Many schools in Newcastle have expressed interest in establishing links with Spain, partly because Spanish is increasingly taught as a Modern Foreign Language and also because of the benefits that international partnerships bring to the school community.

We already have a lot of interest from schools in Aragón, in both urban and rural settings, who are keen to establish partnerships with our schools. We are inviting schools and colleges, from primary to FE, to register interest in a Spanish partnership.

British Council is offering the International Schools Award Foundation Certificate for any North East schools, participating in any Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages activities this year.  This will be automatic and schools will not need to apply online.  Activities can also be used as part of schools’ applications to progress with the Intermediate and Accreditation Levels and Reaccreditation.

Find out more about this and the International School Award on the Festival website here: https://expressyourselfne.com/2024/01/18/isa/

During the mornings between 10am and 12 noon, there will be lively French presentations and demonstrations about French traditions and crêpes. The students will also have the chance to order crêpes in French and receive a special discount as a reward for their efforts. It's a fantastic opportunity for the children to practice their French in a real-world setting while enjoying the festive atmosphere of the Christmas market.

Please see the attached email for more details. I thought it would be a wonderful outing for the kids.

KS3-5 Spanish Language and careers 9.30-10.30 4 Mar (recording available afterwards - register)

Y8-9 Modern Languages in the Working World: David Binns, Sanako 9.30-10.30 on 6th Mar

KS3-5 Futbol Lingo Languages and careers in football 9.30-10.30 on 12 Mar

Y8-9 Where can languages take me? British Council and speakers 9.30-10.30 on 18 Mar (recording available afterwards - register)

Also find 'How Languages Changed my Life' stories and free language and careers resources

Please follow the links to any that your school is interested in and click on the registration links to take part.

• Schools who would like to take part are asked to complete this expression of interest online form by 7th March.

• Schools can find out more about the Boys in Languages research project online here.

10am-2pm on 20th March (Y3-7)

10am-2pm on 24th March (Y6-9)

Teacher self-led activities throughout March (with resources)

There are school places still available for workshops and self-led activities in March at the Great North Museum – book now to get your school place!

• Fill in the online booking enquiry form here  for the workshop days or self-guided, teacher-led activities. 

• If the workshops in March are fully subscribed and there is a waiting list, schools will still be able to register for teacher-led activities with languages worksheets and book in for visits on dates in March.

• Great North Museum will confirm places and also send details to any schools visiting the museum for the workshop or self-guided activities. 

For schools with places to attend on 20th and 24th March, there will be a carousel of activities linked to different museum collections This will include workshops supported by museum and university staff and students, as well as teacher-led activities:

• Thu 20 March - Learn Maori language and culture through a craft - with the ENACT team from Newcastle University (recommended for Y3-7)

• Mon 24 March - Explore the Latin and Greek roots of English with Dr Steph Holton from The Open University (recommended for Y6-9)

Pupils will need to bring a packed lunch and drink. We will provide a space for you to eat, picnic-style.

There is an option for teachers to register for the resource pack to do a teacher-led guided programme of exploratory language and culture activities at the museum during March. This opportunity is not led by museum staff, we will book you in and greet you at the start of your visit. Teachers will be leading their own school group’s learning throughout the visit. If you intend to do the visit over lunch, pupils can bring a packed lunch and drink and GNM will provide a space for you to eat, picnic-style.

Pupils involved in both the workshop days and teacher-led self-guided visits throughout March, will have the opportunity to use free time to explore the museum – you could touch on another topic you’re learning, try our museum-wide scavenger hunt or visit the shop.

For: Spanish teachers and future teachers of primary, secondary, university and adult education.

The Spanish Embassy Education Office (Consejería de Educación), University of Newcastle and Difusión publishing house invite teachers and future teachers of Spanish (primary, secondary, university and further education) to attend the Spanish Day for Teachers in Newcastle on 8th March. There will be presentations and workshops with practical and imaginative ideas for the Spanish class. A Spanish lunch will be served.

Registration is free, but places are limited.

• Click here to register

• Click here to see the programme

You will receive an email confirmation of your place at the event and venue details.

This is a fantastic opportunity for KS3-5 pupils from one or two schools to take part in one of the most popular events in the Festival - motivational talk, fun classroom workshop and practical football session.  Full event details here

Email Declan Baharini at info@expressyourselfne.com to request places (first come first served).

1) Newcastle schools can benefit from a new pilot scheme to offer German language to pupils and get links with a partner school in Germany.

2) Opportunities to celebrate and enjoy German during the Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages to the end of March.

3) Shout out for German week (17-25 March) offers a wide range of special opportunities for schools and pupils to access resources, events and support a

4) Ongoing offer via Goethe Institut and the GIMAGINE programme for schools to enhance and enrich German learning opportunities.

• Date: March 5th

• Time: 5:00 PM

• Registration: Free of charge

• Register here

• Participants will receive a certificate of attendance.

It is crucial for adolescent students to develop their critical thinking in the language they are learning, as language is a powerful tool for analysing, questioning, and transforming the world. This ability not only helps students appreciate cultural diversity, address inequalities, and express complex ideas from global perspectives, but also prepares them to be responsible citizens in an interconnected world. During this session, we will explore an active methodology that combines project-based learning, debates, text analysis, and multimedia content creation to foster both language proficiency and critical thinking and social action skills.

