INDIA · SCHOOL LEADERSHIP · 2025
An experience of a lifetime: building school partnerships in India
What stays with you after an international school visit? For the UK school leaders who travelled to India with Global School Exchanges in 2025, it was the people they met, the welcome they received and the possibilities they could see for their students.
A THANK-YOU FROM THE SENIOR LEADERS
Praise for the experience — and the care behind it
After returning home, seven senior leaders who took part signed a thank-you letter to GSE. Dated 13 February 2025 and written on Horndean Technology College headed paper, it celebrated both the experience and the organisation behind it:
“We thank you for the organisation and the care and attention that was given for our safety and welfare.”
“There is no doubt in our minds that it was an experience of a lifetime and one that we will never forget.”
The letter went on to recognise opportunities for teachers and students to collaborate and experience education and culture in one another’s countries. The group expressed interest in future exchanges and had already identified ways that activities could involve their wider federation.
That connection between a memorable personal experience and possibilities for young people was at the heart of the visit.
LEARNING TOGETHER
Three schools and a shared interest in education
The programme brought together visits to three Indian schools, opportunities to meet leaders and staff, conversations with students, and time to explore the country’s culture. It was a busy itinerary, but participants consistently praised the thought and organisation behind it.
The school receptions made a particular impression. Delegates described the hospitality as generous and, at times, overwhelming. Touring the schools and talking with their hosts gave them a starting point for understanding different educational settings and discussing what a partnership might look like.
One participant singled out “Meeting inspirational leaders and exploring our shared values on education for our young people” as a highlight. Another described beginning to plan how the visit could benefit students back home.
EXPERIENCING INDIA
Learning continued beyond the school gates
Participants’ reflections were full of vivid memories: the colours and food, visits to the Ganges and a temple, gardens in Delhi, saris and henna. For one delegate, joining an Indian wedding celebration was an unexpected highlight — a cultural encounter that could not have been scheduled in advance.
These experiences mattered alongside the professional conversations. Spending time in a different country creates opportunities to notice unfamiliar customs, listen to other perspectives and reflect on assumptions we may bring with us.
For educators considering how to give their students a wider view of the world, experiencing that sense of discovery themselves can be a valuable starting point.
BEHIND THE VISIT
Support that allowed the group to focus on the experience
The feedback also recognised the people who helped make the programme possible. Participants praised Kasturi and Ravi for their support, their relationships with the host schools and their attention to the group throughout the visit.
One delegate wrote of the travel arrangements: “We didn’t need to think or worry about anything, it was all sorted for us and made as easy as possible.”
In their collective letter, the group thanked GSE for the organisation and the care given to their safety and welfare.
LOOKING AHEAD
From a visit to future possibilities
The feedback was thoughtful as well as enthusiastic. Participants suggested more time for discussion and classroom observation, a wider range of school settings and a less demanding travel schedule. These reflections give GSE useful direction when planning future visits.
The group’s interest in future collaboration shows what a leadership visit can begin. Meeting face to face gives educators a chance to understand one another, identify common interests and explore opportunities that might later involve their students.
For Global School Exchanges, the ambition is for those connections to help more young people broaden their minds, experience other countries and develop the confidence to engage with people whose lives may be different from their own.
Explore the full India 2025 case study, with videos, trip details and the senior leaders’ letter. Discover our Educator Learning Trips or talk to us about international opportunities for your school.