Budehaven Community School acquired funding through the Global School Partnership Programme (GSP) to develop a three year exchange programme with a school in Africa.
The school has been linked with Assossa General Secondary and Preparatory School, Ethiopia. Two members of staff from the high school in Assossa visited Bude in October 2007 and met staff and students, observing lessons as well as exploring the local area.
In May 2008 Mr David Sellars, Deputy Head of Budehaven Community School and Mrs Denise May, Director of Sport visited the school in Assossa to finalise the plans for the next two years of the exchange programme.
The Global School Partnership allows secondary schools to implement a mutually agreed partnership plan which will focus on using sport to achieve positive social and educational change in both the schools and their wider community. Developments are progressing through citizenship, sports leadership and sharing teaching and learning styles.
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Following the return of Mr Sellars and Mrs May, Budehaven students have learnt, through presentations and assemblies, just how different life is in Ethiopia.
Assossa High School has 3,245 students and only 70 teachers! There are between 70-120 students per lesson, timetabled in two shifts — morning and afternoon. Some children walk for two hours just to get to school.
PE kit and equipment has been sent to Assossa; some students and teachers donated their football shirts; pen pals have been established and fundraising has started in earnest.
Budehaven School is now in a position to offer a once in a lifetime opportunity of taking six/eight students to Assossa in February 2009. This will be a fantastic adventure and memorable learning experience for them all.
Students must be in Year 10, 11 or 12 and be determined and dedicated enough to raise £300 themselves towards the cost of the trip. Budehaven Community School, as a whole, will continue to be busy fundraising to cover the extra costs.
Over £1,000 has been raised already by sponsored walks, swims, a nail bar treatment set up in school, selling cakes etc. They even have their own 'Blue Peter look-alike Totaliser' displayed in reception so they can all see just how much money is being raised (and how much further they have to go)!
Mrs Denise May, Director of Sport at Budehaven commented: "This is such a great opportunity for our students, please support us either by donating or helping with the fundraising campaign. This gives Budehaven the chance to develop an international link which will hopefully flourish and be of mutual benefit to all.
"The students have written letters and will also have to be interviewed as part of the selection process.
"During the visit, the Budehaven and Assossa students will jointly plan and deliver a sports festival at a local primary school. They will also link in with the Assossa student groups, which have been established as part of this partnership, including a girls club, an environmental club, a cultural club, an English writing club and a sports club.
"On their return, the students will be sharing their experiences in assemblies and presentations in lessons, so that other students can have a greater insight into global issues. Alongside the students, staff from Budehaven will be working with the Assossa High School staff developing shared resources and enhancing teaching and learning styles. This will clearly be an amazing opportunity to further develop our International link and help."