San Andrea School in Grundtvig 2 project

A parents' foundation with a unique philosophy, San Andrea Early School has been chosen to participate in a European learning partnership project - Grundtvig 2 - a two-year Socrates programme with the aim of studying parents' education in pre-school institutions and spreading the European experience.

Through various schemes, meetings and questionnaires, the school is the first to promote parent-teacher co-operation and a continued education curriculum at home... thus gaining the key to holistic development. San Andrea has already been involved in similar international Socrates Comenius projects.

Between October 29 and November 2, seven European countries, namely Lithuania, Norway, Spain, Italy, the UK, Bulgaria and Portugal, joined Malta for a cultural programme of events. The group of 26 partners included teachers, school directors and parents.

The programme was organised by PE teacher Johann Bellizzi, head of Early and Middle School Dorothy Lapira, and assistant head of Early School Maria Bartolo.

The agenda for the meeting included an interesting ice-breaker, presentations, and workshops. The issues raised were co-operation with parents, breaking the barriers, overcoming conflicts and the integration of education in extracurricular activities and after-school life.

Each country presented its individual cultural and teaching methods and experienced a wide spectrum of cultures and scholastic philosophies.

An international evening, during which all partners presented traditional food and drink, was also held at the Windsor Hotel, Sliema.

The San Andrea School team prepared a mouth-watering Maltese table, including the traditional cheesecakes, cheeselets, and hobz biz-zejt.

The foreign group also went on a Grand Harbour cruise, visited a few museums, swam at some beaches, Mdina, the Blue Grotto, Valletta, Mnajdra and Hagar Qim temples, strolled along some of Malta's beautiful promenades and were warmly welcomed at the Windsor.

Saying goodbye was hard for everybody, especially after everyone got to know each other so well. San Andrea also organised a superb farewell dinner in Mdina.

Ms Lapira said San Andrea school is proud to practise what it believes - an education that strives to include the whole family, thus promoting holistic development.