Kenyan teachers share culture and ideas with Egerton Primary School

Thomas Guto and Edith Kanyotu, teachers from Egerton Primary School in Njoro, Kenya have spent 10 days at their sister school in Knutsford, also called Egerton Primary School.

The two schools were set up by Maurice Egerton of Tatton Park between 1893 and 1939.

READ > Groobarbs Wild Farm celebrates decade of phenomenal success

But each one only became known to the other in 2005, thanks to a chance visit to Kenya by Tatton Park’s head gardener.

Kenyan teacher Edith Kanyotu works with a pupil at Egerton Primary School (Image: Egerton Primary School)

The schools have enjoyed several return visits over the years and developed a strong reciprocal working relationship.

Sharing teaching practices, curriculum ideas and cultural enrichment, they have also developed strong bonds of friendship and common ambitions for their pupils and staff.

The two schools even share the same Egerton Lion on their uniform!

Kenyon teachers Thomas Guto and Edith Kanyotu with staff at Egerton Primary School (Image: Egerton Primary School)

The focus of this visit was to develop how all schools in The Egerton Schools’ Foundation deliver on the UN’s good health and wellbeing goals.

Thomas and Edith spent time working on this with each year group at Egerton, as well as meeting with teaching teams at Wincham Primary School and schools in Congleton.

Thomas and Edith also taught children some Kenyan dances as well as visiting Chester Cathedral and Tatton Park.

Kenyan teachers Thomas Guto and Edith Kanyotu visit Tatton Park (Image: Egerton Primary School)

Caroline Lowe, headteacher at Egerton Primary School, said: “It has been really nice for the children to share their school with Thomas again and meet Edith for the first time.

“It was a great experience for them to learn about the culture in Kenya first-hand, and they have especially enjoyed speaking Kiswahili.”