Pick and mix from a range of careers events, competitions, on campus experiences, creative projects, classroom activities and live events to maximise the opportunities for young people in your school or community.

Click here to download the full KS3-5 programme

Scroll down to find out about events and activities, as well as additional resources to bring the world and languages into the classroom and community.

Festival participation can support applications for the British Council International School Award (Foundation Certificate, Intermediate, Accreditation and Reaccreditation).

Festival participation can support Schools of Sanctuary work, embracing the languages, cultures and traditions of all pupils, celebrating multiculturalism and multilingualism.

Becoming a European Parliament Ambassador School – Webinar for teachers  3.30-4.30pm 29th January

For UK secondary and college teachers: Learn about free accreditation as an Ambassador School with access to free resources and trips from the European Parliament Liaison Office in the UK, plus links to a vast EU and UK schools’ network.

CPD: Spanish Teachers’ Day at Newcastle University 14th March 2026

For teachers and future teachers of Spanish in the North East at all levels. A lively day of presentations and practical ideas for the Spanish language class, with a Spanish lunch.

CPD: Designing cross-curriculum tasks to build competence in languages 12-3pm 16th March

For North East teachers at any level: Join expert Dr Jenny Eddy, for this CPD session supporting teachers to understand and design tasks across subject areas to support language learning.

Modern Languages in the Working World webinar with Sanako UK 9.30-10.15am on 2nd March

NE & UK schools Y8-Y9: Join David Binns for an inspirational careers talk for students, stressing the importance of a second language skill in any chosen career and encouraging GCSE take-up.

Spanish language and careers webinar with Spanish Embassy Education Office 9.30-10.15am on 3rd March

NE & UK secondary schools/6th forms: Inspire pupils to progress with Spanish and find out about the benefits of learning languages and the future opportunities learning Spanish brings.

The Spanish Apprentice Y10 Tourism Challenge 4th March, Bishop Auckland

NE Y10 Spanish learners: Teams of 5 pupils work with Durham University students on a Bishop Auckland tourism marketing challenge and deliver a pitch in Spanish to a judging panel.

Languages at Work webinar: Careers and language challenge 9.30-10.30am on 5th March

NE and UK schools (KS3 Y8-Y9): Motivational session with professional linguists. Sharing career insights and running live language challenges in French, German and Spanish.

Languages and careers in football webinar with Pierce Kiembi, Futbol Lingo (KS2-5) 10.30-11.15am on 6th March

NE & UK schools (KS2-5): Join Futbol Lingo’s motivational webinar, using football to inspire a generation of future linguists and open perspectives on the range of careers in football.

Where can languages take me? Careers webinar with British Council and guests  9.00-9.45am on 26th March

NE & UK schools Year 8-9: Inspire pupils to choose languages at GCSE with professionals sharing their language learning journeys, skills and how they use languages in their work.

Language and culture sessions (Careers with Languages option) Flexible dates Feb-March

For NE KS2-KS5 pupils (7-18): 30-45 min online or 2-hour in-person sessions (with an option for a Careers with Languages session) at Newcastle University Language Resource Centre.

Languages and careers in football (KS3-5) FULLY BOOKED 31st March at Northumbria University

NE schools (KS3-5): Inspiring workshops to encourage pupils to progress with languages. Football themed motivational talk, practical and fun classroom language and footballing activities

North East language and careers videos and classroom activities Available 6 Jan-31 March

For KS2-5 pupils in North East schools: A series of 2-5 minute videos with North East young professionals (with pupil booklets) to inspire pupils to progress with languages and understand the opportunities available when you speak more than one language.

¡Cocina y Crea! Spanish Omelette Recipe Challenge (KS2-3) 6th Jan-6th February

For NE schools (KS2-3): Pupils design a Spanish Omelette and describe it in Spanish. Resource pack provided. Two school winners attend an awards ceremony on 9th March at Northumbria University.

La Petite Crêperie North East Schools’ Competition (KS2-3) 6th Jan-6th March

For NE schools (KS2-3): Join in this competition to design a unique crêpe and describe it in French. Resource pack provided. Two schools will win an in-person workshop with La Petite Crêperie.

Karneval Mask Competition for NE/UK schools (KS2-4) 6th January to 6th March

For NE/UK schools (KS2-4): Pupils will celebrate Germany’s most colourful and joyful festival and design their own Karneval mask. Resources provided. NE/UK winners in each key stage.

Sing, sign and play the Festival Song: Love is the Only River 6th January to 31st March

North East and Tees Valley schools and groups (ages 7-18) are invited to sign, sign, play, perform and film different language versions of the song: ‘Love is the only river’. Compilation video of performances will be shared.

