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INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION
AT CLEVES
We are all global citizens and the international aspect at Cleves is an important one. We need to interact with other countries and cultures in order to understand how they work. This promotes tolerance one of our core values.
Children need to know that the school 'experience' is not the same for everyone. Thorough learning to operate successfully in the school, local and national communities they will acquire the skills needed to work in the international community, and to make a difference in that community.
Click here to find our more about Cleves Community Cohesion Policy
Read on to see some of the opportunities we offer at Cleves
International Staff
Currently we are hosting two teachers from the United States taking part in the Fulbright Exchange Programme run by the British Council and two of our teachers are currently teaching in their schools in the US! Find out a little about them below:
In addition Miss Dodman formerly head of year 3 is working for VSO - Voluntary Services Overseas in Pakistan. We have kept in contact with her and have regular updates - you can catch up with her by contacting her on her blog see below
Recent International Activities include:
Year 3 and Year 6 Steel Pan players visited by players from Tobago
To find out more click here
Access to the AfroFrench Dance Project - click here
Listen/watch some 'Behind Scenes' Interviews with the Afro French Club
click here
Football Kits for Mumbai - click here
Languages at Cleves
French
Learning a Language is fun!
The best way to get children involved in learning a language is to make it fun.
Our French lessons are based on the KS2 Framework for Languages. Most French lessons include 4 different Multiple Intelligences minimum (Linguistic, Musical, Kinaesthetic and Visual and spatial) and the 5Rs. Each lesson is topic based and right form Year 3, children learn to talk about themselves in French. We use the software “Petit Pont” where there are a lot of interactive topic based activities (children get to listen, read, see, type , touch the board). It is a really effective way of learning languages as it addresses different learning styles and follow the KS2 Language framework.
We do a lot of pair and team games to get children to listen attentively and speak French. Once a term, Year 6 participate in a “French speaking adventure”, using their imagination they pretend to be in France and have to complete a task using only the French.
Whenever possible we try to link our French lessons with the general curriculum or do some cross-curricular activities. For example Year 5 working on the decades are watching and working on some French cartoons from the 80’s.
Any special days in the calendar are used to celebrate languages or to raise cultural awareness.
This year 2009, Cleves children celebrated the European Day of languages (26th September) by dancing and singing a song from High School Musical in French. Children from a different language background also became teachers for a few minutes and taught other children how to say simple words in their language. The week preceeding Valentine’s day, Year 6 learnt about “Paris, romantic city” and built their own Eiffel tower”.
Three new clubs opened this year and there are more to come!
The French Musical Club ( Year 4/5) and the French Music Academy ( Year 6) : both clubs are working on a French song, learning the words and adding some dance moves, turning it into a Musical. The Afro-French Dance project (Year 5/6): children learnt about African-French countries, recording evidences in a folder and learn some African-French dance moves. All three clubs are preparing a performance for Global Awareness Week.
On sunny days, children get to have their French lessons outside, playing some French games or using the environment to learn a new topic. Year 6 get to swap their French lessons with some Spanish lessons and experience another language.
More than just teaching French, we teach children to love and learn languages!
Residential Trips
Netherlands
For the past 5 years we have taken a group of up to 70 footballers - girls and boys to the Netherlands to take part in the 'Amsterdam Cup'.
The Tournament
The year 2009 marks the 11th annual Amsterdam Cup. This year a total of between 160 and 200 teams from different countries (especially Holland and the United Kingdom) will be accepted to participate. The tournament is open to all teams that are members of their F.I.F.A. affiliated national associations.
Where we stay
We stay in or near Harlem the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland. The city is located on the river Spaarne, about 20 km west of Amsterdam and near the coastal dunes.
As well as taking part in the competition we visit the Ajax stadium and have a day at the Efteling theme park.
Italy
Each year pupils from Cleves undertakes a European music Tour. The first tour, in 2003 was to Belgium where the Chamber Choir gave concerts in churches and at a senior citizens’ home.
Since 2004 the tours have been to the Val di Sole area of Northern Italy and have involved all Cleves music groups including the Chamber Choir, Steel Pan Band and Orchestra. To find our more about this trip click here.
French Exchange
Cleves has a link with a French multilingual school, Ecole Ombrosa in Lyons. Each year the French children visit England and stay with host families at Cleves for three weeks.
