Children at a Hendon primary school got a taste of European culture when they welcomed teachers from six other countries for an education outreach project.

Pupils from St Joseph’s Infant School, in Watford Way, dressed up in traditional clothes from their families’ countries of origin and brought in food from regions around the world.

The experience was part of The Comenius Project, an ongoing international project in which teachers from seven countries visit one another to learn more about their cultures.

Adam Vincent, deputy headteacher, said: “It has been fantastic. The children and parents have all got involved. It is our turn to share the school with our international guests and we want give them a flavour of what it is like to be a London school.”

Barnet’s Deputy Mayor Kate Salinger tasted some of the foreign foods on offer and met with teachers and children dressed up for the occasion, on Thursday, October 11.

She said: “The food looks superb, the costumes are wonderful.  They’re proud of where their families are from and proud of being English.

“Lots of them have been to their families’ countries of origin and I love that they are learning about international relations, about culture and probably even more that they’re not even aware of. It is nice to see it happening.”

Teachers from Greece, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Finland and Turkey visited the school from the Tuesday to the Sunday in the fifth of seven trips.

All participating schools had to apply for the project and St Joseph’s involvement is being funded by the British Council, a charity aiming to help share British expertise and talent around the world.

Children have been taught about artists from each of the participating countries and are encouraged to learn more about their backgrounds and cultures.

Joana Pol, an English teacher in Mallorca, Spain, said: “We wanted to work with art as it is something everyone from all countries, speaking whatever language, can relate to.

“We take a lot of things back for the children and it makes these other European countries more real for them. It is great for them to be learning about these countries that are so different from their own.”