Together we fly! World Friendship origami project 6th January to 31st March

North East schools, community schools, schools internationally (ages 5-18). Children and young people will create colourful origami butterflies with messages of friendship and be part of our public art exhibition.

Mother Tongue Other Tongue poetic writing project 6th January to 31st March 2025

North East and Tees Valley schools (ages 7-18). Children and young people share poems and drawings in their home language or write an original piece of poetry in a language they are learning. Compilation in a digital anthology.

World Recipe Book: exploring food and cultural heritage 6th Jan to 31st March

NE schools, youth and community groups: Share recipes in languages (other than English) and why these are important to different cultures. Digital recipe book will include selected entries.

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Munich Supercrew schools’ workshop and concert (KS3-5) 10.00-12.00 on 20th January

North East and Tees Valley schools KS3-5 Join in this exciting workshop and high energy concert with Munich Supercrew, the energetic German band making learning German a blast! With teaching resources and CPD.

Language Student Immersion at Durham University (KS5) Flexible dates 12th January to 6th March

For North East KS5 language learners: Half-day programmes for 2 pupils per visit, who will meet language students and do task-based activities in languages they study or take at degree level.

Asian Creative Journeys: Indian & Chinese cultural workshops Flexible bookings Feb-March

For NE schools KS2-5: South Asian and Chinese arts and culture workshops delivered in school by GemArts artists. Options include festivals, dance, visual arts, traditional arts and crafts.

Language and culture sessions (Careers with Languages option) Flexible dates Feb-March

For NE KS2-KS5 pupils (7-18): 30-45 min online or 2-hour in-person sessions (with an option for a Careers with Languages session) at Newcastle University Language Resource Centre

Language Treasures at GNM 10am-2pm 4th March; self-guided activities all March

For NE schools (KS2-3): Book hands-on workshops exploring galleries through a linguistic lens and connecting across cultures or use teacher-led resourced activities throughout March.

Afro-Ecuadorian Fairytales at the Multilingual Library 1.30-2.30pm on 4th, 11th, 25th Feb, 11th March

For NE KS2-3 pupils: An engaging event (English/Spanish) bringing fairytales to life and learning about the importance of traditions and knowledge in different cultures. With teaching resources.

Welcome to China events (3-18 yrs) 9.30-11.30am on 10th, 11th, 12th, 17th, 18th and 19th March

For North East schools (5-18 yrs): Join in a Mandarin taster session and cultural workshops – Tai Chi, Kungfu, calligraphy, printmaking, Chinese Tea Ceremony, lacquer fan, lantern making, paper cutting.

#LetAfghanGirlsLearn! Webinar for 11-18 year olds 12-12.45 10th March 

For 11-18 year olds (UK wide): Share the experiences of Afghan girls, their fight for education and what pupils in the UK can do to support them. Education pack provided.

Bilingual poetry (French/English) with Michaël Vidon KS3-5 9.30-10.15am 12th March online

For UK schools KS3-5 French learners: Join Michaël for a stimulating, interactive bilingual poetry session in French and English. Teaching resources provided and recording available.

Experience Japan with The Japan Society (KS2-3) FULLY BOOKED 13th March in Newcastle

For North East schools (KS2-3): Pupils can join in 2-hour interactive sessions with The Japan Society. They will learn some Japanese language and take part in Japanese cultural activities.

Durham Children’s University secondary webinar 1-1.45pm on 16th March

For NE secondary schools (Y7-11): Exploring how perceptions of the body have changed since the 19th century, representations in French literature and art and topics such as war and work, sickness and health and men and women.

Y12 French, German, Spanish interactive language activities 2-4pm on 18th March in Newcastle

For NE schools Year 12 French, German, Spanish: Join in oral practice, listening comprehension tasks, introductory interpreting taster tasks and meet University language students sharing experiences of their year abroad. 

Creative multilingualism (KS4) 12.30-3pm on 19th March at Newcastle University

For NE schools Year 10-11 pupils: An interactive workshop for pupils using languages they speak (to whatever level) to gain confidence in expressing multilingualism creatively, with translation, creative writing and language-learning.

Welcome to the Arab World workshops (Y5-8) 9.30-12, 12.30-3pm on 23d March, Newcastle

NE schools (Years 5-6) Children will learn about the Arab world, culture and traditions, practice some Arabic language and try Arabic calligraphy in these fun, in-person interactive workshops.

Chinese Documentary Film Screening (14-18yrs) 10am-2.30pm on 25th March

For NE schools (KS4-5): Screening of 3 Chinese documentaries, offering insights into Chinese society, education and social inequality and documentary filmmaking. With Q&A.

Bangla Day in Sunderland (KS2-5) 11-12.30 and 1.30-3pm on 25th March, SBIC

For NE schools and colleges: Activities to celebrate richness of Bangladeshi culture, heritage, traditions and language with the Bangladeshi community in Sunderland.

