Welcome to the Global Schools
Award 2009 – 2010
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 establishing and developing
the Global Dimension
• An enhanced profile for the school
• A dossier demonstrating achievement
• The use of YHGSA Global Schools
Award logo
2. What do we mean by the ‘Global Dimension’?
The Department for International Development 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 population 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 look for further information about the Global Dimension from the YHGSA’s website, through the regional Development Education Centres and at the following websites:
• www.oxfam.org.uk/education
• www.actionaid.org.uk
• www.cafod.org.uk/schools
• www.christianaid.org.uk/TeachersResources
• www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk
• www.teachernet.gov.uk
• www.schoolslinkingnetwork.org.uk
• www.betterbytheyear.org
• www.fairtrade.org.uk
• www.unicef.org.uk
3. The Award
The Global Schools Award is based on the YHGSA’s Benchmarks for the Global Dimension (Revised 2010). The Benchmarks define achievement at three different levels (‘Developing, Established and Enhanced’). To receive the award, schools need to demonstrate achievement across the following areas:
1. Leadership and Ethos
2. Teaching and Learning
3. Monitoring & Evaluation
4. Resources
5. The Environment and the School
6. Staff Development
7. Communications
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 your school has met 14 of the 19 elements. The elements should be spread over 5 or more of the 7 areas listed above. In addition the following areas must be covered:
1. Leadership and Ethos:
The school vision, culture and environment
2. Teaching and Learning:
Curriculum Review
Audit & Reporting
Curriculum Planning
Curriculum Delivery
3. Monitoring & Evaluation
4. What support is available?
The YHGSA, in partnership with the region’s Development Education Centres will arrange support to all schools registered across the region as follows:
• Schools which have paid the full fee of £650
• The YHGSA
website (www.yhgsa.org.uk)
• An initial consultancy visit
to the school
• Input to a whole staff
meeting, working group or departmental meeting*
• A
final consultancy visit prior to the submission of the portfolio
• Consideration
of the portfolio at a specified GSA Accreditation Panel
• Return
of the portfolio and feedback
*Schools may also negotiate the delivery of additional training sessions with their local DEC.
Schools which have only paid the Registration Fee of £150 may of course pursue the Award using this guidance and other documentation to be found on the YHGSA website and elsewhere. This fee covers the administration of the application, consideration of the portfolio at one GSA Accreditation Panel, return of the portfolio and feedback.
5. Timescale: September 2010 – July 2011
Most schools apply early in the academic year and complete the process by the following July. However a school may work across two academic years if preferred. 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 February and July in each year.
If the portfolio is approved the school is granted the Global Schools Award at the appropriate level and receives a certificate.
6. The Process
Step 1: The school registers interest for 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
This form must be submitted by post and requires the Headteacher’s signature. The application will be registered and the appropriate invoice issued to the school.
Step 2: The school’s details will be forwarded by the YHGSA to the DEC responsible for that part of the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Step 3: Schools which have opted to pay the full fee will agree the first consultancy visit date with their local DEC.
The consultancy visits enable us to go through the Benchmarks in detail and explore how they will be developed. The school chooses which level it intends to work towards and we can also discuss the curriculum development elements in more detail.
We will also look at Action Planning for the Global Dimension.
Where possible, the remaining package of support will be agreed by the end
the session. The school visits involve a contractual relationship between
the school and the YHGSA and therefore can only be finalised with schools
that are properly registered.
Step 4: Work on the school’s Action Plan leading up to preparing your portfolio.
Step 5: Submit portfolio
Submit your portfolio by post to:
Ray Kirtley
YHGSA
27 Salmon Grove
University of Hull
Hull
HU6 7RX
(other arrangements may be made nearer the time)
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 or your DEC contact.
Background to the Global Schools Award:
The initial development and implementation of this award scheme was 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. From 2007 – 2010 the award was taken up by a growing number of schools from across the region. Towards the end of the DFID period of support for the YHGSA the Association organised an independent evaluation of the Award, this is available on request from the YHGSA Co-ordinator. The YHGSA decided to offer the GSA on a funded basis in July 2010.
The Award has also been taken up by groups of schools in the South West of England with support from their local DECs.
