As a community The School of the Lion is keen to encourage its students to be outward – looking and to broaden their experience to include other cultures.

SPAIN

In the last ten years the school has been able to send groups of Senior students to Spain on five occasions, mainly to the city of Badajoz in the region of Extremadura. The first of these groups, in 2001, was involved in open-air music and puppetry, and helped to lead a number of church meetings, including a large inter-denominational event in the city. On the second trip, in 2003, the students helped with community outreach and a youth event. They also put on a concert, which involved music, drama and puppetry, all performed in Spanish. On the third trip, a different group of Seniors went to Badajoz, and made new friends with the young people in the church, Comunidad Cristiana and also went out into the local plaza making friends with some of the local children there. The students also did some puppet and guitar workshops and encouraged the church through involvement in their Sunday meeting. All the trips were very successful in developing friendships with the Spanish and Colombians in Badajoz, as well as in improving the students’ language skills.  The fourth trip was again to Badajoz but also to a new location a little nearer Madrid, Navalmoral de la Mata.  Here the group linked up with former student Tim Steele who was working at a new language school that had been set up by the church, Vida Nueva.  As well as activities with the young people in the church our students helped at the language school again using puppet skills.

 

NETHERLANDS

In 2001, two Dutch teachers joined the staff of The School of the Lion on a part-time, voluntary basis. This was to be the beginning of an exciting cultural exchange with the Netherlands. A succession of student work placements from the two Hoornbeeck Colleges in the Netherlands followed, and in 2003 a group from the Jacobus Fruytier School in Apeldoorn visited The School of the Lion for four days. This trip was organised by the first of two Dutch teachers, both of whom came on a one-year secondment to The School of the Lion. The following year a 5-day return trip was arranged, during which the Gloucester students stayed with families and attended the Jacobus Fruytier School with their Dutch hosts. Further visits are likely to take place within the next few years.

Recognising the great value of visiting and working within other nations, The School of the Lion has actively encouraged individual students to make the most of opportunities for service abroad as part of their education. Students have already been able to work on projects alongside nationals in Uganda, Finland, Croatia, Australia, Brazil and Tajikistan.

This practical, outward focus is also reflected in the day-to-day activities of the school. Geography lessons and assemblies often incorporate visits from people who have worked in other countries. The school continues to enjoy strong missionary connections through the involvement of families from abroad and student placements from the Gloucester-based Redcliffe College.