The latest re-accreditation comes as St Peter’s celebrates 17 years of its partnership with Shea O’Connor Combined School in South Africa, a relationship that began in 2009 through the British Council’s International Inspiration programme.

Since that first visit to South Africa, students, teachers and school leaders from both schools have worked together on an extraordinary range of projects — from teacher exchanges and international video calls to fundraising initiatives, educational resources, an adventure playground, e-learning provision and, most recently, solar panels for Shea O’Connor School.

The British Council International School Award was established in 1999 and recognises schools that embed international learning and collaboration into their educational work. 

The partnership with Shea O’Connor has been at the heart of that international journey. Over 17 years, the relationship has provided opportunities for staff and students to experience education from an international perspective and to develop friendships and understanding across continents. It has included regular video calls, international teaching exchanges and visits in both directions.

The partnership has also resulted in significant practical support. St Peter’s students donated more than 2,000 items of school uniform in 2016, while fundraising in 2017 helped Shea O’Connor introduce an e-learning service to support Mathematics. In 2020, the partnership funded an adventure playground for the school’s Primary phase, followed in 2021 by funding for an Eduhelper. In 2023, the partnership supported the installation of solar panels at Shea O’Connor School, adding a major sustainability project to the many years of educational and community collaboration.

Ben Doyle, Headteacher, said:

We are delighted that St Peter’s has once again been accredited with the International School Award. This recognises the dedication of our staff, students and partner schools to bringing an international dimension to learning. Through partnerships such as our link with Shea O’Connor School in South Africa, our students develop friendships, broaden their understanding of the world and explore challenges we share. These experiences bring our school values to life, encouraging young people to approach other cultures with curiosity and respect, and to recognise the contribution they can make locally and globally.

Since the partnership began, the relationship between St Peter’s and Shea O’Connor continues to demonstrate the value of international education: creating opportunities to learn from one another, developing understanding of different communities and cultures, and working together to make a practical difference.

As we celebrate our fourth International School Award, we look forward to continuing this remarkable partnership and finding new ways for students and staff in Bournemouth and South Africa to learn, collaborate and grow together.