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About the school
Holme Grange School is a small all-through independent co-educational school in semi-rural Wokingham, Berkshire, an hour south of London. Entry starts at 3 months, with a new merger with Holly Cottage Nursery, and goes up to 16 years old. The school currently has over 650 students from a variety of backgrounds, with around 40 nationalities represented. The majority are white British families and most live in the surrounding area.
Students experience a warm, nurturing atmosphere alongside challenging academic targets, benefitting from a small onsite farm, outdoor learning, free roaming peacocks and a therapy dog. In addition, our Accelerated Learning Centre works alongside classroom teachers to support children who are struggling either academically or pastorally, providing small group or 1 to 1 sessions to help students.
Main challenges
Global and cultural awareness is moderate in the school and mainly limited to a small network of local contacts or learned knowledge. While students exhibit good awareness of diversity and the need to become a global citizen, many do not experience this as an immersive experience with other cultures. We believe that the opportunity to connect, communicate and co-operate with students in other cultures will enhance their global citizenship through lived experience
We also have a small uptake of languages at GCSE, and believe that through interaction with other cultures and the opportunity to practise their language skills at a senior level, students will enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to study a language further.
Why global education is important to Holme Grange School
In an increasingly interconnected world, our school has a huge focus on developing skills, knowledge, values and attitudes outside of academia to support our students in becoming global citizens. We seek to challenge intellectual curiosity in a wide variety of areas, and are aiming for wider cultural awareness and appreciation to be included in this.
Aspirations for the new international school partnerships
We desire for our students to be enriched by global awareness and interaction to prepare them to be responsible global citizens of the future. We have good links with locations in Europe and a charitable connection with a school in Kenya. As such, we wanted to develop our student’s cultural awareness outside of what they are already exposed to.
We are interested in exploring how other cultures blend tradition with modernity within their education and their daily lives. We have chosen to look to East Asia and to Mexico as great examples of cultures that balance and educate students on the two, and who show the importance of celebrating culture.
Aims for the Global School Transformation programme
We aim to support our students in becoming responsible global citizens who have a broad understanding and awareness of the world around them.
We would like to develop communication skills in our students through interaction with other countries. We feel it is important for young people to be able to communicate effectively in an ever-shrinking world, and provide opportunities for the development of skills necessary for life as a global citizen.
We would like to strengthen students understanding of cultures aside from their own through immersive experiences. Respecting others is key, and being able to understand, appreciate and celebrate diversity is a value we would like to leave a lasting impact on our students.
How the GSA and their programme will benefit Holme Grange School
Having the connections and a space to communicate through the GSA provides invaluable opportunities for engagement beyond what is already pursued. We are looking at destinations far outside where we would normally experience with our students and are confident that the experts from the GSA are perfectly suited to support with this.
Having the connections and a space to communicate through the GSA provides invaluable opportunities for engagement beyond what is already pursued.
Feedback from Teachers
Business Teacher – “This is a great opportunity to expand the thinking and awareness of our students in terms of different people and cultures from around the world. It will support them in being empathetic, accountable and inspiring people of the future.”
Feedback from Pupils
“I’m interested to meet new people in different countries to learn about their culture and their history first hand.”
“I really want to find out what other people our age are like around the world and what they are interested in.”
