Welcome to the Global Schools Award
2007-2008

1. What is the Award?

The Global Schools Award is designed to recognise good practice in the delivery of the Global Dimension in schools. The scheme is open to all schools in the Yorkshire and Humber region. Schools that gain the award are accredited for 3 years.

The benefits of participating include:

• a framework for developing the global dimension
• an enhanced profile
• a dossier demonstrating achievement
• use of YHGSA Global Schools Award logo

2. What do we mean by the ‘Global Dimension’ ?

The DfES/ DFID Publication : Developing a Global Dimension in the school curriculum introduces the Global Dimension by stating:

“Global issues are part of young peoples’ lives in a way that they never were for previous generations.

However, whilst there have been huge improvements that have changed the lives of millions of people, one in five of the world’s populations still lives in extreme poverty. They lack access to basic health care, education and clean water, with little opportunity to improve their condition. Moreover there is acknowledgement of the far-reaching impact of levels of global poverty.

The importance of education in helping young people recognise their role and responsibilities as members of this global community is becoming increasingly apparent.
Including a global dimension in teaching means that links can be made between local and global issues and that what is taught is informed by local and global issues.”

If you are considering pursuing the Global Schools Award, we would encourage you to obtain a copy of this publication, see note 1. Further information about the Global Dimension may be found by looking at the YHGSA’s website, through the regional Development Education Centres and the Oxfam Cool Planet website. The Oxfam document ‘A Curriculum for Global Citizenship’ also provides a useful insight into the Global Dimension, see note 2.

1. DFID Public Enquiry Point: 0845 300 4100. DfES Publications 0845 60 222 60. or the DECs below Ref DfES 1409-2995DOC-EN. Note this publication has recently been revised.
2. Available from: Leeds DEC 0113 380 5660; Sheffield DEC 0114 241 2750; Hull DEC 01482 616619; CGE (York) 01904 716839; Oxfam Education Unit (London) 020 7931 7660

3. The Award

The Global Schools award is based on the YHGSA’s Benchmarks for the Global Dimension. The Benchmarks define achievement at three different levels. To receive the award, schools need to demonstrate achievement across the following areas:

1. Leadership
2. Teaching and Learning
3. Monitoring & Evaluation
4. Resources
5. Staff Development
6. Parental / Community involvement

Your school needs to decide the appropriate level to apply for the award. To gain the award the school should submit a portfolio of evidence which demonstrates you have met 14 of the 20 elements. The elements should be spread over 5 or more of the areas. In addition, in the section Teaching and Learning, the elements ‘Curriculum Audit’, ‘Schemes of work’ and ‘Lesson Plans’ must all be covered.

4. What support does the YHGSA offer?

The YHGSA, in partnership with DECs, Local Authorities and others offers support to all schools across the region. This includes:

• The YHGSA website (www.yhgsa.org.uk)
• A termly newsletter delivered to all schools
• Training courses and conferences
• The opportunity for individuals to become members of the YHGSA

Schools which intend to undertake the Global Schools Award are eligible for an additional package of support which includes:

• training
• consultancy
• funding for planning time
• a teachers’ network
• teaching resources

PLEASE NOTE that the YHGSA only has a limited number of places for schools who wish to take up the package of support. Schools will be allocated a place on the scheme following an initial visit or meeting. Local support will be delivered through one of the Development Education Centres (see Section 6 below). Each DEC has only a limited budget to the support the scheme. Schools which are unable to benefit from this support may of course continue to pursue the Award using this guidance and other documentation to be found on the YHGSA website.

5. Timescale: 1st September 2007– 18th July 2008

Most schools apply early in the academic year and complete the process by the following July. However you can work across two years if you wish. The portfolio of evidence is submitted at the end of the period during which the bulk of the work has taken place. Portfolios will be considered by the Global Schools Accreditation Panel, which will meet in January and July in each year.

If the portfolio is approved the school is granted the Global Schools Award at the appropriate level.

6. The Process

Step 1: The school registers interest in the Award by sending a completed Registration Form to the YHGSA Co-ordinator:

Ray Kirtley, 27 Salmon Grove, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX
Tel: 01482 305150, Fax: 01482 302402, R.Kirtley@hull.ac.uk

The application will be registered and all the details given to the DEC responsible for that part of the Yorkshire and Humber region. The level of support which can be offered will be a decision for the DEC but will include some of the elements set out below.
This form requires the Headteacher’s signature.

Step 2: YHGSA visit to school and agree a package of support.

The visit allows for us to go through the Benchmarks in detail and explore how they will develop across the board. You choose which level you are going to work towards and we can also discuss the curriculum development elements in detail.

The package of support may include:

• Free INSET / CPD sessions on the Global Dimension
• Funding for staff to plan new schemes of work to follow up CPD
• Funding to attend a half-day teachers’ network meeting
• Funding for time to visit nearest DEC and/or research of teaching resources
• Funding to purchase Global Dimension teaching resources

We would also look at Action Planning for the Global Dimension.
Where possible, the package of support will be agreed by the end the session. This will involve a contractual relationship between the school and the YHGSA and therefore require schools to complete the agreement outlined in Step 3.

Step 3: Support Agreement (including Action Plan)

This form requires the Headteacher’s signature.
Ideally these documents will be completed during the visit, but they may be sent on later, in which case the registration form should be sent by post to: Adam Ranson (at the address below) and the other documents by email.

Step 4: Work on your action plan and attend a funded half–day teachers meeting, which includes an item on ‘Preparing your portfolio’.

Step 5: Submit portfolio

Submit your portfolio by post to:

Adam Ranson
Leeds DEC
c/o Roundhay Road Resources Centre
233 Roundhay Road
Leeds
LS8 4HS

Step 6: Accreditation

You will be notified of Global Schools Accreditation Panel ‘s decision about your submission shortly after its meeting. If unsuccessful, you will be given feedback about how the actions you can take to successfully meet the criteria.

For further advice and support in the first instance please contact the YHGSA Co-ordinator. Once the school is registered please refer to your DEC contact.

Background to the Global Schools Award:

The development of this award scheme is one of the key activities of the YHGSA. The development of the award and work with some pilot schools largely took place during the period 2003 - 2007. The YHGSA has now received further funding from the Department for International Development and the award is the responsibility of the Curriculum and CPD Working Group. This is led by Leeds DEC with group members from all of the other DECs of the region plus practising teachers and headteachers and a Local Authority representative.