OKEHAMPTON College has been awarded the British Council's prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom. The International School Award is a badge of honour for schools that do outstanding work in international education, such as through links with partner schools overseas. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council's work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need to live and work as global citizens. The college's international work is vast, and includes energy saving projects with EDF and French schools, work in the community with its memory café, visits to local primary schools, charity work in Malawi, e-mail exchanges with the USA, student visits to France, and reception of guests from a range of different countries, as well as class activities and projects. College principal Daryll Chapman said: 'In this rural part of Devon, it is important to raise awareness in our students of international matters. We continually try to find ways to teach them about other countries, and promote understanding of different cultures. 'We are absolutely delighted to win this award, and to exceed the requirements. The comments from the assessor were probably the most enthusing I have ever heard from an assessment of this type.' John Rolfe, from the British Council, said: 'The school's fantastic international work has rightfully earned it this prestigious award. The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they're doing to bring the world into their classrooms. 'Adding an international dimension to children's education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful future careers in an increasingly global economy.' 2013/14 saw more than 500 schools receive International School Award accreditation. This includes a wide range of schools from a variety of different backgrounds and areas across the UK. The British Council hopes to build on this success throughout 2014. The Award is now available worldwide in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus, Pakistan and Nigeria as part of the British Council's Connecting Classrooms programme. Around 5,000 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.