Welsh schools honoured at Westminster

Jules Millward

Two Welsh schools have been honoured at Westminster in London this week in recognition of their work in international education.

St Martin’s School in Caerphilly and Ysgol Pum Heol in Llanelli were both recognised at the UK Parliament after receiving the British Council’s International School Award, celebrating sustained international learning and global collaboration. The awards were presented at Westminster by the schools’ respective MPs, Chris Evans, MP for Caerphilly, and Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli.

At St Martin’s School, pupils benefit from a curriculum that embeds international learning and global collaboration. The school’s work includes international partnerships in Spain and South Africa, giving pupils opportunities to work with students overseas on real-world challenges.

One of the projects recognised by the award involved St Martin’s pupils taking part in the British Council’s Learning Sectors programme, supported by Formula 1. Through the programme, pupils were partnered with Hoërskool Koffiefontein in South Africa’s Free State Province.

Students worked together to examine issues affecting their local communities. Pupils in South Africa highlighted problems with access to water, with the town receiving only three hours of supply a day due to ageing infrastructure.

The project was selected as one of the UK winners of the Learning Sectors challenge, earning St Martin’s pupils a behind-the-scenes visit to Silverstone, where they met Formula 1 engineers and explored how science, technology, engineering and maths are used in the sport.

Speaking about the project, Spanish teacher Francisco Lopez said: “Through the project, we got to know the reality of the school in South Africa, and what was very interesting was that we were able to establish parallels between their community and our own, with about a 30-year difference.

“Caerphilly is a community still trying to come to terms with what happened in the 1980s, when the mining industry disappeared and the whole community suffered. That is exactly what is happening to them now, but 30 years later.

“The programme succeeded in connecting two groups of pupils, separated by thousands of miles, who are living the same reality.

“What was even more interesting was that it was about bringing solutions to the problems they face – and that we face. It was very special to see my students get to know their reality and then try to apply knowledge they had acquired in the classroom to bring solutions. And the cherry on top was that we won and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Silverstone.”

Greater appreciation 

The school has also taken part in the Welsh Government’s Taith exchange programme, partnering with a secondary school in southern Spain. The partnership included exchange visits, letter writing between pupils and cross-curricular projects involving languages, science and food technology.

Francisco said: “When our pupils travelled to Spain, the aim was for them to understand a different education system. I often tell them they don’t always realise what they have here – facilities like a gym, sports pitches or a library – and I’m talking about Spain, a European country, not somewhere further afield.

“At first, they didn’t fully understand but seeing it for themselves changed that. They came back with a much greater appreciation of what they have.

“At the same time, when Spanish pupils visited us, they were completely amazed by our school – the gym, the facilities, even the kitchen where pupils can cook. It opened minds on both sides, and that’s exactly what international learning should do: help young people see the world, and themselves, differently.”

Llanelli’s Ysgol Pum Heol was also honoured at Westminster after receiving reaccreditation of the British Council’s International School Award, recognising the school’s ongoing commitment to internationalism.

The school has developed links with partner schools in Argentina, including the Patagonia region, as well as in Lesotho and South Africa.

One of the activities recognised through the award was a virtual sports exchange, where pupils shared popular games from each country. Activities included rugby in Wales, alongside football and traditional games played by pupils in Lesotho and Patagonia.

Huge honour

As part of the exchange, pupils also set fitness challenges for one another, encouraging physical activity while promoting teamwork and cross-cultural understanding.

Commenting on receiving the award at Westminster, Francisco said: “To have this work recognised at Westminster feels surreal. I was born in the south of Spain and I’ve never even been inside my own parliament in Madrid.

“To receive recognition from an institution like the UK Parliament, for work centred on cultural understanding, is a huge honour. But more than anything, it’s a testament to my students. I feel incredibly proud of them and deeply thankful – they’ve given me the opportunity to do something that means so much, both personally and professionally.”

Ruth Cocks, Director, British Council Wales, said the awards recognised the schools’ commitment to global learning.

She said: “The International School Award is a fabulous way to encourage and recognise a global outlook in our schools. The international work taking place at St Martin’s School and Ysgol Pum Heol shows what can happen when global learning is embedded in a meaningful and practical way.

“Through programmes such as Formula One Learning Sectors and Taith, pupils are not just learning about other countries – they are working collaboratively with young people overseas to understand shared challenges and think critically about solutions.

“What is particularly impressive is the way pupils have connected local issues in Wales with global contexts, developing empathy, problem-solving skills and a deeper understanding of the world around them. This is exactly what the International School Award is designed to recognise: sustained, high-quality international engagement that prepares young people for life and supports Wales’ national curriculum purpose of developing ethical, informed citizens of the world.”