Lombeta Secondary School

Global Citizenship through the relationship of Holy Rood and Lombeta

Holy Rood and Lombeta Secondary

Since 2001, Holy Rood RC High School has been a proud partner of Lombeta High School in Tanzania. Staff and students from both schools benefit greatly from this partnership, exploring different cultures and gaining an opportunity to build positive relationships.

This is the link to our latest statement on Global Citizenship Education

When did partnership start?  

2001

 

Are other Edinburgh schools linked with schools in same part of Africa and do we work jointly on the partnerships?   

All our cluster primary schools have links in the same area. We do work together a fair bit, particularly in the run-up to and after exchange visits. Holy Rood pupils take greetings etc to the Tanzanian primaries and facilitate relationship between the primary schools.

 

Does the Partnership receive any funding? If so from what source(s)?

Usually CYEC grants towards airfares for exchange visits, although the future of this source of funding is uncertain.

 

Is the wider community in Edinburgh and in the African country involved in the partnership, e.g. church, Scouts, community groups?

The Twende Pamoja Trust supports all the partnerships.

Community and church involvement to some extent in fundraising efforts and post-exchange presentations.

Legho Village in Tanzania hosts exchange visit groups, living with families, prior to staying at Lombeta Secondary School.

 

Is the whole school involved in both countries or is it focused on a certain age group?

Whole school involved in partnership (UK and Tanzania).

Usually 16-18 year olds (S5/S6) travel on exchange visits from Holy Rood. Wider age range from Lombeta as pupils are generally older when they start secondary education.

Whole school is involved when exchange visitors are here (or there) – activities, presentations etc, although a smaller group have considerably more involvement (group from host school matched to visiting school for discussions etc).

Whole school are involved when pupils return from exchange visit – presentations, activities etc.

Some pen-pal letter writing activities between pupils lower down school.

Links between Lombeta Inc (enterprise projects) in Holy Rood and Lombeta.

 

Do staff spend time in each other’s schools as part of the partnership? How often?

So far, (apart from frequent visits by Mike Knox, former Depute Head) Holy Rood staff have only been out when accompanying pupil group, every 2-3 years. However, we have usually taken more than the minimum number of staff.

Several staff from Lombeta have visited Holy Rood, sometimes with pupils, sometimes without.

 

Do students spend time in each other’s schools as part of the partnership? How often?

Holy Rood à Lombeta: every 2-3 years (visits in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2011)

Lombeta à Holy Rood: Three groups have come across so far, most recently in June 2012.

 

What are the main activities of our partnership? (e.g. trip, joint curricular work, joint staff development)

Mostly focused around pupils so far – building relationship, sharing culture etc.

Have had some staff development work.

We are now starting to develop more joint projects and are looking at ways of embedding the relationship in the curriculum

 

Examples so far:

  • Nuclear Power debate
  • English/Social Subjects booklets about our school local area/Lombeta video about their school and Local Area.
  • Eco-Schools joint project on ‘Energy’
  • Olympics project.
  • Lombeta Inc/Enterprise projects to support the relationship.

 

Does any fundraising take place within our partnership? If so, who decides what to fundraise for and how to do it?

Fundraising for visits.

Small-scale pupil enterprise projects both schools.

Fundraising for pupil support fund in Lombeta.

Some support for Lombeta staff needs from Holy Rood.

Most fundraising agreed by both schools and focused on relationship not charity, but Holy Rood have responded to some particular needs, e.g. the pupil support fund.

Holy Rood exchange visit groups plan there group fundraising with support from trip leader.

 

What if anything are the barriers in the way of sustaining our partnerships?

Visa issues in bringing Lombeta staff and pupils across.

Conflicting demands on resources and particularly time (both staff time and curriculum time).

Raising sufficient funds.

Twende Pamoja

The fundamental purpose of Twende Pamoja is to promote the development of a global vision in the context of relationship between communities, schools and places of learning in Tanzania and Scotland.

Mr. Mike Knox Has been a crucial to our partnership with Lombeta High School since its start in 2001.
In the space below is a link to his blog, as well as regular updates on his activities for staff and parents.

Twende Pamoja Magazine

This is the first of an occasional magazine Mr Knox and his team are producing in an online format.

Mike Knox Blog ‘3 Months around Kilimanjaro’

Mr Knox is writing a blog and posting pictures and regular reflections on his experiences.

Twende Pamoja Web site

There are now a number of film links on the website. If you click on the About button you can see a history of the relationships from 1983 to 2007. From 2007 to the present will be coming in the new year. If you click on the Edinburgh Festival button you can see a number of films from the Two Volcanoes Edinburgh Festival week we ran. There is an overview film and then the full conversations with Fr Gerry Hughes SJ with Kieran and Liam Hurley, 3 Women Approaching 60 and then 3 Men Approaching 60.