Salford schools go global as headteachers forge links with Chinese education

Sara Walker (Westwood Park Primary), Rachel Gallagher (Clarendon Road Primary), and Michael Earnshaw (The Friars Primary) represented Salford at the 20th Jiangsu International Forum for School Principals in Yangzhou this November.

The event brought together more than 300 education leaders from across the world, focusing on Artificial Intelligence in schools and sharing best practices to shape the future of learning.

As part of the cultural exchange, the headteachers visited schools across Nanjing Province, met Chinese pupils, and experienced firsthand the incredible quality of education in China.

Each Salford school has a ‘sister school’ in China, opening doors for collaboration and friendship:
•    Clarendon Road Primary with Meiling Primary School
•    The Friars Primary with Huaiyin Experimental Primary School
•    Westwood Park Primary with Nanjing Normal University Affiliated Hanjan Experimental Primary School

Suman Education International – the organisation who supports the sister school link programme – funded the visit and plan to offer funding to more schools across Salford for future conferences.

The conference will be back in China in 2027 and Suman will be running a similar programme.

Information on the organisation can be found here: http://suman.uk.com/

Clarendon Road Primary School Headteacher Rachel Gallagher said: “We really relished the opportunity to explore the education system in China and were delighted to be able to learn more.

“We’re excited to hopefully host the Chinese schools in Salford next year and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing information about their visits with the staff and pupils in their schools and their headteachers in Salford.”

Westwood Park Primary School Headteacher Sara Walker said: “It was a brilliant experience and already my children at school are excited to learn. I hoped to see the education system of another country and speak with fellow professionals from around the world to learn from their experiences. In the past, I had a similar experience in South Africa and it was eye opening.

“It has opened up a conversation about other countries the children are interested in. The visit combined my love of education with my love of travelling and sharing other cultures with the children at school. I very much appreciate it and will never forget it.”

The Friars Primary School Headteacher Michael Earnshaw said: “We really enjoyed our visit which was very interesting and informative. We’re looking forward to building upon this relationship in the future. We would like to thank our school governors, Salford City Council and Suman Group for the partnership which made this trip possible and for the extremely generous hospitality received for the duration of the trip.”

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor said: “This international exchange marks a truly proud and landmark moment for Salford. Our headteachers have represented our city brilliantly, building meaningful relationships with schools in Yangzhou and across the wider Jiangsu region, and bringing back fresh insights that will enrich classrooms and communities here at home.

“This important work sits within Salford’s wider engagement with China, where we are steadily building long-term partnerships rooted in cultural exchange, shared learning and shared ambition. What our headteachers have experienced in Yangzhou demonstrates the real value of international cooperation, from seeing innovative teaching practice first-hand to forming friendships that will support collaboration for many years to come.

“We want Salford’s children to grow up with a strong sense of their place in the world, with opportunities to learn from different cultures and global approaches to education. Exchanges like this do exactly that. They broaden horizons, strengthen our city’s educational offer, and deepen the relationships we’re developing internationally. I look forward to these partnerships continuing to grow, and to seeing the benefits reach even more of our schools, young people and communities.”