Saltus students will participate in an international astronomy programme for the next three years.

The school has been awarded funding from the British Council to take part in a joint curriculum programme with students in four other countries.

?The focus of our Joint Curriculum Project is Astronomy,? Senior department staff member Claire O?Grady said.? Students have been getting involved in related activities both inside and outside the classroom. They are working together with students in our partner schools to produce a joint calendar based on the solar system and are using ICT skills to set up a website about the project.?

The project brings Saltus students into contact with students in the UK, Turkey, Netherlands and Spain.

Ms O?Grady explained the project involved many subjects including science, history, mathematics, geography and languages.

Student have also acquired pen-pals through the project. The project aims to engage students in a cross-curriculum initiative that encourages them to continue learning outside of the classroom. Ms O?Grady also said that Saltus will host visiting teachers from the project in the coming years. Students will benefit from their different teaching styles and learn about the country they come from.

Four students have already benefited from the international project. The students were chosen to attend the International Astronomy Project meeting in the Netherlands.

A competition was held and Nicholas Rinehimer, Chris Mahoney, Meliseanna Gibbons and Abigail Hill were chosen to attend the meeting.

The students met many other young adults who they plan to stay in touch with. They also built their own telescope and were attended advanced physics workshops.

While in the Netherlands the students visited the Ann Frank House and rode bicycles in the Dutch country side. The Saltus Comenius Project Astronomy Club has various activities throughout the term for students. On Tuesday night there was a star gazing pizza party. Students met at Botanical Gardens and had the opportunity to learn about the constellations, do some telescope observations, and of course eat lots of pizza!