Report from the Leeds Local Forum, 14 November 2001.

Participants:
Sue Cassidy (Education Leeds), Yvonne Berry (St Aidan's CE High School) ), Elona Harris (East Staffs. Borough Council), Norman Britton (Plover Primary School), Sadie Parker, G.Suliman (Sudan), Katina Price (Independent Education Research), Ros Ibbison (Morley Victoria Primary School, ), Carol Bradbury (Swillington Primary School), Jenny Hill (LCC), John Sargent (Oxfam/website designer), David Adshead (North Leeds Oxfam Group), Mary & Ken Walker (Pandora's Daughter), Sarah Fishwick (Leeds DEC), Hannah Dalrymple (Trade for Change), Emma Judge (Commission for Racial Equality), C McLaughlin (St Mary's School, Maltby), Jen McCracken (Huntington School, York), Chris Radelaar (Shakespeare Primary School), Jane Astrid Devane (West End Primary School), Maggie Burden (West End Primary School), Ann Heseldine (West End Primary School), Janice Flockton (Education Leeds), Patricia Farrell (BGIN), Karen Page (Woodhouse Grove School), Bob Huey (Education for Sustainable Development), Sitara Khan (Education Leeds), Christine Jack (Skelton Grange Environmental Centre), Col Collier (International Voluntary Service), James Bovington (Horsforth School), Adam Bloomfield (Primrose High School), Karen Hayday (Park Lane College Environmental Centre), Sue Hill (Hunslet Carr Primary School), Richard Borowski (Leeds DEC)

Apologies:
The Lord Mayor of Leeds (Councillor David Hudson), Richard Baker (Lawnswood School), Peter Johnson (CAFOD), Stephanie Gascoigne (Red Ladder Theatre Company), Barbara Temple (Commission for Racial Equality), Ruth Hammond (Leeds Playhouse), Peter Gruen (Leeds City Council), Mike McGowan (Leeds City Council)

Organised by:
Adam Ranson, Trish Sandbach & Phil Grayston (Leeds DEC)

The participants were welcomed and, after tea and biscuits, were asked to respond to a cartoon on the OHP entitled 'Rebuilding', depicting two towers in New York labelled 'Global Education' and 'Global Communication'.

We asked them to share their reactions to this with their close neighbours in the meeting. Reactions were mixed, with some discomfort felt by some participants, and this gave rise to a lively discussion with some participants saying they felt these were key issues relating to the causes of the events of September 11th.

We then moved on to an activity where we drew a globe on a flip chart and asked the participants to respond to the following question : 'What is our world like ?'

Responses:

Then, in small groups, participants came up with suggestions for what knowledge & understanding, values & attitudes, and skills we need to foster in our young people in order that they can contribute positively to the world.

Responses:

There should be linking between children internationally.

3) At this point Adam Ranson gave a brief overview of the process of the regional strategy, from the local forums through to the regional forum on January 24th and beyond that to the coordinating committee and the programme delivery envisaged for 2002.

4) Consultation :

The participants were divided into 4 groups and each group was asked to address one of the following questions :

a) What/where are the opportunities at the moment for the global dimension to be delivered ?
b) What good practice is happening at the moment in the Leeds area ?
c) What are the main obstacles for schools ?
d) What would need to happen over the next 10 years to enable every school to ensure an entitlement to a global dimension for every pupil in Leeds ?

Responses:

Group A Opportunities

a) Adults other than teachers are a useful resource - for example : people from the business community, politicians, preachers, representatives of other cultures, school councils.
b) The multi-disciplinary aspect - looking at different cultures and representatives of the world living in our own communities
c) New information technology - the point was made that this is not available equally across the board.
d) North-South school linking
e) Website debating, Leeds Learning Network, CLCs. It was recognised that the use of computers to develop skills was important, but it was also recognised that too heavy a reliance on this could result in the loss of basic skills.
f) Debating societies and assemblies in school.
g) Identifying the curriculum areas where it is already to be found, for example - other faiths (RE), foreign languages, history, geography
h) Citizenship - this must be used positively and must involve pupils in a participatory way
i) Working with different agencies, like the Rangers, the Earth Centre
j) Visits - the importance of getting out of school.
k) There must be teacher training, both INSET and part of PGCE.
l) The Global Dimension must be taken into Life Long Learning.
m) We should look at the National Curriculum. For example, in History - what opportunities are there throughout ? In Drama - explore feelings & emotions. English - literature from different cultures.
n) Look at the role of the media.
o) Community groups/youth work - can't be done in isolation.

Group B Good Practice:

a) In primary schools, circle time has proved to be more nurturing and less disjointed
b) Using 'issues' in the Literacy and Numeracy hours.
c) Sharing resources that help to find links to the curriculum
d) Despite the top-down prescriptive curriculum, educators are finding ways to promote this agenda.
e) Geography - very good at handling the global perspective.
f) Some secondary schools are attempting to co-ordinate the transition between schools in particularly racially 'separate areas.

Group C Obstacles:

a) Prescriptive National Curriculum
b) Attitudes among staff (lack of will and lack of time), and attitudes in the community and at home.
c) Lack of understanding of the 'living values' we try to teach.
d) Better progression and continuity is needed.
e) Language and communication - but this is an area which could enhance the global dimension.
f) Lack of positive ethos.
g) Seeing global curriculum as an 'area'.
h) Lack of status/recognition.
i) Fear of 'doing wrong' felt by staff.
j) Lack of training.

Group D What needs to happen?

a) Start by educating all teachers, headteachers, politicians, advisers and governors - convince them of the need for the global dimension to be part of our children's education, and motivate them to do it. Parents need to be convinced of the need, too.
Identify key link people with the aim of creating a network of people who could form a steering group aimed at consulting with and improving the perception of teachers, other educators, politicians and parents
b) Awareness of the need for the global dimension - exploring the reasons/explanations for horrific recent events ( September 11th, bombing in Afghanistan, race riots in UK)
c) Build into Agenda 21 - LEA planning to raise the profile of the global dimension.
d) Link up with other agencies.
e) Use of electronic communication - Education Leeds Website.
f) Develop exchange opportunities more fully including local events/communication.
g) Key projects - global awareness - increase and set up more connections and opportunities to link.
h) More money and support from LEA, government and other sources.
i) Audit - where what we have comes from.
j) Ensure that the curriculum (including the hidden curriculum, all aspects of school life) is linked to aims - that the foundations are global citizenship.
k) Ensure representation of all ethnic groups.
l) Join up different initiatives to give more power and push.

At the end the participants were asked to shout out a few key requirements:

We need:

Faith in teachers to deliver
partners
funding
public commitment
time
flexibility

We thanked all participants for their very positive efforts and contributions to a long and stimulating forum. The following participants indicated their willingness to represent the Leeds Local Forum at the Regional Forum, to be held in Leeds Town Hall on 24th January :

Chris Radalaar (Shakespeare Primary School
Karen Page (Woodhouse Grove School)
Jen McCracken (Huntington School, York)
Maggie Burden (West End Primary School)
Ken Walker (Pandora's Daughter)
Katina Price (Independent Education Research)
Yvonne Berry (St Aidan's CE High School)
Sue Cassidy (Education Leeds)
Adrian Strain (External Relations)
Jenny Hill (LCC)
Carol Bradley (Swillington Primary)
Norman Britton (Plover Primary School)
Bob Huey (Education for Sustainable Development)