At St Joseph's we have mapped the UN Sustainable Development Goals across our curriculum- that means we link our learning back to these goals where we can.

Why is global learning important to us?

Part of our mission as Catholic educators is a desire for our pupils to be 'witnesses to the world' and use 'global learning' as a vehicle for this!  We know that our school is located in a town with an International Port, our pupils are curious to know, 'is everywhere like Harwich?'  what better way to find out than through 'global learning'!

We believe 'global learning' can have an incredibly positive impact on a pupil’s engagement, knowledge, values, and skills.  We link our thematic topics to UN develop goals to explore global learning issues and we additionally explore global learning through our uniquely developed SMILE curriculum.

The benefits of global learning for pupils

• Pupils will become more engaged in their lessons when learning geography and related subjects.
• Pupils will improve their critical thinking skills and develop in depth knowledge and understanding of the curriculum.
• Pupils will gain a better understanding of global issues like inequality and poverty and be able to explore Catholic social teaching in action
• Pupils will have the opportunity to take part in discussions and develop their knowledge of global problems
• Global learning allows children to understand their role in the world and their impact on society.

Connecting Classrooms Project 2019

Through Connecting Classrooms, St Joseph’s have developed a partnership with Asamang Roman Catholic Primary School in Ghana, Africa. Connecting Classrooms is a global education programme ran by the British Council, the aim being to help children develop the knowledge, skills and values required to work in a globalised economy. Through our partnership we hope to promote and enrich global learning at St Joseph’s, deepening interest and expanding on children’s critical thinking skills. Allowing children to explore and problem solve within lessons heightens interest and engages them with the task at hand. In May, Mrs Maguire and Miss Fitzsimons flew out to Ashanti, Ghana to meet with our partner school. Whilst there they engaged with both the local schools and the wider community, sharing best practise and embracing the Ghanaian culture. Upon their return, Class 3 enjoyed immersing themselves in an African themed week, learning about everything from a traditional lesson to the riches of the gold mines. We are very much looking forward to developing our partnership further over the coming years, creating an environment that upholds our ethos to Live, Love and Learn together.