In a climate where international travel has made all parts of the world more accessible, our role as educators is to help develop global citizens. The Towards the Olympics project enables our students to undertake meaningful exchanges with students in Hong Kong and Beijing, both through using technology and through international visits.

The Towards the Olympics project is particularly exciting. Firstly, we are a specialist sports college and have an interest in using sport as a way of engaging and challenging students. Secondly, the project establishes a community of learners which crosses international boundaries. Through this community our young people are able to experience different cultures and customs, including what it is like to be a student in another part of the world. Thirdly, the links between London and Beijing in the run-up to the Olympics in 2008 and 2012 creates an excellent common focus between the two countries.

How the links are developing

Queens’ has provided opportunities for students to converse with Chinese students via email to develop a better understanding of Chinese culture. We will also use video conferencing, thus making it a more real experience. Students are looking forward to visiting China, especially with the imminent Olympic Games as a focus, and are keen to learn new skills and sports.

Other examples of how our new link with China is enriching our students' experiences include the following:

• A group of year 9 students have prepared Olympic themed personal postcards to exchange with students in China.
• Students in the sixth form are being taught Mandarin as an extra-curricular club.
• Sixth form students follow a Leadership in Sport programme with a long tradition of developing volunteers and work. We have previously partnered schools in Africa to develop leaders, and hope to be able to support the development of sports leadership in China.
• To celebrate Chinese new year, our canteen served Chinese food for the week and school displays included Chinese images, lanterns, and information about which animals are associated with which years.
• Students interested in dance will take part in traditional Chinese dance for a day to develop new learning experiences, and take part in our link with schools in Hong Kong and Beijing.
• Some of our students will take part in the Towards the Olympics festival, held in Beijing in July 2007. Their student profiles will shortly be added to the Towards the Olympics online learning community.

At Queens’ we value not only the school curriculum, but the wider experiences that we are able to offer our students. We feel that Towards the Olympics is an exciting and interesting project which will enable our students to extend their horizons and explore China in an interactive way.

Sarah Palmer
Director of Learning, Queens' Sports College

Towards the Olympics participant schools

Chinese Schools

• Beijing Huija Private School
• Beijing Jinsong Vocational School
• Beijing No.57 School

English Schools

• Leigh City Technology College
• Queens' Sports College
• Wildern School