CHILDREN at St Peter’s School in Wrecclesham added an international dimension to their Christmas celebrations this year by exchanging handmade decorations with children across eight European countries.

The countries involved were Spain, Portugal, Poland, Greece, The Netherlands, Italy, Romania and another British school.

Deputy head Sarah Marshall said: “Earlier this year we joined the British Council’s ‘etwinning’ programme which promotes collaborative learning across Europe.

“The children have loved both waiting for the decorations to arrive and seeing their own decorations hanging on trees across Europe.”

St Peter’s has gained the intermediate level of the British Council’s International School Award which celebrates the school’s achievements in adding a global dimension to learning.

Stephen Hull, senior project manager at the British Council, said: “St Peter’s dedication to internationalism enriches the curriculum: collaborative projects with schools abroad encourage children to be globally aware and staff have opportunities to share practice.”

Mrs Marshall added: “We have just secured French pen-pals for 190 children in the school. This is an exciting initiative which will enable children to communicate directly with a French child and give a real purpose to their learning.”