School policy development

Only a small number of project schools identified 'school policy development' as an initial task in their action plans. However, during their involvement in the project, a wide range of school activities have directly and indirectly led to changes in school policies and to inclusions in school development plans.

Policies can provide both a direction and a formal recognition that education with a global dimension is being taken seriously across the school. When appropriately implemented it is not anymore the responsibility of the lonely, hard-pressed teacher, but becomes a responsibility for the whole school community (Governors, managers, dinner ladies, caretakers, students, teachers and parents).

One school's policy development process is not untypical of what many project schools have gone through and are going through. (The example is from Cheshire, but not too dissimilar processes are also taking place in Suffolk, Norfolk and Greater Manchester).

Starting with the organisation of a 'Global Citizenship Fortnight' the school developed a cross-curricular programme focussed on comparing cultures around the world. That in turn was used as a basis for developing global understanding through a variety of subject specific teaching and learning activities - including comparing UK and German approaches to pollution and recycling in German, studying crop rotation and food production across the world in Biology, investigating the impact of slavery on West Africa in History, playing Gamelan instruments in Music, visits to different places of religious worship in RE.

The overriding theme was accompanied by an approach that used research into cultures and cultural differences, challenges to existing views, debate, sharing of learning across departments, teachers and students, and an identification of 'next steps'.

One outcome from the Fortnight was a realisation that the school was in need of policy statements that reflected:

	the school's place within a global and not just a local or national society;
	the school members' (potential) role as global citizens.

As a consequence, an hour and a half meeting involving all staff, and student and Governor representatives, was organised to discuss what might be meant by 'global citizenship'.

Using testimonies about 'global citizenship' from different school community members as a starting point, the meeting discussed various statements (taken from A Curriculum for Global Citizenship) to draw up a profile of what they expected from school community members in a globalised society.

Ideas developed have been taken forward to the school council, tutor and year groups for discussion with students. The process will end up with the Governors, aiming to agree a mission statement for the school's work on global citizenship.

More: Benchmarking for the future