From high school to international language college

Polesworth is described by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) as a ‘mainly white’ school. This means that less than five per cent of the student population associate themselves with a group other than ‘white British’. In fact, the students’ ethnicity is over 99% white British, with the remaining students being Indian, Chinese, White/Asian, White/Black Caribbean and Other White British. The catchment area is a former mining community in North Warwickshire, and there are six main feeder primary schools. There are slightly above the average number of students on the Special Educational Needs register and slightly below the national average qualifying for free school meals.

Polesworth has international links with Pampawie Local Authority Junior Secondary School, in Kadjebi, Ghana (established in 1999); Vidyashram, in Jaipur, India (established in 2004) and Bibo Middle School, in Shenzhen, China (established in 2005) as well as European links with Poland, Germany, Belgium and Spain.

Steamlined and coherent global curriculum

Over the last three years, Polesworth’s international work has had a profound impact upon the strategic direction of the school, culminating last year in the award of specialist language college status by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT). This has come about through high investment in international continued professional development, and the development of a streamlined and coherent global curriculum.

There is an unmistakable need for schools to prepare students for their future lives, lives that will move away geographically and economically from their existence as a student. The world seems to be growing smaller. Communication is faster, food is more international, fashion is global, more languages are spoken, there are fewer currencies than ever before. People have an increased awareness of Europe, of Britain, and of relationships with other countries, specifically America. There have been huge emphases on the Commission for Africa, brought into popular culture through ‘Live8’, white wrist-bands, documentaries on television and books, including Geldof in Africa, on the bestsellers list. There is a demand for global awareness that has not existed before. No longer can young people live a blinkered existence and not understand their unique place in the world.

This project has been about addressing the changing climate within the educational context, and about working within restrictions, while thinking far beyond the classroom walls, the school gates and the boundaries of our country. We embarked upon our journey in global linking eight years ago and have since grown a national reputation for excellence in this field. Due to our virtual monocultural make-up, we have an additional duty to bring the world to our classroom. Our humble beginning was through a link with Ghana. Early in the partnership, we created an agreement and also decided to reflect our commitment to linking in the school environment. We created a peace garden, a stained glass window and various displays relating to the school’s link with Ghana. In this way, the environment served to reinforce our long-term commitment to global education.

In order to impact classroom practices, schools must invest in staff. In 2002 we decided to make a commitment to investing heavily in international continuing professional development through three main opportunities: two offered within school (joining the ‘global working group’ and taking part in study visits); and one offered externally, attending an organised course.

Joining a working group is a long-term commitment to meet on a regular basis to plan, and discuss and develop ideas with teachers outside of your subject specialism. It is this common sense of purpose that is unique to the meetings. Croft (2000) develops this idea: ‘the need for teachers to work together is increasingly powerful’. (1)

It has been this group of staff who have planned projects and developed the curriculum, as well as the overall international strategy in school. They have now all had the opportunity to visit a link school or take part in an incoming visit.

Study visits are normally of two weeks duration and involve learning directly through experience, carrying out research and learning from the practice of others who face a very different day-to-day reality. These visits have dramatic effects on teachers’ personal development. As Bruce and Showers said in 2002, ‘We teach not only what we know but who we are’. (2)

The aims of visits are agreed prior to travel by examining the school development plan, the partnership agreement, the priorities of the department and the interests of the individual. The general aims of a study visit are to stimulate creative work, produce class materials, bring teachers together and create opportunities for personal and professional development. Study visits offer an intense and overwhelming experience, therefore planning and clear aims are needed to ensure that encounters are successful. They are also fully disseminated on return through assemblies, meetings and a written report. (3)
It is the common link between the learning of teachers and the learning of students that has resulted in our greatest success. Everyone learns best when they are motivated and interested in a subject. Study visits are designed to fill teachers with such enthusiasm which they will in turn pass onto their students.

