AN APPERLEY Bridge school has been given a prestigious British Council award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.

Woodhouse Grove School has International links with ten schools in countries including China, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia. The links include school trips, individual pupil and teacher exchanges and web-based projects. At the beginning of 2015 a member of teaching staff spent six months at Newington College, Sydney and this summer Year 10 pupil Molly Leslie spent four weeks at Westminster School, Adelaide. Woodhouse Grove annually hosts pupils from Methodist College, Kowloon, Hong Kong and in 2014 a group of pupils visited Wuxi United International School in China. This week nine pupils from Xiaoshi High School, in Ningbo, China, are being hosted by the Apperley Bridge school.

Peter Lambert, Modern Languages Teacher and International Coordinator said: "We are delighted that The Grove has received this award which honours the efforts of many people over a number of years, who have striven to widen the horizons of our young people. Now our students can truly begin to have a view beyond the confines of the classroom, to develop their own sense of globalism and make their contribution to making the world a better and a safer place. We all knew that we were an international school, but now we have the proof and we look forward to telling everyone about it."

British Council Chief Executive, Sir Ciarán Devane praised the school's fantastic work, adding: "The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into their classrooms. Adding an international dimension to children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful future careers in an increasingly global economy."

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: "Young people must be at the heart of our work to create a safer and more prosperous world for everyone and we need to ensure their voices are heard if we are to win the fight against global poverty."

She added: "The International School Award is a great way of highlighting how young people have the potential to change things for the better. I’m sure that schools getting involved will be broadening the horizons of their students, which will not only help their careers but benefit their wider lives in the future."

Around 5,000 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.