The visit is always during term time and the French children are happy to take part in their host family’s everyday activities, including going to school at Cleves.
There is an opportunity for the English children to make a return visit to Lyons. Over the years numerous friendships have been formed between Cleves children and the French children. To find out more about Ecole Ombrosa click here and about the Exchange trip click here
French Trip to Opal Coast
Year 6 Trip to France is a great opportunity for children to practice all the French they have learnt in a real situation as well as dealing with the French culture first-hand. Visiting the Opal coast, Children take part in different activities such as: Visit to Nausicaa sea life centre, a snail farm, a bakery, a chocolate factory, a French Market and sand yachting.
Extra Curricular Activities
Mandarin
Cleves Mandarin Club meets once a week after school, currently on Tuesday between 3.30-5.00pm with the aim of introducing children to Chinese culture, history and language. At the end of the one year course they should also be able to give appropriate greetings, introduce themselves and their families, describe their likes and dislikes and hold short conversations in Mandarin. Most of the lessons will use the 'pin yin' system of romanisation as used in the Peoples Republic of China, but pupils will be introduced to the basic rules for writing Chinese characters and will be expected to memorise some of the simpler and more common ones. The course should be an ideal 'ground beaker' for those who may wish to go on to study Chinese at secondary school.
Throughout the year we also learn about and celebrate, (usually with food!), the various festivals of the Chinese lunar calendar.
During the course pupils build up a folder of their work, which they can decorate and illustrate with Chinese images and artwork, the best folder winning a prize at the end of the year.
Spanish - El Club Espanol
Run after school every Wednesday this club is one of over 4000 groups run nationally. By starting Spanish at an early age, children gain confidence in expressing themselves and develop an ear for languages, which is more difficult in later life. The club provides a chance for children to learn about the culture of spain as well as how to converse confidently and with a good accent while having fun at the same time.
French - Le Club Francais
Run after school every Monday this club offers small informal club sessions where children learn through verbal and physical participation. With plenty of variety and lively games to stimulate children's natural enthusiasm for language and communication - the aim is for children to communicate naturally and spontaneously in french and to encourage a good accent and a wide everyday vocabulary.
French Music Academy
This Spring Term 2009 a 'French Music Academy' has been opened for Year 6 every Wednesday Lunchtime.
The name “French Music Academy” has been taken from 'Star Academy' a French TV program where a few young people live together while learning: dancing, singing and drama. The children will be learning a French pop song, turning in into a Musical performance adding some Drama and Dance Move.
At the end of term, the group will be performing along with the French Musical Club (Yr4/5) & Afro-French Dance Project (Yr5/6) during a French Musical Assembly and on 1st April 2009 during the Global awareness performance.
French Musical Club
This Spring Term 2009 a group of Yr 4 & 5 pupils are taking part in the French Musical Club, every Tuesday Lunchtime. They are learning a French song which tells a story, adding some dance move and drama.
The French Musical Club will be performing on the 1st April 2009
At the end of term, the group will be performing along with the French Music Academy (Yr6) and Afro- French Dance Project (Yr 5 & 6) during a French Musical Assembly and on 1st April 2009 during the Global awareness performance.
Afro French Dance Project
This Spring Term 2009, a group of Yr 5 & 6 pupils are participating in a project called 'Afro-French Dance Project' every Friday after school 3.30-5.00pm. The session is divided into two separate parts.
Part 1 (30 mins): Children learn about the African-French countries in a fun way and collect evidence in a folder. Pictures of children dancing are taken and included in their folder and children are asked to record their feelings about the whole project.
Part 2 (1h): Children attend an Afro-French Dance class which consists of
Warm-up / learning the moves/ Practicing the choreography for a performance.
During this dance class, simple instructions are given in French so children can still learn some French along the way. (eg. “Tournez la tête” = “Turn your head”)
At the end of term, the group will be performing along with the French Musical Club (Yr4/5) & French Music Academy (Yr5/6) during a French Musical Assembly and on 1st April 2009 during the Global awareness performance.
Great News - we are now corresponding with some penpals on the Island of la Reunion in the Indian Ocean!
Ecole Jean Baptiste Bossard
7 rue Lacroix
97490 Sainte Clotilde
La Réunion.
The name of the teacher is : Madame Christine Gerbandier and here is a picture of her class (pdf)
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