Once upon an Erasmus Tale (Traditional Arts and Languages across Europe) Erasmus Project

Project Title

Once upon an Erasmus Tale (Traditional Arts and Languages across Europe)

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; Creativity and culture; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

Our project (Once upon an Erasmus T.A.L.E – traditional arts and languages across Europe) involved eight schools (UK, France, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Netherlands, Spain and Romania) and focused on the importance of traditional stories, language and culture in a modern Europe.
Each partner school was chosen from diverse and contrasting areas across Europe; combining different experiences and competences to bring to our project.
The project was needed by all partner schools in light of their school priorities to raise attainment for all pupils; including specific targeted groups; lessening a gap in their overall achievement and preventing them leaving education at an early age. Early education and childcare is regarded as of paramount importance and the project was needed to further understand how early literacy and the arts can enable further future education opportunities and have a positive impact for our children as they get older. Staff from every school completed activities an projects in order to learn, share, analyse and evaluate early reading and writing approaches and traditional arts from each partner school; inspiring each other, their pupils and the local community.
We aimed to be innovative in our approach and meet objectives for pupils, staff, each school community and the wider school community. We aimed for pupils to develop their literacy and art skills, their geographical and cultural understanding of the diverse European community, their modern foreign languages, creativity and ICT skills. We also aimed for a decrease in racial incidents due to improve tolerance and understanding. Staff aimed to improve their practice through reflection of teaching approaches, pedagogy and didactics across the curriculum; particularly in literacy, arts, ICT and modern foreign languages. Staff developed strong links with each partner school; fostering high quality pan European learning. Staff also aimed to be inclusive of all pupils; as well as focusing on specific targeted groups throughout this three year project and beyond.
Participants came from varying backgrounds; some of whom have never left their local area. This project, through its activities opened up a whole new world of opportunities for these pupils and staff to inspire for lifelong learning. Activities, for both staff and pupils included visiting art museums, receiving art lessons, attending book fairs, lessons from illustrators, performing plays and traditional tales, sharing art work from each participating country, collating a mascot-led book and a traditional tales book to inspire future generations and serve as an ever-lasting legacy for our shared project.
Each school ensured objectives, activities, results and impact were monitored and being met through; regular communication by international coordinators via e-twinning and email, transnational meetings where clear agendas and minutes were met and kept, a staff and pupil questionnaire completed at the beginning and at the end of project, all schools maintained their distributed tasks and any queries which arose were highlighted and acted upon swiftly to ensure the progression of the project.
The project impacted all participants by creating and inspiring an international learning ethos within each school. Each school was recognised as an international school through its displays, classroom learning and mentoring to other schools within the local community. Participants felt an infinity with their European neighbours; expanding their world beyond the four walls of their school and their home. Each school was hailed as an outstanding example of how a European project can inspire lifelong learning for all participants at a regional and national level.
Finally, there is the potential for longer term benefits for all participants including target groups, to nurture and foster a positive learning attitude towards lifelong learning in Europe, creating links and disseminating results for future generations to come.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 261667 Eur

Project Coordinator

Three Legged Cross First School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Åkraskolan
• Szkola Podstawowa im. Henryka Sienkiewicza w Oblegorku
• école élémentaire Joliot-Curie
• RK Basisschool Bernardus
• Scoala Gimnaziala Lunca, Pascani
• Vaajakummun koulu
• CEIP Ciudad de Valencia