"It's the best geography lesson they'll have this year," says Robert O'Leary. He's talking about his pupils at the Sacred Heart Senior National School in Killinarden, Tallaght, Co Dublin, who welcomed three Dutch teachers into their classroom recently. Earlier in the term, three Portuguese teachers spent about a week talking to classes, observing and contributing to daily events and exchanging ideas and experiences with the teachers.

As co-ordinator of this EU-funded initiative in his school, O'Leary says teachers from the school have visited schools in Portugal and the Netherlands. The visits help teachers to see how things are done in other countries, he says. "It's very interesting to share experiences. It's marvellous. We were eating Dutch waffles and Dutch cheese at break this morning."

The multi-lateral partnership programme, which enables teachers to visit schools in other EU countries, has already linked up 300 Irish schools with their European counterparts. Funded under the Comenius Action 1 programme as part of the Socrates budget and administered by the Irish agency, Leargas - the Exchange Bureau, the three-year programme will continue until 1999.

It's hoped that more Irish schools will get involved. For information contact Leargas - phone (01) 873 1411, fax (01) 873 1316.