|
A programme promoting understanding between young people from the UK and France has been expanded massively – from London to cover the rest of the country. Formerly only available to youth groups based in inner London boroughs, projects under the Lefèvre Trust are now on offer to young people aged between 11 and 19 throughout the whole of the UK. The scheme seeks to inspire young people to engage in international experience and learn about each other’s culture, customs and language.
For further information visit www.britishcouncil.org/school partnerships-france-lefevre-trust
As climate change grows in prominence on the international agenda, a recent conference brought together students from the UK and France to tackle the issue. The annual Anglo-French Student Conference, now in its fifth year, fronted the debate, with 72 students from 12 different French and English schools discussing the issue. They began with a ‘café scientifique’ led by science experts from the French Atomic Energy Authority, discussing the causes and consequences of climate change. By analysing individual action levels and looking at moving from being ecologically ‘good’ to becoming ‘great’, they went on to develop a bilateral school project proposal for their schools and local communities – a contribution that could make a real difference.
To find out more about Anglo-French projects go to www.britishcouncil.org/schoolpartnerships-france
Are all your students receiving the maximum benefit from international projects? Help has arrived through a new manual offering guidance on inclusion for schools and colleges working with partners elsewhere in Europe. Despite ongoing funding from the EU, research has suggested that certain groups of pupils may not be enjoying equal access to international learning experiences. The Get-in! manual, which is published in seven languages, is designed to help schools and colleges ensure that all student groups can benefit from successful international projects. It simplifies the planning of international school projects, offers guidance on the processes of applying for EU funding, provides ideas for international learning activities and contains links to many more resources. The Get-in! Network promotes inclusion, equality and a celebration of diversity in international projects between schools. ‘Get-in!’ is an acronym for Gender, Ethnicity Integration through International Projects.
Download the manual and other free materials at www.get-in.info
Want to get your pupils’ voices heard worldwide? An exciting scheme could have them making their own radio programmes – and winning prestigious awards. Schools Radio, a new initiative by The Vision Charity, enables secondary pupils to create and use radio programmes, led by their teachers. Their programmes are uploaded to a community internet platform and the details logged online. They can then be downloaded by students and teachers all over the world, encouraging them to respond with their own programmes. Launched in December 2007 by the Rt Hon. Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Schools Radio is an inclusive scheme which provides a level playing field for visually impaired, blind and dyslexic children. The best programmes will be in contention for Sony, Arqiva and Vision Charity radio awards. Look out for the first winner, to be announced in July! For more information visit www.schoolsradio.com
Do you work with novice teachers? A course focused on the supporters of novice teachers in schools could help develop your skills as a mentor. The TISSNTE project (Teacher Induction: Supporting the Supporters of Novice Teachers in Europe) aims to create a five-day intensive course for ‘mentors’, to help teachers across Europe develop the confidence and expertise of new entrants to the profession. The project incorporates 21 institutions in 12 European countries, and a number of other educational bodies. The course will be piloted in October 2008 at a European venue. Teachers can bid for Comenius funding to attend – for details see www.britishcouncil.org/comenius If you have material to contribute to the project, or have partnerships with schools whose teachers are interested in attending the course, please contact the project co-ordinator Dr Joan Stephenson at Liverpool John Moores University on h.j.stephenson@ljmu.ac.uk
For more information, visit the project website at www.tissnte.eu
A new national campaign celebrates schools that are actively looking to create a culture of enterprise and adventure. Go4it, an accreditation and awards programme, encourages schools to create a culture of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, to inspire and challenge learners and improve their life chances. The programme also runs international expeditions which ‘reinforce the adventurous spirit’ it asks schools to develop. The scheme grew out of a paper called ‘Cotton Wool Kids’, which urges schools to counter risk aversion by extending opportunities for children to experience, judge and manage risk through both curricular and extracurricular activities. Liz Formby of HTI, the organisation behind Go4it, said: “We believe that many schools are working determinedly to create a culture of enterprise and adventure, to equip their students for life in a competitive global economy. These schools need to be recognised, supported and encouraged.”
To learn more about Go4it, contact Liz Formby on l.formby@hti.org.uk or visit www.go4itschools.co.uk
Applications for the Prime Minister’s Global Fellowship programme have now all been received and the results will be published soon. The scheme, which has proved immensely popular, is designed to foster enterprise skills and global awareness in 100 selected school and college leavers. Beginning in August, they will undertake placements in Brazil, India and China lasting for six to eight weeks, which will include cultural immersion programmes, teaching placements at local schools and work experience with a global business. Applications for the 2009 programme will be welcomed towards the end of the autumn term this year – keep an eye on the Prime Minister’s Global Fellowship website for more details. The Global Fellowship website is at www.globalgateway.org/pmgf
School visits within the EU are set to become easier as a key aspect of the paperwork can now be conducted online. If there are pupils on a trip who would normally require a visa to travel, the school can now apply for a List of Travellers form online through the British Council website, instead of ringing for a blank form. We will then send a completed form, which will just require the headteacher’s signature and the school stamp, all ready to be taken on the trip and shown to immigration with the passport. Before requesting the form we recommend that schools read the guidance notes about this scheme. These can be found at www.britishcouncil.org/home-informationcentre-list-of-travellers-scheme
To successfully complete the online request, the teacher should have the passports of the children to be listed to hand, as it is important that the details provided tally exactly with the passports. The form can be requested online at www.britishcouncil.org/listoftravellers
Schools making a trip within two weeks are advised to contact us by telephone on 0161 957 7755.
| 
