Project-meeting Bowes, Barnard Castle-Wonderful days in the heart of England.

Participants:


Poland: 5 teachers

Estonia: 2 teachers, 1 headmaster

Wales: 4 teachers, 1 headmaster

Norway: 5 teachers, 1 headmaster, 1 deputy headmaster.
England: everybody! Children, parents, staff, husbands, government!

Thursday May 20th:

Arriving our destination, Barnard Castle. Our accommodation was spread all over town in cosy guesthouses and pubs. We were all very satisfied.

Dinner at The Old Well. Meeting old and new friends.

Friday May 21st - Schoolvisit

At 9.15 we were picked up in a minibus and brought to Bowes. We were warmly welcomed by all the 49 pupils of Bowes Hutchinsons Primary School. After coffee we were divided into smaller groups and guided in around school by very talented and friendly pupils.

We really enjoyed your school! Both indoor and outdoor environment was very inspiring and gave us many good ideas of how to arrange LOTS of activities in a relatively small area. We were impressed with the quality of both exterior, resources and systems and teaching.

We experienced a good atmosphere where every child could learn and use their abilities. Everyone we met, both pupils and teachers, were very patient and and open minded to our many questions.

We were impressed with  the quality of your displays, your Secret Garden, The Griffalo Trail and your field. Also we were inspired your Buddies, your school lunches and your Family Groups.

 But most of all we could sense the importance of people. We think you are very lucky to have such a good staff and leadership in Bowes, with enthusiasm and initiative in running the school.

We experienced Bowes School as an overall including, warm and very professional school. Thank you for inviting us in!

After lunch at the pub ,The Ancient Unicorn, we went back school,where 9 talented children from DramaClub showed us the English Legend, “The Lambthorn Worm”.

Later we were introduced to the last 2 productions from Poland and England. All good work from all schools.









 Project management stayed behind while the rest of the teachers returnedto their accommodation.
Project meeting- Outcome/Decisions:

• Final report. Wales has started working on the report, and will bring the file to Norway next meeting , where we will fulfill the report together. Wales are piloting a translation-programme, which they will try out on the report in Norwegian, Polish and Estonian. The rest of us will fill in the parts of the report that concerns ourselves only. 
• Legend file. Wales is working on the final multimedia file of the legend. The result will be highlights and pieces from all 5 productions.
  
• Dictionary. Last sound files are now taped. The dictionary will be introduced through the blog only, not on a DVD.
  
• Products. Norway has been working on booklets showing what this project has been about. It is not a demand from our NA’s to send in any products, but it may be something that will be appreciated anyway: 1)The products will document that the planned activities took place, and must be kept at school, in case our NA will check up on us. 2) The product is a good way to disseminate the project towards our Governing bodies, press and not least, towards other schools interested in starting up a Comenius project.3) It is an easily accessible way for the schools to look back on our work together. .A short version of 2 years work.
  
• Norway wil finish our booklets and put them together in a folder which Wales will bring for our last meeting. The legend DVD will also fit into this folder.
• Next visit.10 persons will come to Norway in June. We will work on the report, visit schools and explore the local festival. Sissel will look into the possibility to see the Peagant rehearsal on Friday, since Poland and Estonia will leave Saturday.

Dinner

We were picked up in cars and driven to Cotherstone, where we had a delicious meal at The Fox and Hounds restaurant. We had a great evening and killed a rabbit on the way home.


Saturday May 22nd.

Free time to experience Barnard Castle before we went to Durham.

At County Hall we were welcomed by The Chief executive and his wife, as well of the man in charge of International school cooperation in County Durham. We are flattered they took the time to invite us in on a Saturday. We had a nice lunch together before saying goodbye and exploring Durham on our own.

Durham was a nice town, which we enjoyed in a marvelous weather with 28 degrees Celsius. The Durham Cathedral was impressing, and lucky as we are, we even got to experience a rehearsing symphony orchestra with opera singers and a full choir. Powerful!

After a quiet bus ride home we got ready for our next cultural lesson: The Ceilidh!

A lot of people, parents and staff had worked for days and hours to arrange the party event on Bowes Village Hall. We were met by a full Band an an extremely energetic Folkdance teacher, who kept us busy all night. In between we were served dinner, Pimms and cakes, and enjoyed the company of local people in a very very friendly and jolly atmosphere. What a night!

Sunday May 23rd

Our still-going-strong hosts came to see us off, as the participants left Barnard Castle and start their journey back home.

Thank you Sue, Sue, Dorothy, Vicky, Chris, Chris, Phil and everyone in Bowes for your hospitality and efforts! You made this an incredible experience for us all.

We really enjoyed everything: the weather, the landscape, the people!

We all headed home with broader horizons, good ideas, a little bit of tan  and big smiles on our faces. See you in June!