Engagement with the Global Community

One of the things that makes Felsted such a special place is our engagement with the global community, and one of the key ways in which we do this is through our membership of Round Square. There are now more than 270 Round Square schools in more than 50 countries across the world, and they have a shared vision based on the IDEALS (internationalism, democracy, environmental stewardship, adventure, leadership and service). The founding father of Round Square was the inspirational Kurt Hahn, formerly Head of Gordonstoun, founder of Atlantic College, Head of Salem, and the man behind the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The motto of the organisation is 'plus est en vous' or 'there is more in you', and speaks to untapping potential through education.

One of the best things that Round Square provides is global conferences, that bring together students and teachers from around the world to share experiences, build connections and learn about different cultures. This September, we are heading to Dubai for the 2025 conference and there are still two more places available. If you are interested, please do get in touch with Kathy Martin (kma@felsted.org) in order to find out more about this. Pupils who attend the conference are expected to come back to Felsted and report on their experience to fellow students and Governors.  

Through our connections in Round Square, we have also hosted visiting teachers from Argentina and South Africa this year, who are looking to learn more about global education and boarding in the UK. We also welcomed two groups of students from Argentina; 50 pupils from St Andrew's Scots School, who put on a brilliant concert for us, playing alongside some of our own students, as well as another 50 students from Holy Trinity College who spent time with our pupils, focussing on the Round Square IDEALS and completing the Global Challenge for Round Square Day.  
 

Another really special opportunity that Round Square provides is a network of 'exchanges'. In the last year, we have been able to host pupils from Radford College (Australia), Armidale School (Australia), Colegio Anglo Colombiano (Colombia), Dunn School (USA), Matthew Flinders Anglican College (Australia), Wilderness School (Australia), and we are looking forward to hosting students from Stiftung Landheim Schondorf am Ammersee (Germany) as well as Stanford Lake College (South Africa) next term. Over the years, we have been able to send pupils out to countries all around the world including Peru, Colombia, USA, Germany, Spain, China, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.  

While the exchanges do not have to be reciprocal, it works particularly well when they are, and a host here can become a visitor somewhere else.  An exchange might mean staying with a host family, or staying in a boarding school, depending on destination. These can provide an incredible experience of self-development, as you will push yourself out of your comfort zone, but the rewards can be significant. Schools do not charge any fees for exchanges, so the only cost to cover is the travel. An exchange might focus on language development, cultural experience or just the desire to learn in a different environment. With the pressure of public exams, the best times to look at are Years 10 and 12, although with schools around the world having different term dates, it can work to find an exchange that coincides with holiday time in the UK.  

If you are interested in participating in this programme, please do get in touch with Kathy Martin (kma@felsted.org). In the initial planning phase, it is good to be flexible (do not think too much about a particular school, because they might not be open to exchanges at this point in time). Remember, there is more in each of us, if we are prepared to challenge ourselves to find it.

Have a very good half term.

Chris