A LEADING Thurock councillor has paid tribute to language and cultural teaching at a borough school.

Cllr Vikki Hartstean, cabinet member for children's services, education and community safety at Thurrock Council, visited William Edwards School in Stifford Clays to celebrate its recent attainment of the Intermediate level of the British Council's International School Award.

The award recognises the school's 'outstanding commitment to embedding international learning into its curriculum and fostering global citizenship among its students'. 

During her visit, Cllr Hartstean met with headteacher Simon Bell, director of languages Terry Curtis and Carolin Tandal, a teacher from Sekundarschule Jessen-Nord in Germany, to learn more about the school's language and cultural programmes.

Cllr Hartstean said: "As a former languages teacher, it was inspiring to see how William Edwards School is bringing the world into the classroom and providing students with opportunities to connect with other cultures.

"Their work not only enriches the curriculum but also reflects the diversity and heritage of Thurrock.

"The new partnership with SKS-Jessen Nord is a fantastic example of international collaboration that will benefit students for years to come. It was a pleasure to meet with Carolin, who was visiting all the way from Germany, about the importance of Modern Foreign Languages and the benefit this partnership will have for her own students." 

The school's international work includes teaching French and German to GCSE level, supporting heritage language GCSEs such as Polish, Turkish, Mandarin and Russian, and educating pupils about Thurrock's historical role in post-WW2 Britain and the Windrush generation. Students also explore global cultures through Catering and Hospitality lessons and participate in a wide range of overseas educational visits. 

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The newly -established link with SKS-Jessen Nord, supported by UK-German Connection and the British Council, is the latest development in the school's international journey. Preliminary visits have already taken place, and plans are underway for student exchanges beginning in 2026. 

Mr Bell said: "We are pleased to have our work here at William Edwards School recognised at national level with this prestigious award. It clearly shows how committed the school and staff are to support all our pupils and families in so many ways, whether this is through our curriculum subjects or our supra-curricular offer of supplementary qualifications and international visits." 

The British Council's International School Award celebrates schools that do exceptional work in international education, helping young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life and work in today's world.