YOUNG citizens of the world have been recognised for widening their horizons.

Sharples School has been awarded the British Council's prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom, giving them a global perspective in whatever they do.

The International School Award celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education.

The British Council said that fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of its work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life work in today’s world.

The award recognises the work schools do in partnership with others abroad and throughout the academic year.

Sharples School's international work includes exchanges with schools in Spain, as well as international projects with Germany, Hungary, Poland and even India.

Alice Southern, the school’s International Coordinator said: "I am delighted that the work we have done to establish our international ethos over the past year has been recognised in this way. Staff and pupils have worked hard on our projects and some great links have been made.

"This is just the start of our international journey and we are excited to see where the next two years takes us with our £110,000 of Erasmus+ funding."

Sir Ciarán Devane, CEO of the British Council, said: "The school’s fantastic international work has rightfully earned it this prestigious award.

"The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into their classrooms. Embedding an international dimension in children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful lives and careers in an increasingly global economy."

The award is now available worldwide in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Pakistan. Around 5,500 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.