Dudley school is just 12th in country to join global schools initiative

Windsor High School and Sixth Form, in Halesowen, has become part of a select group of global schools by joining the Schools: Partners for the Future (PASCH) initiative.

The school is the first within the West Midlands to join the PASCH initiative, which connects young people worldwide through its network of 2,000 schools across 100 countries.

Launched by the German Federal Foreign Office in 2008, the initiative was founded to create and strengthen a global network of schools that have special links to Germany.

A ceremony to mark the occasion was held at Windsor High School and Sixth Form with representatives from the German Embassy, Goethe-Institut, the Mayor of Dudley and Windsor Academy Trust CEO Dawn Haywood in attendance.

The ceremony included dance, music and poetry performances from students.

Speaking at the event, headteacher Stephen Lanckham said: "We want our students’ time at our school to be full of exciting and diverse cultural and life experiences, so they can fulfil their academic and personal potential and develop into global citizens.

"The PASCH initiative will provide incredible opportunities for our students, allowing them to engage with a global network of young people and schools working together to boost language skills and promote inter-cultural exchange."

Windsor High School and Sixth Form places a high value on foreign languages and international culture, offering German as a language option for both school and sixth-form students. It also provides a range of cultural enrichment opportunities including extracurricular language clubs, dedicated student German ambassadors and running regular trips to Germany and Austria.

Dawn Haywood, CEO at Windsor Academy Trust, said: "We want students to aspire and become all and more than they ever thought they could be.

"The PASCH partnership will support this aim, building meaningful connections worldwide and providing exceptional opportunities for students across our family of schools."

The PASCH initiative will help further expand the school’s cultural education and provide opportunities for students, including summer schools, placements with world-leading companies and the chance to study at German universities through a PASCH scholarship.

Dudley Mayor, Councillor Anne Millward, said: "It was a great honour and a privilege to have been invited to the PASCH launch.

"The school continues to be a beacon in our borough, and their work with the Goethe-Institut, with its network around the world, encourages the students to reach and aspire to wonderful achievements.

"I was inspired by the students’ talents who gave performances of dance, music and poetry, and testimonies from alumni who talked about their experiences from their time at this wonderful school."