the staff room at Dorothy Stringer supports a full-time Librarian for the Lycee. The third annual Cameroon and West Africa Evening took place at Dorothy Stringer in April 2010, this community event celebrates Stringer's strong ties with West Africa and includes guest musicians. Teachers from Dorothy Stringer visit local primary schools to give talks and share their experiences about 'Africa in Miniature'. Cameroon and West Africa was our theme for Children's Parade at Brighton Festival in 2008. The link is also celebrated with numerous displays around the school.
- Ghana Project: Initially 19 pupils from Stringer visited Ghana for 11 days in Feb 2008. This trip now happens every February and the fourth trip will go during February 2011, when 23 pupils will visit. Over this time the Dorothy Stringer High School has forged links with a range of different organisations and we are delighted by the rapid progress made with our link school Manya Krobo and the village of Tortibo. Our pupils have undertaken joint curriculum work with their Ghanaian counterparts on biodiversity, energy use and sport. We are greatly excited about a request from our colleagues at Manya Krobo to develop drama as a common theme of interest to both cultures. Our recent charity work has helped supply equipment to increase the agricultural production in the village of Boyem, Techiman and provide drinking water to the village of Tortibo, Akosombo.
- Global Work Across Curriculum: Substantial work involving an international element is taking place in twelve different areas of the curriculum.
- International School Award: Stringer received this award in 2007 from the DCSF/British Council, in recognition of "the huge variety of international projects embedded in the curriculum". During the course of the year, thirty four different international activities were taking place within the school. Stringer now has "sustainable and ongoing" links with schools in 11 different European countries, as well as in Cameroon, Ghana, Nepal and the USA. We believe strongly that young people should be given opportunities to broaden their horizons so that they see themselves as global citizens.
- Interreg IVA Project: 'Education-Enterprise-Prosperity', supported by European Regional Development Fund, linking Stringer with Institution St. Joseph in Le Havre, France. Now in its eight year. Facilitates pupil trips and exchanges between two schools. Over 200 Stringer pupils per year travel to Normandy, and approximately 20 Stringer staff for professional seminars with their French counterparts. Pupil trips and exchanges in different curriculum areas (Modern Languages, Music, History, Sport, Art, Business Studies). Pupils meet their partners via videoconferencing prior to trips. A new Interreg project is planned involving four schools, two from France, including our current partner St Joseph, and two from Brighton.
- School Trips: Trips across numerous departments to Le Havre in France as part of the Interreg Project 'Education-Enterprise-Prosperity'. Apart from the Interreg supported trips to France, other international school trips taking place this year are: Business trip to Euro Disney; History trips to Ypres in Belgium and Berlin; German, French and Spanish exchanges; a Year 8 trip to Italy and a Year 10 trip to Spain; Skiing trip and trip to partner school in Ghana.
- BISS: Brighton International Summer School is a private English Language School based at Dorothy Stringer. It brings school groups from many different countries from around the world to Stringer for short 'integrated' study programmes. We believe such visits are of great cultural and educational benefit to our own pupils as well as to our overseas guests. BISS is accredited by the British Council.
