Comenius project visit to Welsh school

Guzeppina Deguara Primary School of Marsaxlokk has kept up its commitment to ensure the continuation and success of the school development project which it is working on together with three other European schools from Denmark, Italy and Wales.

Last January, the school hosted 12 representatives from our partner schools. Our elder pupils worked on projects and exchanged messages with their overseas peers. The younger children produced greeting cards and crafts items which were similarly sent to the other schools.

In May, representatives of our school visited Plascrug Primary School in Aberystwyth, Wales, where we followed a busy programme of activities and took part in information exchange sessions with the headteachers and project co-ordinators of the other partner schools.

We were taken round the attractive school buildings and facilities, we visited classrooms and playgrounds, watched lessons, obtained valuable information on teaching resources, the innovative use of Information Communication Technology as well as on the educational provision for children with Special Needs. We discussed different assessment procedures and other topics.

And all the time we spoke to people - especially to the children - from the three-year-olds, eyes gleaming during story-time in the nursery, to 12-year-old boys and girls of the sixth year busily working at their Technology projects, learning how to play musical instruments, or just programming their battery-run robotics.

On our return to Malta we sent the following message to Mr J. Eifion Evans, the Welsh headteacher:

"Thank you all at Plascrug Primary for the fabulous welcome and great hospitality extended to us throughout our stay at Aberystwyth. Our visit to your school was a huge success, especially from an educational point of view. We enjoyed watching you all at work with your schoolchildren - there is an element of professionalism and dedication which we very much admired. We liked talking to the children, teachers, parents, members of the governing board, the vice-mayor and many other people in the wider community besides!

"The visit to the Town Hall, the Welsh Evening and so many other carefully planned occasions were quite unexpected treats and the presentations by the children in front of the parents were indeed a fitting finale to an excellently planned Comenius visit to your school.

"It was a pleasure to work with you and the other representatives of our partner schools during our many work sessions. It was so fruitful to exchange valuable administrative and pedagogical information and experiences. Every partner school stands to benefit at every level from our joint experience. The visit has helped in no small way to provide a wonderful learning opportunity for all concerned and ensured quality professional development for the headteachers and teachers who participated in this initiative.

"Saturday's sightseeing tour which you generously organised for your guests, helped us all to appreciate the beauty, tranquillity and historical richness of your native land. We shall long treasure the lovely memories we have brought back with us to Malta - and we look forward to continuing our very worthwhile European Union Comenius School Development Project with you and with our Italian and Danish partners."

Mr Evans' reply was characteristic: "Dear Joseph, Jacqueline and Miriam... we at Plascrug simply did for you what your whole school did for us during our visit to Marsaxlokk Primary - and to Malta - last January". It is also this spirit of gratitude, camaraderie and faithfulness towards one's partners spread in different countries across Europe which make Comenius educational projects so intrinsically pleasant and rewarding.

Finally we would like to thank the EUPU as well as those sponsors who made our visit to Wales possible (Compunet, Estetika, Bank of Valletta and Peppinu's Garage).