South Yorkshire school welcomes visitors from Paraguay as part of unique partnership project

Youngsters from Colegio Aula Viva, in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion, stayed with students and their families during their week-long visit to Wales High School, in Kiveton.

Wales High is the only school in England to have a partnership with a school in Paraguay and their partnership, which was set up in 2004, has seen them share exchange visits and curriculum projects.

During their time in South Yorkshire, pupils learnt about the urban regeneration of South Yorkshire, the history of Sheffield and visited Rother Valley Country Park.

Wales High's assistant headteacher Danielle Taylor, who helped organise the visit, said: “Wales High School has a long standing tradition of working with schools internationally and exchange visits like this support the work of various departments as well as helping young people to develop socially.

"It’s great to see how the relationship between the two schools has developed and blossomed over the past 13 years.

"Our guests were handed gifts, to remember their time here in South Yorkshire, at a leaving assembly and will head back to South America with friendships and experiences that both sets of students will keep with them for the rest of their lives.”

In the past Wales High has supported Paraguayan charities by raising funds for a primary school that was destroyed by flooding and for an orphanage supporting abandoned babies.

The exchange follows a visit from Paraguayan Ambassador Bernardo Prieto in Wales High, in December last year.

The ambassador wanted to visit the school and thank staff and students for all the work they have done in promoting educational links with the South American country.