1. Following a vocational visit to India by one of the teachers, the pupils of
Newick House School forged links with schools in the state of Orissa,
close to the Bay of Bengal. They have communicated through Making
the News, an internet link provided by the BBC to schools and in use by
the Open University, through letters and by using photographs and
video to inspire their curriculum studies. It is proposed that the links
continue with the Indian schools depicted in this presentation, beyond
the International Schools Award year. It is hoped to introduce flash-
meeting sessions (an inexpensive way video conferencing through
Making the News) now that time delays can be catered for. As a special
school in the UK we feel our links with these special schools in India
have enabled our pupils to consider others, and they way they live, with
more understanding and with considerable empathy.

2. Jeevan Jyoti Orphanage
Rama Devi Sishu
Bihar Special School

3. They hand
embroider
cards. We
have been
helping to sell
them to make
the orphanage
self-sufficient
& to help them
buy things
they do not
have in the
home.
The girls all
wrote to us
and sent us a
video of their
dancing. One
of them is
dancing on
her knees! We
compared
their music
with our own.

4. They all drew
beautiful
pictures on
the other side
of their letters
We were all amazed to see how
they write (from right to left) and
we tried to work out what each
word was in Indian script!

5. The orphans at this school come from tribal villages. Because they
were disabled at birth they were not allowed to stay in the village. They
make beautiful cards using embroidery, they sent us some to look at.
We tried to make them too, but it was very hard. Some of the girls
have had operations to help them walk again, we raised some money
to help them travel to the hospital, 300 miles away. When they can
walk properly they will be able to return to the orphanage and help look
after those children who will never walk. Sister Elizabeth comes from
Africa, she looks after the orphans with two other nuns.

6. We had a visit from Mr. Anoop Ambrose , he is the headteacher of a school in Orissa.
The children in his school all sing in English and start school when they are 3 years
old.

7. They do
not have
electricity
in class
so they
use lamps
We used books and the internet to find out about Orissa. We were amazed that the
school did not have proper walls to the classes and that the children sometimes had to
sit on the floor for lessons. They use slates to write on instead of workbooks.

8. We learnt how these children learn to
make clothes and candles in their school
to help buy books and that the deaf
children do not use sign language like us.

9. Remi Devi Sishu Bihar Special School sent us
pictures of their work. We learnt about their Hindu
faith and sent them pictures of our work at Newick
House. They were doing some work on protecting
their planet, just like out school.

10. The children have to look after the
gardens and grow most of their food.
These are special beans that they
grow to eat. We sent them pictures
of our gardening at Newick House.

11. We learnt how our
Indian friends lived
through photographs
and emails. We used
Making the News to Many of the orphans come from
send our messages this village in India. Because they
were disabled they had to leave.

12. We At the Gifted
decided and Talented
to create day in school
a dance the pupils from
based on Newick House
Indian and other
music. pupils from
We mainstream
listened to schools looked
Indian at the
music and differences of a
created child’s life in the
our own UK with that of
dance. a pupil in India.
We wore We videoed the
saris & day and
Indian presented our
scarves Powerpoint to
parents at the
end of the day.

13. Most Indian children would walk to school But in England we normally
at about 6:30 in the morning. Then at drive to school at about
about 9:00 their mums or nannies would twenty to nine, after having
come and bring them their breakfast, which breakfast, some cereal or
would contain curry. It would be held in 5 toast, at 7:50. At our home.
tin pots which would fit inside each other.
Some of our Gifted and Talented pupils came to school on a Saturday to
share a day using ICT and dance/drama with pupils from other mainstream
schools in West Sussex. They compared the life of a child in India with that
of our own in Sussex. They made Powerpoint presentations and learnt a
dance together. Some of our autistic pupils videoed the whole day. Parents
were invited to come a watch the presentation at the end of the day. It was
good fun working with pupils from other schools.

14. I have decided that I
would like to live in
England because
England has clear
I have decided that I would like to live in water and India
India because of the weather and the doesn't have clean
food there learning there is very good. water
I don’t want to live in England Because it
has different weather to India and it does
have better facilities but I would more like
to live India Alex Blown
Shriya Patel I would like to live in England because
there is good internet access here and the
water is safe.
I would not like to live in India because
there's little if no internet available and the
water is dirty and disease filled.
Alex Jay
This page shows some of their comments at the
end of the G & T day

15. These videos were filmed by two
pupils from Newick House School.
Pupils from mainstream schools
and from our Special School joined
together to produce the video. This
is a live performance in front of all
the parents at the end of the day.
It was incredible to see the
concentration that took place by all
pupils throughout the day. We were
especially impressed by the social
interaction between our own Gifted
and Talented pupils and those from
schools throughout the authority.

16. Art work
linked to the
Indian
project and
the study of
Hinduism

17. Pupils used their artistic skills to create
models of insects and creatures
following a study of Indian creatures –
with some artistic allowance! They
shared them with Indian pupils through
emails

18. Pupils across
all Keystages
sent
messages
through
Making the
News to our
partner
schools in
India. We
tried to show
them what
our school
looked like
and what we
were learning
Saturn class
made some
Indian-type
music

19. Newick House have used the
links with India to help them
learn in a variety of different
They used maps
ways: in Geography ...
They danced .....
They studied
Hinduism .....
Through music .. They studied
animals ...
Through art ..
Through
collage ....
They raised money The boys especially
and counted it for the enjoyed comparing
bank in maths ....... the transport in both
countries
They made

20. Everyone has enjoyed the link with India and they all want to continue.
.. Which we intend to do