Aims and outcomes

Aims for the whole school :

• to contribute to the delivery of the curriculum in terms of both its content and its underlying values
• to assist the school in achieving its individual mission statement and in developing its specific ethos
• to contribute to the development and enrichment of the wider school community
• to help promote responsible attitudes, for example in relation to fellow citizens and the environment, at local and global levels
• to contribute to the professional development of all staff within the school.

Aims for the pupils:

• to help raise the standard of education of all learners
• to help pupils gain an understanding of global and development issues and of the implications of interdependence
• to help improve the motivation, knowledge, skills, and understanding of all learners
• to enable them to work together and take control of their own lives
• to help ensure that young citizens understand the contribution they can make to the achievement of a democratic, multicultural society
• to help pupils understand the links between their own lives and those of people throughout the world
• to help to engage pupils in what would otherwise be abstract and distant issues, making these complex issues more immediate, real and accessible
• to motivate pupils through personal contacts, direct experience, 'real' classroom activities and materials.

Teachers in those schools value their links because:

• they offer supportive opportunities to challenge xenophobia and negative stereotypes of other countries and cultures
• they encourage a deeper and more meaningful understanding of issues such as interdependence, multiculturalism and threats to the environment
• they enable all members of the school to learn about, and from, the partnership
• they motivate and support teachers in developing their skills to engage with these complex global and development issues.

Effective partnerships are:

• Long-term: so that the full benefits of a partnership can be realised. Partnerships should start small, set realistic aims and build on their partnership year by year, with regular review dates
• Fully reciprocal: providing an opportunity for both partners to make an equal contribution, emphasising reciprocity
• Whole school initiatives: characterised by teamwork within as well as between the partner schools. Young people, teachers, support staff, governors, parents, carers and the wider community can all be involved in the planning, management and evaluation of the project
• Embedded in the curriculum, within a framework of learning outcomes which helps young people explore their intercultural and international awareness skills by fully integrating the partnership in the school's development plan
• Linked with the local community. Strong community links can raise the profile of partnerships and increase effective channels of communication.
• Monitored and evaluated throughout, to ensure that they are meeting their objectives, keeping to their timetable and budget, and as an aid to forward planning.