A long-standing international link between a Swindon secondary school and a partner school in Nepal has been formally renewed, marking the next chapter in a collaboration built on shared learning and cultural exchange.
Lawn Manor Academy has reaffirmed its partnership with Glory English Secondary School in Bhaktapur, Nepal, almost seven years after the two schools first began working together. The relationship, which started in 2019, aims to broaden pupils’ learning by connecting classrooms across continents.
During the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the partnership took on a practical role. Staff at Lawn Manor Academy shared their experience of distance learning, supporting colleagues at Glory School as they navigated the challenges of remote education for their pupils.
Now, following several years of disruption, the collaboration has been officially re-established. To mark the occasion, Glory School presented Lawn Manor Academy with a traditional Nepalese ceremonial mask, created by local artisans in Bhaktapur.
The historic city is widely known for its distinctive and expressive mask-making tradition, and the gift is intended to represent friendship, respect and a shared commitment to learning from one another.
The partnership has been supported by local teachers Dr Christine Tipper and Brigid Harkness, who have been helping to build educational links between Swindon and Nepal since 2012.
Christine said the connection between the two schools was clear from the outset.
“The creative association between Lawn Manor and Glory School was formed when Glory School’s Headteacher, Shankar Karn Kayasta, visited Swindon and there was an immediate sense of shared values,” she said.
“Sadly, the pandemic brought things to a halt, but when I visited Glory School at the end of 2025, they were keen to begin again. Sending the mask to the Lawn Manor community was their way of showing love and renewing that friendship.”
Staff and pupils at Lawn Manor Academy are now looking ahead to building the partnership further, with plans to share best practice and strengthen links between pupils in both schools.
Assistant Headteacher Marek Koza said the school is eager to pick up where it left off.
“The pandemic brought our collaboration with Glory School to an abrupt stop, but we are hopeful we can now continue that work,” he said. “We would like to reciprocate their visit and share teaching resources that have been developed using research-backed classroom strategies and routines.
“When they visited previously, we were able to provide resources too, so we’re really interested to see how their own teaching has developed since then.”
Plans are also underway to create direct connections between pupils, including letter writing, emails and online sessions, giving young people the opportunity to share everyday experiences and learn about one another’s cultures.
“These conversations around culture and lived experience are an important part of who we are as a school,” Mr Koza added.
Lawn Manor Academy is part of the Ascend Learning Trust. More information about the school can be found at www.lawnmanor.org.
