Comenius International Projects

About Comenius
The Comenius programme is named after Jan Amos Comenius ( 1592-1670) often considered the father of modern education. Its main objectives are to develop knowledge and understanding among young people of the diversity of European cultures and languages and to value this diversity.  Working with peers from international schools can also help our students to acquire basic life skills and competences for personal development, for active citizenship and future employment. All projects are funded for two years by the European Commission and managed by the  partners' National Agencies, which in the UK is the British Council. 

The Project: "Fairy Tales in Europe" 2011-2013

Students in Year 8 and Year 12 are investigating the background to popular fairytales. They worked with community partners including Anglia Ruskin University, The Junction in Cambridge, storytellers Richard O'Neill and John Row  to learn about why fairy tales are full of mystery, murder and melodrama. They visit the partner schools in Handlova, Slovakia,  Dortmund Germany  and Spalding in the UK over the two years and hosted the Comenius group in March 2013.  Activities include  researching, reading and writing traditional and contemporary versions of tales. The project concludes in July  2013 with an exhibition at Thomas Deacon Academy.

Comenius Curriculum Projects at Thomas Deacon Academy 2009 -2013

2009-2011 Violence in Schools and how to reduce it. Project partners: Germany, Turkey, Poland, Romania, Slovakia.

2011-2013 Fairytales . Their message and meaning. Project partners: UK, Slovakia, Germany.

2013-2015 (application pending ) Who do we think we are? Exploring European Culture. Prospective partners: Germany, Romania, Poland, Lithuania and Croatia