Accreditation level

Schools applying for the Accreditation level of the International School Award will have embedded international learning across the school and curriculum teaching.

Schools who successfully complete the Accreditation level will be awarded this achievement for three years.

It is ideal for schools that:

• work with international partner(s) on a range of projects throughout the school year,
• are embedding an international ethos and work across the whole school,
• share educational practice with partner(s) in other countries and implement changes across the school.

This level involves schools demonstrating their commitment to international education throughout the entire school, involving clear plans of activity and impact assessments to develop the quality of international education at the school.

Application requirements

To achieve Accreditation, schools must demonstrate a broad, balanced and meaningful international dimension to their curriculum. Applications must meet the following criteria:

1. Submit five international activities

• These activities should not be part of the standard curriculum but should extend learning through broader, globally themed topics.
• Incorporating one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is recommended.

2. Three of the five activities must be in collaboration with one or more partner schools abroad

•  involving a genuine two-way exchange of information between pupils in both schools.
• Each collaborative activity should be distinct in content and focus.

3. One of the five activities must have an element of language learning. This is not the standard MFL provision in the school and can include:

• championing language learning and celebrating home and heritage languages
• celebrate the heritage and community languages of all pupils and staff
• support pupils to gain formal accreditation (e.g. GCSE, A-Level, other) in their home/community language
• language learning in the school is linked to intercultural communication and global citizenship
• create opportunities for pupils to interact with native speakers of the languages they learn

4. All the activities must take place during the school year of application (between September and July of the school year you are applying in).
5. The activities must show that your pupils’ knowledge and understanding of other countries, cultures or global issues has developed and increased.
6. A variety of curriculum subjects must be represented
7. The majority of the pupils in your school should be involved in the international activities as a whole.
8. The activities should be spread throughout the school year
9. One-day activities will not be accepted; applications including these will be deferred. One-day activities could be expanded with pre- and post-day events to become eligible.
10. Extra-curricular clubs and activities based on fundraising or sponsorship are not eligible.
11. School trips must be clearly linked to the curriculum

Schools are strongly encouraged to submit an Action Plan to complete over the school year. Schools will also submit an Impact Evaluation at the end of the school year. It must demonstrate the impact of the activities on learners, teachers and the community.

For Action Plan and Impact Evaluation deadlines, please check the Deadlines page.

What do you receive?

Schools who successfully complete the Accreditation level will be awarded this achievement for three years.

Schools will also receive:

• the award logo to display on your school’s website and communications,
• a certificate of achievement to display in your school,
• guidance on how to further develop and sustain your international work,
• a media pack containing a press release template and guidance on how to raise awareness through social media and the local press.