Schools applying for taith funding

The first thing to consider is what your school wants to get out of its international project. Being clear in your aims and objectives will help define what your looking for in an overseas partner.

A project is more likely to succeed if it aligns closely to your organisation's strategic objectives. The needs of your organisation are therefore a good place to start.

Review your School Improvement Plan, latest Estyn report and/or implementation plan for Curriculum for Wales. Ask yourself how international opportunities can help your organisation achieve these long-term objectives.

Questions to ask yourself:

Is there a particular topic, area of learning, pedagogical principle or challenge for your project? If your school has identified a specific focus for international collaboration, you need to find a partner school with which you can explore this.
Are you aware of any relevant good practice or innovative approaches from other countries?

My school needs support identifying a country with demonstrable good practice in a particular area of learning.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-stop shop schools can visit to determine what good practice is emanating from specific countries, but you can find a wealth of academic studies, statistical research and case studies online to help you.

These buttons might help your school identify a suitable country based on good practice:

OECD

British Council IPLC

International Education Studies

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My school isn't looking for a school with expertise in a specific topic

Your school may decide that the main motivating factor for transnational collaboration is the international experience itself – after all, ‘life is a journey, not a destination’! Being open-minded about what country you'd like to collaborate is good on the one hand as it may make the job of partner-finding easier however, on the other hand it can make this task overwhelming. It's a big world out there, after all! It is therefore recommended that you identify certain topics or themes of interest as a focus for future international work. Consider focusing on broad topics your school has planned or priorities identifed in your school improvement plan. Being clear about your interests for collaboration will help attract a like-minded partner school with shared interest. Like-minded schools make the best partnerships!

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Involve your local community

Whilst your school may be open to collaborating with a school in any country why not reach out to your school community to help identify a region to work with? This is also a great way to get families / governors / the wider school community engaged. School linking is often seen in isolation but activities can be enhanced by engaging with members of the wider community.

Does your local community have any historical and or cultural links with another town or city? – e.g. formal twinning arrangements or socio-economic connections with a community in another part of the world.

The Local Authority, Town Twinning Association or local history groups may be able to advise on ties your local community has with other regions. Enquiries into local international connections could form an interesting project in itself for learners within the classroom, aligning with the concept of cynefin within curriculum for Wales.

My school has decided on a country...how do I find a partner there?

You've decided what country you'd like to engage with. The next step is finding a suitable partner in that country.

These are some of the questions you will need to know the answers to before overseas schools are approached:

What activities are envisaged? Eg, pupil visits and/or staff visits.
Do you plan to host an inward visit from overseas to your school?
How many mobilities are planned over the duration of the project?
What type of school are you looking for? ie a school with similar aged pupils, similar size, rural / urban setting?
Are you looking for a school with similar priorities and/or challenges?
Are you interested in online activities involving learners in both countries? Would you like to do synchronous online activities? Consider the challenges and practicalities of arranging live activities with large time-zone differences.
How many overseas organisations do you plan to engage with? Eg Just one school, a cluster of schools – or are you looking for multiple schools in a range of countries?
Do you also want to connect with other education institutions, like local authorities, education authorities and/or teacher training centres?

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If you can't find an international partner for your project here are some options:

Taith Sector Organising Body

Contact the ILG Taith Schools SOB at amanda@internationallinks.co.uk International Links (Global) Ltd have access to a global network of educators which may include a suitable school partner for your project.

Before reaching out to this network, the ILG Taith SOB will need the following information:

destination country (including detail of any specific region(s) your school is interested in);
activities to be delivered in your project (eg, pupil visits, staff job shadowing / staff CPD, virtual exchanges, inward visits to Wales plus details of maximum number of participants per activity)
focus of your project – ie main objectives, any specific themes/areas of learning?

The ILG Taith SOB will also be able to check the growing database of international schools that have got in touch with the Taith team directly in response to promotional activities undertaken by Taith and Welsh Government. The SOB manages a list of schools overseas that have expressed an interest in being part of Taith projects.

British Council School Partner Finder Tool

The British Council’s partner finding tool can help schools connect with schools across the world who are looking to start an international collaboration.

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