Swindon’s Lawn Manor Academy is being taken to Germany as an exemplar of the British education system thanks to the UK-German Connection programme, a prestigious bilateral initiative aimed at strengthening relationships and mutual understanding between young people in the United Kingdom and Germany and to foster international partnerships in education.
The school has hosted a visit from Jeannette Thurner, a Headteacher from a Primary School in Augustusburg, near Chemnitz, eastern Germany. During her time at Lawn Manor Academy, Jeanette has shadowed Sarah Smith, Head of Design and Technology, to learn more about the practical aspects of education in the UK.
Jeannette explained: “It has been a very interesting and inspiring experience for me to visit Lawn Manor Academy. I have been impressed by how well organised the school is and by the positive atmosphere throughout. The pupils have been welcoming and engaged, and I have enjoyed observing a wide range of subjects including English, maths, art, graphics, cookery, drama, dance and Spanish.
“I have particularly valued the opportunity to learn about the school’s approaches to behaviour management, inclusion and classroom practice. The systems are structured and consistent, creating a calm and supportive environment for learning.
“I will take many ideas back with me, and as a headteacher in Germany I’m in a good position to make changes from what I’ve learnt here at Lawn Manor Academy. Things including exploring opportunities to introduce cookery lessons, start English lessons at an earlier age, and to consider how we support pupils who join us and need to learn German, especially those from refugee backgrounds. This visit has given me many positive ideas for future development, and I am very grateful to Lawn Manor Academy and Sarah for making me feel so welcome throughout my stay.”
Lawn Manor Academy Headteacher Russell Langdown added: “We are proud to be part of the UK-German Connection programme and to host Jeannette for three weeks to give her a real insight into education in the UK. This experience has not only given our pupils the chance to learn more about school life in Germany, but it has provided valuable professional development opportunities for our team and enabled us to make a difference to education on an international scale. Taking part in the programme has allowed us to further reinforce our commitment to building an inclusive, outward-looking school community.”
Lawn Manor Academy is part of the Ascend Learning Trust. For more information, visit www.lawnmanor.org.
