TWO Northern Ireland schools have been honoured at Westminster in London this week in recognition of their work in international education.
Dunclug Primary School in Ballymena and Millburn Primary School in Coleraine were recognised at the UK Parliament after receiving the British Council’s International School Award, celebrating sustained international learning and global collaboration.
The award recognises schools that embed global learning across the curriculum and provide pupils with meaningful opportunities to engage with the wider world.
At Dunclug Primary School, international learning has become a core part of school life, supporting learning across subjects while promoting inclusion, cultural understanding and global citizenship. The school has developed a long-standing partnership with a school in Kenya, enabling pupils to collaborate with children overseas through shared projects, letter writing, video exchanges and joint curriculum activities.
These partnerships have helped pupils explore global issues such as climate, food security and wellbeing, while making direct connections between life in Northern Ireland and experiences elsewhere in the world. International learning at Dunclug also includes a strong focus on languages and cultural awareness, with pupils introduced to European languages including Spanish and French through classroom teaching, themed days and extracurricular clubs.
Speaking about the award, Dunclug Primary School Principal Alastair Beacom said: “This recognition at Westminster is a huge moment for our school community. International learning has become part of everyday life at Dunclug Primary, not an extra, and it has made a real impact here. Our pupils come from across the town and surrounding areas, and for many, this is the first time they are experiencing other cultures or ways of life.
“Through our partnerships with schools overseas, starting with our link in Kenya, pupils can compare their own classrooms and experiences with those of children across the world, learning about differences in climate, culture and daily life, while recognising the challenges and opportunities in their own community.
“International work has also opened opportunities to explore languages, helping pupils develop curiosity, confidence and communication skills. It isn’t just about learning about the world — it’s about seeing their place within it, building empathy, respect and a sense of global citizenship.
“I’m incredibly proud of our pupils and staff. To see the work they’ve done, the creativity and dedication they’ve shown recognised at the UK Parliamen.t shows what international education can achieve. It’s inspiring for the whole school and the wider community.”
At Millburn Primary School in Coleraine, international learning is also embedded across school life. Millburn is the only primary school in the UK to serve as a hub for the Confucius Institute, bringing Mandarin language learning and Chinese cultural education directly into the classroom. Pupils engage in lessons, workshops and celebrations, including Chinese New Year events, exploring global cultures in a hands-on way.
The school’s international programme also includes Spanish language teaching from primary four onwards, a Spanish club and collaborative links with schools in Germany and Spain. Through video calls, letters and postcards, pupils experience the purpose and excitement of learning languages while developing cross-cultural awareness and communication skills.
International Languages Co-ordinator Ian Gilchrist said: “It’s huge for us. It’s fantastic to be recognised at Westminster and to put Millburn on the map, but the real reason we do this is for the kids —- to give them the opportunity to see the world from the classroom, learn languages and gain confidence in new cultures.
“My principal, Sharon Lamont, and vice-principal Ruairi McClean have shown huge support for this work. Mrs Lamont has always had a clear vision of how the teaching of languages and exposure to cultures would be embedded throughout the school. It’s wonderful to see staff and pupils being recognised for all their dedication via the medium of this prestigious award.”
He added: “We pride ourselves on having confident, creative and curious pupils. It’s especially rewarding when ex-Millburn pupils return and tell us about the languages they’re continuing at post-primary level. Knowing we’ve helped create that love for languages, and seeing them succeed, makes you really proud.”
Holy Rosary Primary School in Belfast was also accredited with the British Council’s International School Award for its work in promoting internationalism across the curriculum. The school was recognised for activities including whole-school learning around Refugee Week, supporting pupils from refugee backgrounds, and sustained Mandarin language and Chinese cultural teaching, helping pupils develop empathy, cultural awareness and a global outlook.
Colm McGivern, Director, British Council Northern Ireland, said the schools’ work demonstrated the value of international education in developing confident, outward-looking young people.
He said: “These schools are excellent examples of how international learning can be meaningfully embedded across the curriculum. Their work goes beyond learning about other countries and focuses on building genuine connections that help pupils understand global issues in a practical and engaging way.
“By encouraging collaboration, cultural awareness and critical thinking, the schools are helping young people develop the skills and attitudes they need to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. This is exactly what the International School Award is designed to recognise.”
More than 6,000 International School Awards have been presented to schools across the UK since the scheme began in 1999.
To find out more about the award and how to take part, visit:
https://www.britishcouncil.org/school-resources/accreditation/international-school-award
The International School Award is one way that the British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and overseas through arts, education and English language teaching. To learn more about their work in Northern Ireland, visit https://www.britishcouncil.org/northern-ireland or follow on X, Instagram or Facebook.