Prince’s Gardens receives the British Council International School Award

Published by Brighton College Prep Kensington on Tuesday 22nd of November 2022

We are delighted to announce that Prince’s Gardens has been awarded the Intermediate level of the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of our work to bring the international world into our classrooms.

The International School Award celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life and work in today’s world.

Our international work includes:

-Termly video calls with children from El Colegio Europeo de Madrid School to practice speaking Spanish through conversations, poems, stories and songs. As well as this, we stay connected via a Global Pen Pal Scheme which has improved children’s motivation to write in the target language

-Letters and video messages with the Hannan School in Morocco (a small UK charity and Prince’s Gardens chosen School Charity)

-Maths projects with the International School Zurich North

-Cross curricular work between art and history about the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas

-Learning songs and carols in music lessons from other cultures to perform in assemblies and concerts


At Prince’s Gardens Preparatory School we also hold an annual International Day. This event was created to emphasise to the school community the values of tolerance, unity and acceptance. On a day like this, our students are reminded that being different is a good thing and that if we embrace our differences the world will be a better place.

Throughout the week, there are opportunities for students to do Show and Tells, presenting objects from their countries or even performing dances or reciting useful phrases.

Thursday’s Mandarin lessons were themed around the famous Dragon Boat Festival in China. The classes celebrated by making perfumed pouches called xiang bao which are thought to bring good luck and ward off bad spirits.

On Friday's International Day the school was alive with colour! Children and staff dressed in costumes to represent countries from around the world including Ukraine, Japan and India and our chef cooked a Caribbean themed lunch of jerk chicken with rice and peas.

Learning about different areas in the world, the children took part in an array of activities including a fiery flamenco dance class, a sensational samba drumming workshop and storytelling from Prince’s Gardens parents.

No International Day would be complete without a parade in the garden. Class by class, the children showed how much effort they had put into their outfits as they paraded to the sound of the samba band led by drumming teacher, Mr Williams.

On hearing the news that we had achieved the Intermediate level of the award, Head of Languages Ms. Verma, who organises International Day, said: “I am delighted to see our international work recognised with this special award. Being part of a global family of schools like Cognita means we can create a range of exiting connections with other schools around the world. It is vital that our pupils gain the knowledge, skills and values needed to thrive as global citizens. By bringing an international perspective to the curriculum, we are proud of all our pupils who have shown interest, awareness and respect towards other people and cultures”

John Rolfe MBE, Schools Outreach Manager at the British Council, said: Prince’s Gardens Preparatory School’s international work has earned the school well-deserved recognition with the British Council International School Award.