‘It’s a wonderful opportunity. Be prepared to have a fascinating, thought-provoking, entertaining and valuable trip.’ (The British Council, 2004:4) (4)

The development of the curriculum has been crucial in bringing about the overall changes in the school. Staff have developed projects in their own subject areas using our global links; therefore a cross-curricular forum has developed through which students can develop their knowledge of a different culture and, through this, have a better understanding of their more direct surroundings. Guidance has only recently been issued to schools by the DfES about the global dimension, in 2004, Putting the world into world-class education and, in March 2005, Developing the global dimension in school. The latter states in the introduction:

‘Including the global dimension in teaching means that links can be made between local and global issues. It also means that young people are given opportunities to critically examine their own values and attitudes; appreciate the similarities between people everywhere and value diversity; understand the global context of their local lives; and develop skills that will enable them to combat injustice, prejudice and discrimination.’ (DfES, 2005:2)5

Polesworth has three approaches to global curriculum projects. We have some joint curriculum projects (for example, sharing myths and fables with our partners in India), some projects exploring development issues that are crucial to truly understanding our partners (for example, exploring global statistics about our partners in Ghana) and some where we use our partners as a resource (for example, learning about the education system in China). This approach has integrated global citizenship education across the curriculum. If it is part of the taught curriculum, then there is equality of access and students are more likely to attach greater importance to bodies of knowledge delivered through and related to familiar subjects. More than 50 schemes of work are currently being taught.

However, linking is also about long-term commitments and working together. This unique opportunity to have input from our partners adds authenticity to resources, teaching and the body of knowledge. Subjects draw from each other, each building greater knowledge for students allowing them to develop a coherent view of the countries that they study, rather than a fragmented and isolated view of many.

The natural progression from this stage has been to arrange student expeditions to our link countries for some students. The first of these took place in 2005 to Ghana and the second is planned for next academic year, with a trip to India.

This project has had a measured and substantiated impact. It is embedded in the school ethos, policy, teaching and learning. Its success has stemmed from the teacher-led approach, investing time in specific link countries and the heavy focus on real resources and experiences. In October 2004, during our last Ofsted inspection, international work was graded as ‘outstanding’ and worthy of sharing nationally.

The link has enabled the departments to meet requirements while also adding authenticity to materials and the teachers’ voice. The ability to teach within a whole school cross-curricular initiative has also been welcomed.

‘I think its important that kids realise that there isn’t a little box in the world or in their brain called ‘French, English . . . ’ and actually what we are doing is studying the world from different perspectives, and it works having a common subject.’ (6)

An additional benefit of linking is to recognise similarities and celebrate diversity. The holistic approach enables positive aspects to be included and for students to explore similarities between their lives and the lives of others, rather than focusing solely on difference. Most importantly, the work has had a substantial impact upon the students: the ability of an ever-present project to change the ambitions of young people; to give them ambitions which, five years ago, would have been outside of their realm of experience, is a credit to the staff who have worked so hard. The link is not just taught, it is drip fed. Students hear about link countries so often, in so many different ways, that it becomes familiar to them. They feel comfortable: lessons are not about learning Ghana, but about learning geography or food or maths in a multicultural context. It is accepted, not questioned. The personal growth that stems from this is evident. Students appreciate that they have something special and that subjects can be connected in a meaningful way with a clear through line,

‘I think it is important to learn about other countries in lessons because it gives us a view into a different culture, this is important because then we can understand our surrounding nations and have a better idea of how to support them without offending them. It’s not in a book, it’s first person and that means we get to have it ourselves.’ (7)

The students believe that they are changed as a result of this project, and that they have benefits that those in other schools do not have. This is the most important effect - education is about challenging opinions, adding knowledge and making connections. This is what the international dimension sets out to do.

Notes

1. Croft, Anna (2000). Continuing professional development: a practical guide for teachers and schools, Routledge, in association with The Open University

2. Bruce, Joyce and Showers, Beverly (2002). Student achievement through staff development, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
3. Examples available on www.polesworth-ilc.com
4. The British Council, (no date).  Available from: www.britishcouncil.org, 8 June 2004.
5. DfES (2005). Developing the global dimension in the school curriculum, DfES 1409-2005DOC-EN
6. Boulstridge, Head of English
7. Year 11, female student

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ms Sharon Leftwich is Internationalism and Development Education Coordinator and teacher of Drama at Polesworth International Language College. She has an MEd in Professional Development - International Linking (University of Exeter). Ms Leftwich is a trustee for the United Kingdom One World Linking Association and has presented her ideas about global education at a parliamentary meeting at the House of Commons. She has written materials and delivered training for Returned Volunteers to become Global Educators for Voluntary Service Overseas. Ms Leftwich works with numerous schools both locally and nationally in an advisory capacity and speaks at local, regional and national conferences.

 

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