Multilingual Poetry Slam (KS3-5) 9.30am-3pm on 27th March at Newcastle Civic Centre

NE and Tees Valley schools (KS3-5): Join Michaël Vidon and a team of Spoken Word Artists to experience a day of multilingual poetry.  Pupils will create and perform group poems in multiple languages.

Culture Box Asia: Indian and Chinese cultural workshops Available 6 Jan-31 March

For 7-18 year-olds in North East schools, community schools and groups. Four fun, interactive pre-recorded workshops exploring and celebrating Indian and Chinese arts, language and culture (drumming, dance, puppetry and origami).

North East language and careers videos and classroom activities Available 6 Jan-31 March

For KS2-5 pupils in North East schools: A series of 2-5 minute videos with North East young professionals (with pupil booklets) to inspire pupils to progress with languages and understand the opportunities available when you speak more than one language.

Stories from around the world – Food on Film activities (ages 5-15) Available 6 Jan-31 March

NE and UK schools (ages 5-15): Access 3 short films, revealing different cultures, communities and languages whilst exploring underlying themes that unite us all through the culinary language of food. With teaching resources.

Exploring and celebrating indigenous African languages (KS1-4) Available 6 Jan-31 March

For UK schools and groups (5-16 years): Teaching resources and interactive activities to run in a classroom, youth group or community workshop introducing 4 indigenous African languages: Yoruba, Swahili, Tamazight, Xhosa

Afro-Ecuadorian Fairytales resources (English/Spanish) Available 6 Jan-31 March

For UK schools, youth and community groups: Resources in English and Spanish bringing Afro-Ecuadorian fairytales to life, learning about the importance of traditions and knowledge in different cultures.

Multilingual digital stories -5 films made by children Available 6 Jan-31 March

For UK primary, secondary, community schools & groups:  Share short multilingual digital stories created by children and young people aged 7–16 in a range of languages, with English subtitles. Teacher guide provided.

Spanish Cinema in the Classroom (KS4-5) Available 6 January to 31 March

For KS4-5 UK schools: Teachers can access recent Spanish films for classroom screenings.  English subtitles and teaching guides provided to ensure pupils’ Spanish learning is enhanced through this engaging and motivating activity.

German Week 19-24 January UK primary and secondary schools

UK schools can take part in a week long celebration of German language and culture. Age-appropriate resources, events and activities available to registered primary and secondary schools.

JaLaChamp 2026 (Japanese) Open Nov 2025 to March 2026

For UK primary and secondary learners of Japanese. The 2026 theme is ‘My favourite sandwiches’. Speech and video categories. Finals day on 20th June in London. Guidance and downloads.

French Pop Video Competition 2026 (deadline May 2026)

Open to UK schools with three age categories (7-11, 12-15, 16-18). Schools register Feb/March and submit videos of original songs in French by May, with Award Ceremony in London in June.

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators (deadline 27 Mar)

UK schools register to access creative translation teaching resources in French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Russian and Spanish. Competition tasks released 2 Feb, deadline 27 Mar.

Joutes oratoires lycéennes (6th forms) Regional Feb, final March

UK 6th forms: French debating competition around current topics, building confidence and critical thinking. Regional heats to February and Final in London on 24th March with prizes.

Celebrate Speaking! UK schools 1st-28th February 2025

UK schools: Practice and celebrate a language your students learn or use in their community and take part in the virtual festival of speaking in by sharing performances online.

World Children’s Haiku Contest UK, submit by 28 Feb

For under 15 year-olds: Compose your own haiku with accompanying artwork by 28th February for a chance to win prizes. Individual and school entries welcome.

World Speech Day Japan 21st March 2026

All ages: World Speech Day Japan is an opportunity for young people to share their thoughts with the world in Japanese (for students learning Japanese) and in English (for Japanese students learning English).

ENACT Around the World Club packs

UK and worldwide schools can set up their own Around the World Clubs with free resources, Children and young people can learn about different languages and cultures, while doing hands-on activities.

Around the World Education Packs from British Council

Explore a selection of British Council’s Education Packs with specially designed lessons and resources for schools linked to different countries and cultures across the world.

British Council languages support for schools

Access a wide range of language resources designed to help introduce and support language learning and teaching, as well as support for international links and the International School Award.

Association for Language Learning and ALLNE

Discover how ALL represents and supports language teachers, professional development and the development of policy. Find out about the NE Branch and the North East secondary Network. 

National Consortium for Languages Education

National programme supporting language education in England, with LEO online professional learning platform, language networks, priority projects and CPD webinars.

European Centre for Modern Languages

Classroom resources and publications in multiple languages are available free to support teachers. Available from this Council of Europe supported website.