TWO teachers from Denbighshire schools have been selected to join a national committee that will visit Finland to learn about the country’s world-renowned education system

Richard Monteiro and Vicky Lyon, headteacher and deputy teacher of Federated schools Ysgol Gellifor and Ysgol Bryn Clwyd, will join a 16-person delegation from Wales on a trip to the Kuopio region of south Finland, the country’s best performing academic region, as part of the European Union’s Erasmus Plus project in conjunction with the Welsh Government.

The Welsh Government’s ‘International Professional Learning Communities’ initiative that allows teachers from schools and colleges in Wales to learn from international colleagues by observing lesson delivery, teaching methodologies and content approach and standards in pupil learning.

Mr Monteiro said: “Finland has a strong reputation for its excellent education system. We want to see these policies in practise with the hope that aspects of the Finnish ethos towards education can be implemented in Wales.

“This is a great opportunity to meet with Finnish teachers and headteachers to compare ways of working between our two countries.

“We will be attending a primary school, secondary school and university in Kuopio, so we will have the chance to observe the progression of Finnish education through various stages.”

The Erasmus Plus project’s ambition is to enhance the quality of education and training in countries in the EU by promoting peer-to-peer learning and comparison with education systems worldwide.

All 16 teachers from Wales will spend five days visiting five different schools, seeing first-hand the educational practises prominent in Finnish schools and to experience the responsibility and autonomy given to teachers under the Finnish educational system.

Mr Monteiro continued: “Vicky and I feel honoured to be given this opportunity. Being the only teachers from North Wales taking part in the trip we are looking forward to sharing our findings with colleagues in Denbighshire, as well as our North Wales colleagues.

Mr Monteiro and Ms Lyon will join the national delegation in Helsinki on Sunday, when they will then fly to Kuopio, Finland before returning the following Saturday.