PUPILS at Archway School in Stroud will be enjoying an international flavour to next week’s lessons when they play host to two visitors from their partner school in Lebanon.


Teacher Marina Mansour and student Joseph Samaha, 16, from the Choueir Secondary School in Lebanon, are to spend the week at Archway, talking to classes and assemblies about the school and daily life in the Middle Eastern country. The link was set up in June last year and this will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two partner schools.


Archway’s assistant head Rachel O’Bryan said: “The link was set up through the British Council and we hope it will take forward our international work, linking with several curriculum areas. So far it has not been possible to send staff or students to visit the Choueir School, due to the ongoing civil unrest in Syria, but it has meant we can host these visitors.”


She continued: “On Monday they will be working with the sixth form, interviewing pupils for the roles of International Student Ambassadors. Between 20 and 30 pupils have been selected from across the school, and they’ll be interviewed for the roles next week, which will enable them to demonstrate their interests in global cultural and political issues, environmental concerns, languages and any other areas of interest that link our school with others around the world. They will lead campaigns, raise awareness and opportunities for action and engagement amongst the students.”


She added: “Those chosen will receive training and will represent Archway at the Youth Summit in Birmingham, organised by international charity Free the Children, in July.”