INTERNATIONAL THINKING in association with
Global success
Alison
features,” she told SecEd. “Specific mention was made Over the last few years the ethnic composition of
of our international dimension. The ambiance is great. I the school population has become increasingly diverse
Thomas reports
love working here!” and Ms Palmer is planning other ways of nurturing this
One of the school’s more unusual ventures is home-grown resource. “I want students to have the
an annual excursion for year 11 high achievers to opportunity to celebrate their cultural identity, educate
from Chafford
the NASA Advanced Space and Rocket Centre in others, and simultaneously help us to develop our
Huntsville, Alabama. From the moment they arrive, international dimension still further,” she said.
Hundred
their days are packed with adventure, from building and In the meantime, during this year’s International
launching their own rocket to training in a space shuttle Week those who speak another language or dialect will
Campus, which has truly
simulator and scuba diving to simulate a space walk. write a piece about themselves in Polish, Lithuanian,
They receive instruction from some of the world’s Mandarin, Bengali, Tamil, Yoruba… the list is long. Hands-on: Year 7 students during their
embraced the concept
most eminent scientists and mingle with like-minded She herself will make a contribution in Creole as recent excursion to France when they made
young people from other countries. “It’s a fantastic she comes from Sierra Leone. These will be displayed two educational visits – to a Boulangerie
experience!” said Ms Palmer. for all to see – not just within the school but at a to take part in making traditional French
of international linking.
“Clearly, it helps their science and maths but the conference she is organising for teachers, headteachers breads (pictured) and to a chocolaterie
benefits go much further. It boosts their self-confidence, and learning support teachers from all over Essex.
We look at the school’s
opens their eyes to the world outside England, and Guests will also be entertained by year 7 singers led by
gives them a whole new perspective on what education rap artist Kenneth During.
Partnerships and links
achievements in the past
is all about.” The theme of this ambitious venture is “community
Back in Thurrock, an international corridor lined cohesion and the international and global dimension”
Finding a partner
with abundant flags and changing displays of students’ and Ms Palmer’s aim is to raise awareness of the The Global Gateway database contains 12,000
four years, and also explain
work on international themes is a permanent reminder of abundant opportunities available and provide advice on schools worldwide. So where do you begin?
the school’s commitment. And every July, a whole week how to make use of them. The site’s step-by-step guide offers concrete
what projects and funding
is devoted to activities with an international flavour. Speakers will include John Rolfe of the British suggestions and pertinent advice including:
Last year pupils studied topics as diverse as “the Council and Andrew MacKinlay, MP for Thurrock. • How to decide what sort of link would suit
are out there for schools
world in my life”, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Subject matter will range from overseas links to global you best and how to set about finding it.
and Arab influence in the UK from medieval times to thinking in the curriculum and the impact of a global • How to post a message and evaluate the
the present. dimension on the life of a school. suitability of positive responses.
T ALL began with a Comenius partnership. They listened to foreign music and ate foreign food. Last, but not least, Hanne Thomssen from Denmark • What to do if things go wrong.
I
The year was 2005 and Chafford Hundred 93 year 7 students spent a day in France, where they will trace the evolution of her school’s relationship with
• Ideas for collaborative projects with examples
Campus in Thurrock had joined forces with made bread and croissants in a boulangerie and learned Chafford Hundred Campus. It all began in 2005 with a
and case studies.
schools in Denmark, Latvia, France, and all about chocolate in a chocolaterie. On the final Comenius partnership. Four years later, that partnership
• How to build and sustain a successful
Germany. day, everyone, including staff, who had a traditional is still bearing fruit. SecEd
partnership.
The two-year project proved so successful costume from another part of the world was invited to
that when it had run its course, three of the wear it to school. • Alison Thomas is a freelance education journalist.
Other partner-finding websites include:
partners got together to find a way of keeping the • eTwinning: enables schools across Europe to
relationship alive. German and Danish pupils and staff link online and collaborate using ICT –
visited their friends in Thurrock and a website was created
The International School Award
www.etwinning.net
where students could share activities and post their work.
