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About the European Award for Languages | 2006 winners |
Sally Riley, Primary Languages Co-ordinator at Oughtrington Community Primary School only decided to apply with the World of books project at the last minute. Here she talks about her experience as a European Award for Languages winner.
I applied for the Award at the last minute if truth be told because our project had been up and running for a couple of years and had not been started to win any awards, but because of a love of languages within the school and a personal passion for children learning languages through familiar stories.
‘I didn't really think we'd hear anything’
Janet Lloyd our Primary Languages advisor mentioned the Award at a Warrington primary languages meeting earlier in the year and I took a CILT leaflet. It wasn't until the day before the deadline for entries that I finally put a submission together thinking well why not, other people might be interested in the work we are doing at Oughtrington, but I didn't really think we'd hear anything.
‘The children loved the idea that we could win’
We were therefore thrilled but very nervous to hear that the judges had decided to visit us and Brian Page, the chair of the judging panel came along. The children were just as pleased to show him our work as I was. As it was the end of the school year we had lots of good work to share and the children loved the idea that we could win a competition.
To actually win the award was fantastic. The award ceremony was a memorable experience which both the head and I will treasure. We were made to feel very special as individuals and the work we are doing was clearly valued.
‘We hope to develop primary language story bags’
Since the award ceremony, the language work continues and new books are included where appropriate. We hope to develop primary language story bags with toys, puppets and CD's to use with our books so that specialist or non specialist primary language teachers could include stories in their work.
‘Have a go!’
I would say, have a go! Apply! The projects we saw were many and varied and yours might just be next years special one! There is nothing to lose and a wonderful experience to be gained. It has been both a celebration and an affirmation of the work we do here, which is not only enjoyable and useful to us, but could be to other primary language teachers as well.
Sally Riley
Oughtrington Community Primary School
