AN ABERGAVENNY school taking part in a European Lifelong Learning programme recently welcomed representatives from five other countries to help develop and enhance their teaching.

Staff, pupils and parents of Deri View Primary School welcomed teachers from Romania, Turkey, Finland, Spain and Germany as part of the Comenius project.

Head teacher Maggie Teague and Acorn Centre joint manager Annette Melmoth, became partners in the Comenius programme two years ago and have themselves visited these countries. 

They were invited to be part of the project by the Munich Education Department following a visit in 2007 to talk to Early Years Educators on the work they have done on family learning. 

The visit to Deri View was part of the Comenius programme 'We Are All Special - Best Practice For Inclusion' which aims to share experiences about the inclusion of children with learning difficulties in main stream schools and classes  - something Deri View has excelled in.

Ms Teague said, "The whole community of Deri View looked forward to this visit, the children and staff as well as parents and governors."

From May 15 for one week, 15 teachers from the five countries visited Abergavenny staying at the Kings Head Hotel. 

Throughout the week, as well as observing teaching at Deri View they enjoyed a range of activities including  visits to Cardiff Bay, St Fagans and Big Pit.

They went on an Abergavenny history walk with the History Society, a ghost tour of Llanthony Priory and visited the Mayor's Parlour.

"The Romanian teachers were particularly honoured to be able to sit in  the Mayor's chair as this would not be allowed in Romania," said Mrs Teague. 

The feedback from the visitors about the Deri View visit has been positive with comments including, "We enjoyed staying at a local hotel in the centre of Abergavenny," "Don't want to go home," "Learned a lot about the Welsh educational system and changes to it," "Everybody treated us in a friendly, lovely, openhearted, time spending way!" "Being with parents and children together was good" "The town is more that we expected - the old buildings and streets are amazing" and "Hardworking staff."

Since Easter, Deri View  has had a Comenius assistant, Alice Volker from Hidenburg, Germany who is working with children and parents.

Alice has taught the  children about German culture and taught both children and parents a German song. 

Mrs Teague said, "We are hoping to maintain the links we have made with schools from our visits during the two years and bring an international dimension to our classrooms."

Speaking about the Comenius programme Mrs Melmoth said, "From visiting schools in these countries we have observed different teaching approaches, some of which we have implemented in the Acorn Centre and throughout the school. "

Deri View School and the Acorn Centre is the first school in Monmouthshire to be awarded British Council European Funding enabling it to be partners in a Comenius programme. 

An application is currently being processed to work with a school in Uganda on a Global Curriculum Project