PROJECT ERASMUS+

Accreditation makes it easier to obtain funding for international mobility over the next three years.

This recognition is not only a confirmation of our work, but also a step forward in our vision to become the School of the Future. Through mobility activities, we can significantly enhance the quality of teaching and the overall educational process.

The accreditation will enable our teachers to travel abroad and gain new experiences and inspiration on how to implement educational innovations into their teaching. Pupils will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge at partner schools abroad, discover new countries and cultures, and learn more about themselves.

Stepping out of one's comfort zone is a life-changing experience that broadens the horizons of everyone involved in the programme.

Erasmus+ also opens the door for our school to engage in international cooperation with foreign schools and various educational institutions.

ERASMUS+ IN FINLAND THROUGH THE EYES OF BESST TEACHERS

In May, as part of the Erasmus+ programme, we took part in a job shadowing mobility in the Finnish city of Joensuu, where we had the opportunity to gain insight into the local education system.

We were inspired by modern teaching methods, project-based and interdisciplinary learning, team teaching, the meaningful use of digital technologies, and flexible learning environments that foster students’ independence and collaboration. Great emphasis is also placed on inclusion and strong teamwork among teachers and educational professionals.

We are returning from this mobility with new knowledge, fresh inspiration, and renewed motivation to continue developing innovative education at our school.

A big thank you to the Erasmus+ programme and our Finnish partners for their warm welcome and hospitality.

Erasmus Students from Greece at BESST! 

For one week, our Central European town of Trnava became a home away from home for students from the coastal city of Elefsina. Together with our 7th and 8th graders, they experienced:

•  innovative learning

•  Cambridge lessons

•  3D printing, makerspace activities, and LEGO programming

•  ice skating for the very first time 

•  a trip to Bratislava

•  lots of experiences, laughter, and new friendships

The mobility programme also included inspiring professional activities for teachers:

•  IT lessons with teachers Georgia and Lela

•  mathematics with principal Panagiotis

•  cultural exploration with Ioannis – Giannis

Thank you to our Greek friends for the wonderful cooperation — we are already looking forward to more projects together! See you soon – Ta leme sýntoma

Erasmus+ Visit from the Czech Republic

At the end of March, we had the pleasure of welcoming visitors from the Czech Republic to our school. As part of the Erasmus+ programme, teachers from a primary school in Louňovice pod Blaníkem, near Prague, visited us to gain inspiration and exchange professional experience.

The aim of the visit was to explore approaches to working with intellectually gifted students, discover innovative teaching methods, and share insights from everyday educational practice.

The programme began with a presentation of our school, including examples of students’ project-based work. This was followed by a professional discussion focused on developing the potential of gifted children, with special emphasis also placed on their social and emotional development.

As part of the job shadowing programme, the guests had the opportunity to observe lessons directly in the classroom. They attended history and mathematics lessons at the primary level, as well as a LEGO Engineering and science-focused lesson at the lower secondary level. The programme also included an expert discussion about teaching methodology in primary education.

The visit concluded in the Future Classroom Lab, where the guests were introduced to the concept of the classroom of the future. This innovative learning space demonstrates how collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking can be fostered in students and how these principles can be transferred into everyday school life.

We are looking forward to continuing our cooperation — especially to the reciprocal visit of our fourth-grade students to the Czech Republic, where they will have the opportunity to experience school life alongside their Czech peers.

Mobility to Greece

Two weeks before Christmas, talented students from Besst and their two teachers managed to swap the Christmas atmosphere of Trnava for the seaside atmosphere of a small town near Athens. On Monday, immediately after their arrival, they were met at the station by extremely helpful teachers from the Third Gymnasium in Eleusis, who drove them to their host students. The Greek students presented our students with the myth of Persephone, Hades, and Demeter, which largely takes place in this inconspicuous coastal town. The next day, the students spent time in class, where they learned about Christmas in Greece, played volleyball and basketball, and learned new things about Greek poets. Throughout the day, our children were the centre of attention at the Third Gymnasium and answered curious questions from the students. In between long interviews, the students also had time to make their own honey hand balm. Wednesday was the highlight of the trip, when the students travelled to Athens to climb the hill to Acropolis and see fascinating and well-preserved artifacts which are over two thousand years old. Afterwards, they enjoyed lunch on the heated terrace of a restaurant in the middle of December. This pre-Christmas sunny experience was almost as mythical as the Acropolis itself. On Thursday, the students took part in a discussion on gender inequality, where they compared the political systems of Greece and Slovakia and learned that these countries are not as different as they might seem. In the afternoon, all the sweet tooths were delighted, because in the centre of Eleusis they visited a beekeeper who won a competition with her honey. The beekeeper was happy to share all her work with us, whether through explanations or tastings of each type of honey she offers. The flavours were so intoxicating that her students successfully bought out the store after the lecture and went home with memories and bottles of honey for the whole family. The week at school was rounded off with a visit to the archaeological site in Eleusis, where the temple of the goddess Demeter once stood and where Persephone was abducted by

Hades. The lecture was given to the pupils by local students, and certainly no one was bored. Later, a potter was waiting for them to show them how to accurately paint heir own antic mug. After playing a team-building game on a sunny beach, the students went to their host families, who had prepared a rich and adrenaline-filled program for them for the weekend.

