Formby High School has been awarded Foundation Level of the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.  The International School Award celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education – fostering an international dimension in the curriculum so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life and work in today’s world.

On receiving the award from the British Council, feedback stated “Your Polyglots programme, ongoing since 2013, represents a commendable example of inclusive practice, celebrating the bilingual and multilingual skills of your student body. Your participation in national competitions such as Mother Tongue Other Tongue, The Stephen Spender Prize, and The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators highlights a long-standing commitment to high-quality language education. The school’s support for Ukrainian refugee students, including provision of targeted English language support and cultural integration, reflects genuine care and responsiveness to global events. Your application demonstrates a clear and ongoing commitment to promoting language learning, cultural awareness, and global citizenship within your school community. The school’s motivation to celebrate the diversity of languages spoken by pupils and to encourage curiosity about world languages and cultures is both timely and commendable.”

Shannon West, Head of UK Schools for the British Council, said:

Formby High School’s international work has earned the school well-deserved recognition with the British Council International School Award – Foundation Certificate. We are delighted and proud that Formby High School is committed to developing a whole school approach to embedding and celebrating international work. The dedication from everyone is enriching education and supporting globally aware young people and the development of key skills. We thank all involved in this important work.’

Congratulations to Ms Lonsdale, Curriculum Leader for Modern Languages, and her team for this fantastic award recognising your passion for Languages education and all the hard work you do to give students at FHS amazing opportunities to embrace all that languages can offer.