Welcome to our linking and partnerships pages.

Linking and partnerships look as though they are likely to remain a mainstay of the formal education sector and may survive many of the cuts that other initiatives have been feeling.

Many links have been for international linking and global learning, but there are also schools linking through domestic projects supporting curriculum work in areas such as community cohesion or sustainable schools.

Many MELA members have been involved in linking and partnership work with schemes such as the British Council, Comenius and Schools Linking Network. MELA is particularly pleased to have incorporated the formerly British Council funded, Regional Network for International Learning (RNIL) into its membership.

MELA therefore has a wealth of experience to offer to linking and partnership work and these pages will help to share and develop this experience further. We will also include information about the different linking and partnership schemes available and how to get involved or find out more information.

The new climate and the idea of the 'Big Society' are likely to spawn new forms of linking and partnership that are not just school to school, but reach out to communities, businesses and organisations locally and globally. These pages will help you to keep up to date with what is going on in this evolving area of work.

If you would like to contribute to these pages then please contact us with your ideas.

 

Schools Linking Network (SLN) offer a scheme for UK schools to link with one another to explore issues of identity and diversity associated with Community Cohesion and related strategies. MELA member Lifeworlds Learning has been working with SLN to develop resources to support this work. To find out more about SLN you can link to their website here.

 

UKGLAS (UK Global Learning Association for Schools) is a network that exists to support Local Authority and other professionals who have a responsibility for the international and/or global dimension in education. They are shortly launching a new website and offer of support to schools. We will update these pages when we know more. To find out more about UKGLAS you can link to their current website here.

 

International Schools Award (ISA) will be undergoing some changes from March 2011 following its return to the management of the British Council. The ISA will be repackaged and relaunched in the summer, but to find out the latest news and if you are already doing the ISA, then visit the British Council ISA pages here to find out more.

The Link Schools Programme from Link Community Development provides schools in the UK with the opportunity to link with a school in one of several African nations. Once linked the programme supports the schools to develop their link through shared resources and planning, co-ordinated communications and training for the staff involved. Click here to find out more.