The innovative approaches to learning regional project work with schools and teachers to develop innovative new student-centred approaches to learning in the classroom through 15 pilot partnerships connecting primary schools in the Near East and North Africa with the UK. It also aims to enrich pupils’ and teachers’ learning through intercultural dialogue via these international partnerships.
Primary schools in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine are participating with partner schools in Leeds, Manchester, North Yorkshire, Nottingham and Staffordshire in the UK. Around 5000 children and 200 teachers, heads and Ministry staff are currently working on joint curricular and extra-curricular projects.
We want to make a real contribution to education in the region and the UK to help deliver:
- A broader and richer curriculum, which will stimulate pupil’s imagination and excite their interest in learning
- a higher standard of attainment across the curriculum
- creativity and innovation in teaching across the curriculum
- Improved teacher recruitment and retention
- distinct school ethos (shared by all those participating) and strengthening the school’s place in the community
- Improved pupil self-confidence and attitudes to learning
- skills that are in demand to young people in the creative and knowledge economy
- Reciprocal visits by teachers to schools to share, plan, review, evaluate and disseminate new approaches
- Reciprocal visits by regional Ministry of Education and UK Local Authority stakeholders to share best practice in new approaches
- Innovative joint curriculum projects involving pupil virtual exchange developed by teachers in each school partnership
- Regional and local workshops on Innovative Primary Practice to discuss innovation in curriculum development, planning and delivery and explore curriculum objectives, organising learning, leadership issues and managing change.
The International School Award in the Near East and North Africa
Together with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) we are developing the International School Award (ISA) with participating schools to pilot the award in the region. The ISA is an accreditation scheme for curriculum-based international work in schools. It recognises and celebrates schools that develop a strong international ethos throughout the school.
Co-development networks with the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
We are also offering participating schools the opportunity to become the first international QCA co-development networks. This will involve developing a plan for curriculum change and schools will also be able to access consultancy support to implement these plans. The QCA offers advice and support to English schools on the curriculum. It currently has 57 co-development networks in England.
In January 2007 we hold the first Regional education meeting to discuss innovative learner-centred approaches to education in Rabat- Morocco with 30 education directors, teachers and project managers from Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco.
The meeting gave participants an opportunity to share experience and discuss how we can best develop innovation in the classroom and exchange between the students as well as develop school linking in the region in general. The Essaouira and North Yorkshire school partners also have the opportunity to develop their link activities for the coming year.
Simon Cowton, consultant North Yorkshire and a group of teachers form North Yorkshire Universityl visited Essaouira Delegation d'Enseignement for a teacher exchange experience from 22 October to 1 November 2007. They worked with teachers of 3 schools in Essaouira on innovative approaches in learning through different themes such as Environment, Civic education and Social responsibility.
From 23 to 29 March 2008 Ty, Simon Cowton, visited Essaouira from 23 to 29 March to facilitate different workshops for local teachers. This programme formed a Final phase of this joint project between North Yorkshire LA and Essaouira Délégation and seeks to acheive the required objectives. Read more.
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