Horsham Primary School hosts international culture festival

St John’s Catholic and Arunside Primary Schools held the event for the year-three children where the pupils spent the morning between both sites, celebrating the wealth of cultures and languages that exist in both schools.

The English as an Additional Language (EAL) children – who speak another language fluently – led small groups, teaching greetings and numbers in their home language through games.

Deputy head teacher at Arunside, Anna Hadden, taught the children a traditional Greek dance and African songs.

On the same day, key stage two classes at St John’s Catholic Primary were treated to a Languages Festival led by years eight and nine students from St Wilfrid’s Catholic Secondary School in Crawley.

The children could choose from various activities including Gaelic vocabulary and facts about Ireland; Spanish flag making and colours in Spanish; British Sign Language activities; international bookmarks and flags; or Shona vocabulary, from Zimbabwe.

St John’s EAL scheme is run by Sophie Curtis and offers support to EAL children, either in class or in individual interventions, to help improve their English.

The scheme offers various opportunities for these children to expand their English language as well as teaching others.