Every day, the host families prepared afternoons full of experiences and good food for the children, and the students always came back in the morning smiling and full of new experiences. Thanks to their hospitality and the incredible willingness of the teachers from Third Gymnasium, it can be said that this small piece of land near Athens belonged to Besst for a short pre-Christmas moment. And everyone involved is more than grateful for that.

Ms Adela a Ms Evka

INTERNATIONAL VISIT IN THE DAIVERSE PROJECT (Erasmus+)

The Daiverse project, co-funded by the European Union, aims to assist teachers and schools in implementing AI technologies as a way to address diversity. It focuses on AI technologies that support inclusion and equality among students. The project involves partners from Belgium, Austria, and Slovakia. In October 2024 we welcomed foreign guests as part of the Daiverse project.

Summer Mission for Innovation in Education

How Our Teachers Discovered New Methods in Ireland, Spain, and Malta Thanks to Erasmus+

In October 2025 some of our teachers didn’t rest even during the summer holidays. In an effort to make teaching more effective and strengthen their methodology, they took part in professional development courses abroad. They visited Ireland, Malta, and Spain, bringing back valuable experience while also improving their English communication skills.

The training programs focused on the CLIL method, which connects science subjects with the English language, as well as on technological innovations in education and a Spanish language and methodology course — all aimed at fostering multilingualism among students.

Cultural activities were also part of the experience, enriching their perspective on education in an international context. Thanks to the Erasmus+ grant, we are moving forward — with new ideas, motivation, and a renewed passion for innovation.

We Hosted Pupils from Poland

In May 2025 our Primary and secondary school had the honor of welcoming pupils from our partner school in Poland. A warm welcome from our head teacher and a presentation about the school opened the doors of BESST to the Polish pupils, giving them the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be one of our pupils for a few days.

The first day focused on cooperation and teamwork. Teambuilding activities were completed with an interactive walk through Kamenný Mlyn, where children completed group tasks while exploring the beauty of nature. The program continued with a guided tour of Trnava’s historic city center, and the day concluded with a dinner.

Wednesday was dedicated to the theme of Water. A day of collaborative experiments started a themed program called Water – the Source of Life. These activities encouraged creativity as well as international cooperation.

Thursday was all about excursions. We visited the Gabčíkovo Waterworks, the Ecocenter in Čunovo, and finalised the day with a tour of the remarkable Danubiana Art Gallery on the banks of the Danube.

Three days filled with unforgettable experiences and new friendships ended with an emotional farewell in Bratislava.
At the heart of this mobility project was international collaboration and shared activities that enabled pupils to explore the theme of Water from various perspectives.

One of the outcomes was a joint project titled Water News – a multimedia Polish-Slovak news report focused on the world of water.
We believe this inspiring collaboration, made possible by the support of the Visegrad Fund, will continue to grow in the future.

A big thank you goes to everyone involved – not only the pupils, but also the teachers who actively participated in creating and implementing this mobility experience.

SAYING NO TO WASTE

We had the honor of welcoming a team from the United Kingdom as part of the Erasmus+ program. Together with our students, we recorded an inspiring video that we will soon share with you.

Our students participated in the international project "WASTE NOT WANT NOT," which focuses on reducing food waste. In the video, they shared their experiences on what we do to avoid wasting food and our approach to the topic of food. They also presented their work on this project. We believe that we can inspire each other in thinking and activities on important topics.

Visit from Colegio Montessori Salamanca

During September, our school welcomed teachers from Colegio Montessori Salamanca (Spain) as part of their Erasmus+ project. The purpose of the visit was to exchange experiences and gain inspiration for innovative teaching methods.

The presentation of our school was led by Ms. Peťka Sýkorová and Mr. Chris Ehrola, with Ms. Fernanda Alvarado helping to bridge the language barrier.

Our Spanish colleagues came to learn about our school’s innovative approach to education, shared their own experiences, and even taught a music class in Spanish together with Ms. Barborka, which the students truly enjoyed.

They took part in job shadowing, during which they observed practical examples of active learning methods. Ms. Deniska Ščerbáková demonstrated how technology and digital applications can be effectively integrated into lessons.

The visitors also joined a Lego Engineering workshop connected to STEAM education, led by Mr. Ľubo Gregor, where they saw how students work with technology directly during classes.

Our Executive Director and Future Classroom Lab Ambassador for Slovakia, Ms. Evka Polláková, introduced the visitors to the principles of the Future Classroom Lab (FCL) in our FCL BESST space. She explained how this environment fosters collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, and how FCL concepts can easily be implemented in other schools as well.

The visit brought valuable insights and further strengthened international cooperation in education.