Since then, the Essex business and enterprise college
What is it?
• Japan 21: a UK charity which supports links
with schools in Japan – www.japan21.org.uk
has become increasingly international in outlook. During The ISA is an accreditation scheme designed to raise the profile of the international dimension and recognise • Link Community Development: facilitates
lesson time, pupils have explored a wide range of issues the achievements of schools that have incorporated global awareness into the curriculum. partnerships between schools in Ireland, the
affecting different communities in different parts of the It is funded in England by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and managed by the UK, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa and Malawi
world; after school they have had the opportunity to British Council. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the scheme is the British Council ISA. – www.lcd.org.uk
learn Mandarin Chinese with a native speaker.
Sporting enthusiasts have toured abroad or
How accessible is it? Funding: British Council Programmes
taken part in exchanges. A GCSE textiles group has Very. At Foundation Level, all you need is evidence of curriculum-based international activities in some Comenius: A Comenius project lasts for two
travelled to Metzingen to join German students on subjects. Many schools can provide this based on what they are currently doing. years and involves at least three institutions from
a hat-making project. Leisure and tourism students Intermediate Level requires a more substantial portfolio of curriculum-based international activities, at least three European countries. Participants
have gained business experience and practised their supported by a link with a partner in another country. collaborate on a cross-curricular project and have
French at Disneyland Paris. Staff, too, have broadened For a full ISA, you must demonstrate that an international ethos is embedded in the school development the opportunity to take part in exchange visits. The
their horizons, most notably through the Teachers’ plan, supported by a strong partnership with one or more schools abroad. amount of funding is determined by the size of the
International Development Programme, which has taken
one teacher to Canada and two others to South Africa.
How do you apply?
project. Comenius also funds bilateral partnerships,
which place a strong emphasis on language
When the school was fast-tracked to full International You register on the Global Gateway website, which guides you through the process with templates, test learning and must include a reciprocal exchange.
School Award status in 2007, international co-ordinator, runs, case studies, application deadlines, and at-a-glance reference charts. Navigation is simple, instructions
Junerose Palmer, was understandably delighted. are commendably easy-to-follow. Visit www.globalgateway.org
Joint Curriculum Projects: Funding is available to
A year later, an Ofsted inspection gave her another
reason to celebrate. “We had been served with a notice
What does it cost?
schools who wish to work for two to three terms
on a collaborative project with a partner school in
to improve and within 12 months we were rated Everything is free of charge.
China, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Portugal,
as good in every category with some outstanding
Russia, or Spain.
World Links and Partnerships: Teachers can obtain
a small grant to cover the cost of travelling
abroad to set up a new partnership or develop
an existing link. Up to £500 is available for a visit
within Europe. Up to £1,000 may be awarded for
destinations further afield.
Connecting Classrooms: This new initiative links
clusters of UK schools with small groups of
specified link schools abroad. The scheme operates
in over 50 countries, and the number is growing.
Funding is available to participants both at home
and abroad to support the development of the
partnership and cover project-related costs.
Other opportunities
DFID Global School Partnerships: The Department
for International Development (DFID) offers a
grant of up to £2,000 to UK schools embarking
on a new partnership with a school in an eligible
country in Africa, Asia, Latin America or the
Caribbean. This allows at least one teacher from
each school to visit the partner institution to plan
joint curricular work on a global theme. Schools
with established partnerships can apply for a
Global Curriculum Project Grant, which offers up
to £6,000 for reciprocal visits to consolidate the
partnership and develop the global dimension in
greater depth. Funding may also be available for
students to participate in visits.
Further information
For more funding options see Global Gateway
www.globalgateway.org and the British Council
www.britishcouncil.org/learning-international-
experience
The sky’s the limit: Chafford Hundred year 11s at the Advanced Space Camp in Alabama when they graduated as ‘pilots’ and ‘astronauts’
SecEd • June 11 2009 19
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