A PRIMARY school in Exeter is taking part in a pioneering Erasmus + project with Spain and Latvia.

Redhills Primary school in Exeter has been successful in gaining Erasmus+ funding to participate in a project, co-ordinated by the English teacher, Enrique Ruiz from CEIP Andrés García Soler in Spain.

The project allows Redhills Primary school to become a reference in the UK when it comes to international links.

Over the last few years they have been also carrying out another transnational project with Tanzania.

CLIL is an up and coming methodology and helps schools integrate the teaching of language and content simultaneously apart from providing children with a real memorable learning experience.

The project also places emphasis on measures to deal with mixed-ability classes and cater for different learning styles.

In the UK, the European programme is managed by the Erasmus+ UK National Agency, a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK.

The project - CLIL as a tool for change in the Primary classroom - is funded under Key Action 2 of this programme, which focuses on pupils and teachers mobility as well as the cooperation between schools across Europe to share good practices.

Last summer, Spanish and Latvian pupils travelled to the UK to study at Redhills Primary for a week and Latvian and English children visited Spain last January.

Now it has been the turn of 15 Spanish Year 6 pupils, and eight English Year 6 pupils from Redhills Primary, who have had the privilege to travel to Riga and study at Riga Classical Gymnasium for a week as well as participate in a wide range of after-school activities and afternoon trips.

The Spanish children have travelled abroad with Enrique Ruiz, Jose Antonio Donaire as well as Elisa Martínez, head at the Spanish school.

English children went over to Riga with Sue Carter, deputy head at Redhills, Rowena Brown and, Sean Pouton, TA at Redhills Primary.

Stuart Busby, headteacher from Redhills Primary and Enrique Ruiz, CLIL expert in Spain, aim to carry on working together.

Mr Busby said: “This project has been the first step in an exciting journey with our Spanish and Latvian partners and friends and this project should grow year on year, as will our friendship."