Mossbank Primary School (Shetland Islands,UK) and Albreda School (the Gambia) tell us about their partnership and their plans for joint curricular work this year.

PARTNERSHIP BACKGROUND

The partnership between Mossbank and Albreda began with a chance meeting of the two headteachers in January 2001. Several letters were exchanged and information shared with the staff and the pupils of both schools. More specific activities then began to follow.

• Mossbank School made a display of photographs and batiks from Albreda School (Spring 2001)
• Pupils, staff and parents at Mossbank collected and sent basic resources (pencils, paper etc) to Albreda to enable the schools to begin joint curriculum work (Summer 2001)
• Both schools worked with the pack ‘Isdou, Chloe and you’ and planned another project ‘Toys and Technology’ (Jan-Jun 2002)
• Mossbank School began the 'Toys and Technology' project (Autumn 2002)
• The Headteacher of Mossbank visited Albreda School, having successfully applied for a reciprocal visit grant (Nov 2002)
• Information from the above visit was disseminated at staff meetings, School Board meetings and School Cluster meetings, as well as in the local press, generating interest within the school and the community (Nov 2002-Feb 2003)
• Albreda School continued with the 'Toys and Technology' project (Winter 2002/2003)
• The Headteacher of Albreda School visited Mossbank School with the help of a reciprocal visit grant (May 2003).

CURRICULUM PROJECT 2003/04

Our global dimension priorities are:

• Reciprocity with partners
• Staff development
• School co-operation with the local community
• Cross-curricular work
• Citizenship.

This year the schools' joint projects focus on cross-curricular work and cover English, Geography, Personal and Social Development and Citizenship.  Explicit and focused curricular areas will be:

Art and Design
Pupils will develop a basic understanding of the processes involved in producing and designing textiles, e.g. dyeing, spinning, weaving, batik and tie-dye.  Pupils will develop an understanding of the way in which similar processes are used in both Scotland and the Gambia to produce traditional clothing using locally available resources.

Music and Dance
Pupils will increase their understanding of the diversity of music and dance throughout the world by listening to and playing traditional music, watching and learning traditional dances from both Scotland and the Gambia.  Pupils will learn that music and dance can convey a variety of emotions and therefore transcend barriers of language and cultural difference.

Environmental Education
Pupils will develop a deeper understanding of the responsible use of resources and caring for the environment by involvement in a project on re-use and re-cycling of materials.

EVALUATION STRATEGY

• Curricular work of pupils will be assessed and evaluated by direct teach observation, sampling of pupil work and specific assessment activities.
• Staff development will be evaluated through level of uptake of in-service opportunities, teacher self-assessment and through individual staff review interviews.
• Impact on the wider community will be evaluated through use of a questionnaire, levels of support and attendance of events and collection of comments by parents and others.
• Pupils' motivation and perceptions will be assessed and evaluated by discussion, questionnaire, number of pupils applying for a Global Citizenship Award.

DISSEMINATION

Within the schools, information about the progress of the project will disseminated through assemblies, displays of work and staff meetings.

• Albreda School will inform other schools in their area through school based workshops.
• Mossbank School will inform schools in the Shetlands through cluster group meetings, Headteachers’ meetings and any in-service opportunities.
• The wider community will be informed through local media coverage, school newsletters and cultural events, such as school concerts.
• Mossbank School will also include information about the project on a website.

PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP.