Schools and Education
Training
Opportunities
Each year the Department for Children, Youth and Education produces a list of Training Dates giving details of how the Diocesan team of advisors can work in partnership with church schools in supporting self-evaluation and preparing for inspection. This partnership is focussed on supporting our strategies for improving a church school's distinctiveness and impact on learning and pupil development.
Some of the feedback from previous training courses included the following:
"One of the most enlightening courses attended in the past 10 years. Thank You." Governor Training, Feb 2009 | "Helped me to understand the application of the C of E ethos in school." TED Day, Sept 2009 |
"I have gained a new vision of what 'outstanding' practice looks like..." Key Question 1 INSET, Feb 2010 | "So valuable to have time to reflect with colleagues and refuel yourself both spiritually and physically..." Key Question 3 INSET, Jan 2010 |
Global School Partnerships and the Global Curriculum
Global education, global warming, global citizenship - all words that feature in our curriculum on a regular basis together with community cohesion and sustainability and in both primary and secondary schools these are issues that children are deeply concerned about - climate change though perhaps being at the top of the agenda of interest and concern.
The new secondary curriculum requires schools to consider the global dimension and sustainable development within the teaching and learning of the school. In primary schools these issues have provided opportunity for learning across the curriculum but in no formal manner. Collective worship has also provided opportunity for reflection on these matters.
We are being challenged to take the global dimension in education seriously: the key concepts, the knowledge and understanding, the skills, the values and attitudes and the impact it has on children. The global curriculum supports particular learning and skills development in community cohesion, inclusion and sustainability.
As Church schools this is a particular challenge to us. Rooted in Christian values we will be much concerned for our 'neighbour', for justice, equality, the care of the planet, famine and disease, social justice etc. together with the more formal curriculum opportunities such as geography, RE, worship, dance, art, history and technology - to name but a few areas of the taught curriculum.
The Department for Children, Youth and Education organises conferences exploring Global School Partnerships and the Global Curriculum to which headteachers, school leaders, teachers, governors and LA and diocesan officers are invited. These conferences give opportunities to hear gifted and experienced speakers, to attend quality interactive workshops and hear from teachers who have flourishing links with schools in other countries, together with those who are just 'starting out'. The next conference will take place in March 2012. If you have any questions or wish to find out more information please email Jonathan Rendall, Schools' Improvement Adviser, or telephone 01905 732825.
