Viva la Fountain Primary School!

Noelia Anguita and Ana Mora shadowed two teachers at the school and said they were impressed by the standard of education they found there. Both women hail from the Spanish region of Castilla La Mancha and are specialists who teach children from the ages of three up to eleven subjects such as science, art and English, in the English language.

Ana Mora, who has been a teacher for seven years, told the Sentinel: "We applied for the exchange programme and only 20 teachers from Spain were accepted to come to Northern Ireland. We really enjoyed our stay and Mrs McNally (Fountain Primary School Principal) has made our visit a lot easier."

Noelia Anguita, a teacher for two years said: "The method of teaching a the timetables are different from Spain, but different in a good way. The children here are very respectful."

Echoing Noelia's comments, Ana said: "The teaching methods are more flexible here and the children are very well behaved and very polite."

Miss Anguita also said her trip to Londonderry was the first time she had travelled abroad alone and her nervousness at finding her way about was dispelled by the helpful and friendly attitude she found on her arrival here.

The women were also impressed by the city itself with Ana commenting: "It has a lot to offer in terms of entertainment and culture. our Spanish children are going to learn a lot about Derry because of our video's and photographs. I also hope to start our own exchange programme with the children as well as the teachers from here. I thought the Tower Museum especially was very educational and instructive in the way it lays out the city's history step by step."

Principal Isobel McNally told the Sentinel: "This is the first time we have taken part in this particular programme, but we have already been very pro-active in getting children to learn a second language because it's something I believe the education system here has been failing in.

"I was delighted when the Minister for Education introduced learning either Spanish or Irish for children from P1 to P7.

"We have had many foreign students attending the school because of our links with the Foyle Language Centre, but this is the first time that two teachers have come to the school. I think this provides a better reason for children to learn."

Ana Mora also believes this type of learning provides pupils with a richer view of the world. Agreeing with Ana, Mrs McNally said: "We like to teach the children that there is a world out there and to go for it, to move out from the Fountain into the city first and then to the rest of the world.

"I'm delighted that the City of Culture bid took place when the girls were here and they had the opportunity to see what that meant and to get involved themselves."