THERE still remains in some quarters a fallacious, way out-of-date view that Rossendale is an inward-looking and conservative part of East Lancashire where new ideas and advance are slow to take root.

But those clinging to this misguided and unjust notion will surely be disabused by the global outlook being displayed there today by one of the Valley's schools.

For All Saints RC High School in Rawtenstall -- already illustrating the progressiveness that Rossendale encourages by having won prized and hard-to-achieve distinction as a specialist college; in its case, in languages -- is now extending its orbit as far as China.

It has teamed up with a school in the Chinese city of Datong to forge not only friendship links, but also to provide learning opportunities that will mutually benefit the pupils of both schools.

And All Saints, which announced plans for introducing 'taster' sessions in Mandarin Chinese when it achieved its status as a language college, will cement the connection still further next year when the two schools take part in a teacher-exchange syllabus.

As well as getting involved in the giant 3,400-pupil Chinese school's English-teaching syllabus, the Valley high school will be communicating by e-mail with its new Datong partner to exchange ideas.

The scheme not only aids international accord and understanding, but directly benefits language learning and education. It is crucial for Britain to have such positive links and accord with a part of the world that is developing fast into an economic super-power.

This enterprising tie-up that Rossendale has achieved with China owes much to All Saints supporter, Valley councillor Geoffrey Atkinson who laid the groundwork during a recent visit to Datong. Now the advantages the outward-looking outlook has inspired are set to be reaped in many beneficial ways.