Landywood Primary School

Our Partner School in The Netherlands

Landywood Primary School's International Partnership with OBS Juliana van Stolberg

Why We Value This Partnership

Our partnership focuses on two key areas:

• Strengthening children's understanding of the wider world by:
• Building connections between pupils through shared activities and experiences
• Promoting inclusion, diversity, tolerance, and democratic participation
• Developing knowledge about European heritage and cultural diversity
• Encouraging active citizenship and participation in democratic life

Enhancing teaching and learning quality in both schools by:

• Supporting professional development for teachers and staff
• Introducing new technologies and innovative teaching methods
• Improving language learning and appreciation of linguistic diversity
• Sharing best practices in teaching and school development

The partnership aims are achieved through utilising digital technology — including webcams, Teams calls, emails, SharePoint, along with face-to-face visits. Through this programme, our children are developing real-world IT and life skills, while building meaningful international friendships.

Year Group Activities

This collaboration provides authentic opportunities for our pupils to:

• Experience different cultures first-hand
• Recognise similarities and differences between countries
• Develop language skills in practical contexts
• Build confidence in communicating with peers from different backgrounds

Each year group participates in progressive activities tailored to their age and abilities, building a sense of togetherness between children of Landywood and JVS through planned activities and meaningful encounters. Click here to find out more about the activities for each year group.

Some highlights of our Partnership Journey so far…

April 2022: Mr Clewer visits JVS

Our Headteacher, Mr Clewer, spent three days visiting different schools located in Amsterdam and the surrounding areas.  When visiting JVS, Mr Clewer knew their ethos aligned closely with Landywood’s and as a result of this, it was agreed the two schools would become partners.

October 2023: First Visit to Landywood

Four staff members from JVS spent two action-packed days at Landywood. During their visit, they:

• Met our pupils, staff, and parents during a special welcome assembly
• Observed our innovative AFL (assessment for learning) cups and focus tables
• Explored our outdoor learning spaces and learned about our Natural Curriculum
• Visited our library and heard children read their favourite books
• Participated in our PTFA Halloween disco
• Met with our School Council to learn about pupil leadership

During this visit, we were joined by the Express & Star newspaper, who published an article celebrating the launch of our partnership. To read the article, click here 

December 2023: Whole-School Video Call and festive celebrations

All children from both schools participated in a special video call celebrating the festive season where:

• Classes were introduced to their partner classes
• Children sang "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" together

March 2024: Landywood Staff Visit to Amsterdam

Our staff travelled to The Netherlands to:

• Meet JVS teaching staff and children
• Learn about Dutch educational approaches and identify approaches used which could be integrated into Landywood to further enhance our school
• Share British treats with their Dutch colleagues

Please click here to watch a video about this visit.

July 2024: Year 6 Visit to Amsterdam

A group of our Year 6 pupils experienced an unforgettable trip to JVS where they:

• Met their Dutch friends face-to-face after months of digital communication
• Immersed themselves in Dutch culture
• Enjoyed participating in a collaborative learning project, involving the children from both schools working together to create presentations linked to a challenge they had been set
• Created lasting memories with their international peers

Please click here to watch a video about this visit and to see the warm welcome our children received on arrival to JVS. 

December 2024: Festive Exchange

Our children sent Christmas cards and treats to their friends at JVS, continuing to strengthen their connections and celebrate cultural heritage. We received cards from the pupils at JVS too.

Plans for 2025

During 2025, we have exciting visits planned for Landywood children and teaching staff to visit JVS in person.

We are currently working with JVS to organise for their children to visit Landywood, we can’t wait to welcome them!

Looking Forward

The partnership between Landywood Primary School and OBS Juliana van Stolberg continues to flourish, already exceeding our initial expectations. As we move forward, we're excited to develop even more opportunities for our pupils to become true global citizens with an appreciation for different cultures, languages, and perspectives.

Through this international collaboration, Landywood pupils are developing essential skills for their future in an increasingly connected world while building friendships that cross borders.

For more news and updates on our partnership, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.