About Us

The linking originated in January 2001 when the British Council in Mexico City began to develop an Interactive Citizenship and Human Rights Project. The aim was to link 20 Secondary Technical Schools in Mexico City with 20 secondary schools in UK.

The UVHS Philosophy Club had begun in spring 2001 and it was looking to develop a link with a South American country where P4C (Philosophy for Children) was strong. In September 2001, the UVHS Philosophy Club was invited to join a project initiated by the British Council and it soon began contact with Mexico.

Through the autumn of 2001, Pat Hannam began to make contact with three teachers in Secundaria Tecnica #44 'Francisco Villa' in Mexico City. The project at the Mexican end had a great deal of support and teacher training through the British Council in Mexico City. There was high Kudos for the Mexican schools chosen to participate. Only the best schools and most highly attaining students were initially invited to take part.

Our link school ‘Secundaria Tecnica #44-Francisco Villa’ is a 11-15 State Junior High School located in a poorer area of Mexico City.

The UVHS – Secundaria Tecnica #44 Link is now well recognised as being a successful and well-sustained school linking project. This has happened over the past 4 years due to the commitment of students, parents and teachers involved in the linking. Case studies about our link have been used in several British Council and DfES documents. It has been featured in the local media and in the Times Educational Supplement. Students and teachers regularly make presentations and offer workshops.

The linking now has two clear aspects.

First is the regular meeting of a committed group of students who have linking partners in Mexico. Right now, a group of mostly year 10 students, some of which travelled to Mexico City in October 2005 and 2003, meet on Wednesday lunchtimes. A new group of year 8 students to be brought into the linking, and will meet for the first half of the term on Thursdays. Both groups share discussion, enquiries and issues of shared interest between the linking schools.

Second is the embedding of the linking into curriculum of both schools. This development work forms the heart of the British Council Curriculum Development Award. History, Geography, Belief, Philosophy and Ethics, Citizenship and Maths are currently directly involved. An after school Spanish class is in progress, with the intention being that students will take a foundation GCSE from this.

Philosophical Enquiry has been, and remains a major inspiration for the development of the link. Teachers in Mexico City and Ulverston are being trained through the respective organisations in both countries. This link continues to have a Human Rights and Citizenship focus .