Rhianna Harding Y4, Kamso Nzewi Y5, Benjamin Ofosu Y2, Telmo Leitao Y3 - and the well travelled Barnaby Bear! Picture: Paul Durrant

Staff at a school in Canning Town are overjoyed after they were accredited by the British Council for bringing the world into their classrooms.

St Luke’s CEVA Primary School in Ruscoe Road was given the International School Award for their international curriculum work including working closely with schools in Ethiopia, Burma, Australia, and Brazil.

As well as hosting visits from the schools’ children and staff, they have also sent their own staff to strengthen partnerships and give presentations to their pupils.

Cllr Neil Wilson, vice chair of governors at St Luke’s, said: “This is splendid news and well deserved. The school works hard to provide a rich and creative curriculum for our pupils.

“International links and working in close partnership with schools in Ethiopia, Burma, Brazil, and Australia provide wonderful opportunities for our pupils to explore wider issues and brings relevance and personal interest to their learning.

“Personal contact through letters, emails, and visits ensures that the school’s partership work remains vibrant.”

John Rolfe, from the British Council, said: “Many congratulations on your well-deserved success in being accredited with the British Council International School Award.

“The school’s fantastic international work is not only giving the young people a better understanding of the world around them, but it’s really making a difference to their future prospects too.

“Employers are telling us that international skills are just as important as exam results - so everything the school is doing is vital preparation for life in a global society and work in a global economy.

“2012 is a bit year for the UK on the world’s stage, and the school deserves a gold medal of its own for all its outstanding commitment to a range of fantastic international work.”

The British Council accredit schools to the International School Award scheme to encourage them to give young people a cultural understanding and skills they need to live as global citizens.

In 2012, more than 700 schools have been accredited in the UK and around 4,000 International School Awards have been presented nationwide since the scheme began in 1999.