A SCHOOL has been praised by the British Council for nurturing a spirit of internationalism.

Haytor View Community Primary School, on the Buckland Estate in Newton Abbot, was awarded the International Schools Award for developing the teaching of foreign languages among all its pupils right through the age groups.

Graeme Hankin, language leader at the school, said foreign languages and learning about other cultures involved all aspects of the curriculum, from geography taught in French to maths in Chinese and video conferencing with schools in France or corresponding with penpals at schools in Sweden.

He added: "The award is in recognition of our journey towards internationalism and language work.

"It's not just about languages; for the children, it's about learning about different cultures while celebrating their own.

"It gives them more confidence and greater self-esteem while boosting their communication skills."

Mr Hankin said all 200 pupils aged 4 to 11 at the school were taught foreign languages.

"They're like sponges who absorb everything, which is why it's important to teach them foreign languages from such a young age," he said.

"They get to see how other people — other children — live in different countries.

"It's brand new for them and makes learning exciting and fun."