Or: schools/parents can simply get in touch with Ulfet or Caroline at languages@s4a.org.uk or call 07930469198

3 days with 2 workshops of 1 hour duration on Tues 23 and 30 Sept and 30 and Tues 7 Oct: 4.30 to 6.30 pm.

1 day of 3 workshops of 1 hour duration on Tues 14 Oct: 4.30 to 7.30pm.

Registration is free and the certification of each day is independent, so that each teacher can choose which ones they want to do. The registration link is weekly and will close on the Monday before each day and after the end of the day, every Tuesday, the link for the following week's workshops will be activated again.

The day before each day is held, registered people will receive by email the link to access the online room in which the workshops will take place.

Registration is free, but places are limited (on a first-come, first-served basis): 

https://forma.administracionelectronica.gob.es/form/open/corp/1387a53b-1c23-47c5-82e6-74ca58c6d15a/UzyR

Download the flyer, with links and information about the competition and how to enter.

This initiative will bring together 20 secondary school teachers from Germany and the UK to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence in language classrooms. The programme includes a two-day conference in London (1-2 November), a four-day stay in schools in the UK (3-6 November).

The application deadline is 5 October 2025, more information can be found at Artificial Intelligence in the languages classroom - Goethe-Institut United Kingdom

Workshop Series – Online Training for Spanish Teachers in the UK & Ireland
🕓 4:30–6:30 PM (7 Oct) | 4:30–7:30 PM (14 Oct) 📍 Online
Organizers: Education Office of the Spanish Embassy in the UK and Ireland, Association of Spanish Schools in Andalusia, Manchester Metropolitan University
Free registration & flexible certification. Choose your sessions and receive certification per workshop day.
🔗 More info & registration: Education Office – Online Training Workshops

💼 Fee: 5Euro per seminar (Free for ELEUK members)

Organizers: Cursos Internacionales – University of Salamanca, Editorial Edinumen, and partner institutions

This series of online seminars offers a gateway to the MINELE Master's programme, bringing together renowned experts in language education and didactics.

Each session explores cross-cutting themes rooted in evidence-based pedagogy, with insights from professionals in additional language teaching and Spanish as a foreign language.

🔗 Details and registration: University of Salamanca | Edinumen

Always start with a cultural presentation, culture history, fashion, food, wherever the students leave us. Bring the cultural immersion into the school.  It has a real impact on students, who remember it for years and they have delivered to a lot of schools and would like to offer this to more.

It encourages and inspires students to sign up for GCSE French.

·         1 hour session for 1 class, including a Q&A session

·         Minium of 3 classes and 75 students

·         £4 per student

·         Use good quality ingredients

·         They will be able to taste what they make and have a conversation about it

Popular for Y7 and 8 to encourage take up of GCSE

Contact Julien at: lpcreperie@outlook.com or visit www.lpcreperie.com

Crepe Competition for North East Schools in the Festival 2026 (register from Nov 2025) – competition will run for primary and secondary schools (KS3) from January to March

They will also be at Newcastle Christmas market and will offer schools visits, which can be booked and they will have a mini workshop and presentation and they can order in French and enjoy a crepe – with a £1 discount on the cost of the crepe if they order in French.

Sarah

sarah.edgar@newcastle.gov.uk

Click on the link to register: https://forms.office.com/e/kfUiJTbJSW

This webinar recorded in November 2025, provides information for schools from British Council's International School Award Team, shares the experience of a Newcastle school that has achieved Accreditation and hears from the Express Yourself North East Festival of Languages Co-ordinator about how Festival 2026 activities can support and inspire schools to progress through the ISA levels from Foundation Certificate, to Intermediate and Accreditation levels.

Register for the event by emailing info@expressyourselfne.com

A special CPD workshop with Dr Jennifer Eddy, a leading global expert on World Language Education and task-based, real-world approaches to improving language competence. During a 3-hour practical session, teachers will learn how to design cross-curricular, trans-disciplinary tasks for learners at all stages, which will enhance their engagement, enthusiasm and their competence in the languages they are learning.

Online events have unlimited capacity.

In-person events on the calendar may have places available if they are not listed as FULLY BOOKED – click here https://expressyourselfne.com/2026/01/07/in-person-event-places/ for the latest updates on availability for remaining places for any in person events.

To register for events, click on the image on the calendar page to see the specific event you are interested in and follow the instructions to register in the ‘How do I get involved?’ section and follow the instructions.

Click here to download the 10^th March Festival newsletter.

• Click here to register (£15 registration fee)

• Click here to download the programme (the actual event is free of charge)

This year’s event includes practical workshops, creative approaches to teaching and assessment, AI applications in the ELE classroom, networking opportunities, a tasting of products from Castilla y León and a prize draw for attendees.

This month, we hosted a visit from Caroline Remont from our twin city of Nancy’s and Nancy-Metz region’s team for international relations in education (DRAREIC). She visited schools. Headteachers and teachers also attended the Erasmus+ briefing session at Newcastle Civic Centre , to discuss international opportunities and the types of activities available for staff development, joint projects and visits – including with the region of Nancy Metz. Schools should contact sarah.edgar@newcastle.gov.uk if you are interested in a French school partnership or getting involved in Erasmus+

Pupils at any key stage can create a piece of text in a language they are learning (other than English) with an illustration on the theme of A few words that mean so much, exploring how carefully chosen words can make a difference to someone who reads them.

Other links to EU resources are also available for schools at the link.