COMENIUS Project

Hermitage Academy has recently become linked with 3 other schools in Europe and is participating in a project funded, in part, by the EU.  The project is called COMENIUS and our particular focus is upon how sport is promoted amongst the young people in the four countries involved. 

Our partner schools are: 

Robert-Schumann-Gymnasium, Leipzig, Germany

www.robert-schumann-gymnasium-leipzig.de

Bryne Vidaregaande Skule, Bryne, Norway

www.bryne.vgs.no

Gymnasium Frantiska Palackeho, Neratovice, Czech Republic

www.gfp.cz

 The project is one which will involve staff and pupils visiting our partner schools to discover how sport is promoted amongst their young people.  Pupils will have the opportunity to observe, to participate and to learn.  They will be offered the chance to pick up some basic Norwegian, Czech and German.  Each school will focus on particular sports popular in their locality.  Football will be a common sport in each place with Hermitage focussing on sailing and golf.  In Germany the emphasis will be on swimming and athletics, in Norway on skiing and in the Czech Republic the sports looked at will be ice hockey and skating.  The hope is that 6 pupils will visit each of the schools involved in the project which lasts for 2 years.  ICT skills will play a big part in the project with pupils becoming involved in film making, making digital recordings as well as improving their outlook and experiences of life in a variety of different locations in Europe.  Mr Urquhart and Mr Urie are the contacts for this project in school.  It is currently open to pupils in S6 and possibly S5.  More details to follow…!! 

 Other trips and visits

 Over the last few years there have been visits and trips for a variety of year groups to a variety of places.  Recent destinations have included ~ Paris, Barcelona, Florence & Rome.  Towards the end of this year there are trips planned to Madrid and Andalucía. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, run by Miss Harwood, has recently gone on expedition to Morocco and is planning a trip to the south of Spain (the Sierra Nevada).

 Mr Urquhart (Modern Languages) has run lunchtime classes in both Spanish and Italian so that pupils have a basic knowledge of the language prior to embarking upon their trip!