A Global Learning Journey: Our Partnership with Lourdes Central School, Mangalore

At Pilton Bluecoat Academy, we are committed to broadening horizons and building brighter futures through meaningful global connections. One of our most significant and long-standing international partnerships is with Lourdes Central School in Mangalore, India — a collaboration that has enriched both staff and pupil experiences for nearly a decade.

This partnership began in May 2015 through a Connecting Classrooms project led by Henry, the Global Lead at Lourdes. At the time, our Headteacher was working at Great Torrington C of E Primary School, where the initial collaboration saw pupils and staff from both countries come together to work on joint learning projects. These early exchanges — including reciprocal school visits — deepened cultural understanding, shaped professional development, and created lasting friendships.

When our Deputy Head became Headteacher here at Pilton Bluecoat Academy, the partnership evolved further. We even facilitated a pupil exchange programme, allowing children from both schools to visit each other’s countries — an experience that had a profound impact on their global awareness, confidence, and curiosity.

While the Covid-19 pandemic temporarily paused travel, our commitment to the partnership remained strong. Communication between staff continued via WhatsApp, email, and online meetings, allowing us to sustain the relationship and continue developing shared learning opportunities.

More recently, we have worked to embed the partnership more deeply into our curriculum. In the past year, staff from both schools have met virtually to shape a shared learning approach linked to curriculum themes. Our Year 6 pupils have connected through video calls, learning about one another’s festivals, traditions, identities, and cultures — bringing the world into the classroom in a truly personal and powerful way.

Looking ahead, we are developing a project-based learning programme for 2025–2026, aimed at further strengthening this global collaboration. We are also exploring a self-funded pupil exchange, which would provide another opportunity for children to experience life in a different cultural setting and develop as confident, empathetic global citizens.

Our partnership with Lourdes Central School continues to offer rich, real-world learning experiences that enhance the curriculum, promote global understanding, and nurture a sense of connectedness in an ever-changing world.