Dear Colleague
Can you believe that it's nearly time for the new academic year to start again? Indeed in some cases, the new year may have started already for you. Either way, I hope that you all enjoyed some well-earned time off over the past couple of months. 2016/17 will undoubtedly be an exciting year for international British schools overseas and our increasing membership means that we are ready to represent and support you in more ways than ever before.
With that in mind, I hope that you like our new and updated look for Connect. I'm sure you'll agree that the new design is more compact and easier to navigate. We are confident that important information on events, schools, supporting members and academic updates will be easily accessible via our monthly newsletter as we want to ensure that you don't miss a thing. Our new look newsletter is one of a number of brand tweaks that you will start to notice over the coming weeks including a fresh new COBIS website which we hope to launch in September. Keep your eyes peeled!
In the right column of this month's Connect you will see details of our CPD and Events Calendar for 2016/17. There is something for everyone this year. Whether you are a headteacher, middle leader, teacher, administrator, bursar or student, COBIS has your professional development covered. And of course, not forgetting our valued Supporting Members, who will have the opportunity to participate and exhibit at many of the events this year.
By now, you will be getting ready to welcome new and returning students and staff to your school. I'd like to wish all of our members the best of luck for 2016/17 from all at COBIS HQ here in London!
Kind regards, | COBIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH DFE IN THE WAKE OF BREXIT | COBIS Chairman Trevor Rowell wrote a letter to the Department for Education (DfE) outlining a number of concerns for the future of International British Schools Overseas in the aftermath of Britain's decision to leave the European Union.
The Communications Division of the DfE, on behalf of new Secretary for State Justine Greening MP, replied to the letter in recent weeks. Feeling that the reply was inadequate, Trevor Rowell has again asked the Secretary to carefully consider the concerns of our schools, staff and students during any Brexit negotiations. As ever, we will keep COBIS Schools updated on this important issue. | COBIS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GAMES TO BE HOSTED IN THE UK | Following a successful tender process, the COBIS Games are due to be hosted in the UK for 2017 and 2018.
Having exchanged letters of intent with Stowe School, Buckingham for the Primary Games and Sheffield City Council for the Secondary Games, we are excited to work with these two organisations to plan, develop and professionalise the COBIS Games. We are confident that both hosts will deliver fantastic events, aligned with British National Governing Body standards for swimming, athletics and football.
We are currently in the process of preparing contracts and will be able to provide full information on the Games, and how to register your interest in participating, in early September. However, provisional dates have been agreed as:
The COBIS Primary Games are planned to take place at Stowe School in Buckingham 11-13 April 2017
The COBIS Secondary Games are planned to take place in Sheffield city 19-21 May 2017. | COBIS INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL GETS UNDERWAY IN CAMBRIDGE | The college is now alive, buzzing and everyone is settling into summer school life in Cambridge at the COBIS International Summer School! Our Summer School partners, SBC, have launched the COBIS Summer School Blog where you can read about what's been going on so far. The blog is full with pictures and stories of the happenings in Cambridge and on the various excursions that have been planned for the students.
Don't forget to keep up with the hashtag #sbcworld on Twitter where the students will be telling their stories about the Summer School.
| HEADMASTER OF ST GEORGE'S BRITISH GEORGIAN SCHOOL VISITS COBIS HQ | In July, we were very honoured to welcome Dr Christopher Greenfield, Emeritus Headmaster of St George's British Georgian School to the COBIS Head Office in London.
Dr Greenfield was in London to collect certificates for two of his students who were recently successful in a number of COBIS Student Competitions.
If you are a representative of a school or supporting member, please do stop by COBIS HQ if you are in the vicinity, the kettle is always on!
Don't forget, we also offer a large meeting room to hire for interviews, meetings and seminars. | COBIS WELCOMES BACK DR FIONA ROGERS | We're sure you will join us in welcoming back Dr Fiona Rogers to COBIS who returned to our Head Office in July after a period of maternity leave. Dr Rogers, whose second son Benjamin was born in 2015, has responsibility for professional development and research at COBIS.
Please contact Dr Fiona Rogers for any queries related to exhibiting, attending or speaking at our events in 2016/17. | COLIN BELL SPEECH ON QUALITY OF PROVISION AND HIGH STANDARDS AT WESTMINSTER EDUCATION FORUM | CEO of COBIS, Colin Bell, recently delivered a speech at the Westminster Education Forum on the quality of provision and high standards in international British schools overseas.
The transcript of the speech is now available to read in full on our website and below. | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT and EVENTS NEWS | CALLING ALL EARLY YEARS STAFF | Book your place now for our Early Years Conference - Exploring the Early Years being held at Byron College, Athens on 28-29 October 2016. The programme will include workshops on Playing and Exploring; Impact of TAs in EYFS; Creating an Inclusive Classroom Environment; and more. Delegates can choose between three different programme streams. | COBIS STUDENT LEADERSHIP WEEKEND | Students aged 16 and over are invited to take part in the COBIS Student Leadership Weekend, hosted by King's College Madrid, 7-9 October 2016.
A limited number of spaces are left for this popular event which provides leadership training and life skills for senior pupils, combined with a programme of cultural and social events. Visit the COBIS website for more details, a booking form, and videos from the 2015 Student Leadership Weekend. | STUDENT COMPETITIONS AND EVENTS IN 2016/17 | STREAMLINING STAFF REVIEWS AND CPL PROGRAMMES AT ST PAUL'S SCHOOL IN BRAZIL | St Paul's School in Brazil recently chose COBIS Supporting Member BlueSky Education to help streamline its staff review, development cycle and CPL programme.
With 129 teachers, as well as teaching assistants, learning support and administrative staff, it was a big job.
Head of School, Louise Simpson said:
"Our staff are our most precious asset and it is crucial that we recognise this and continue to offer them support and development opportunities. BlueSky is helping us to do this more effectively." | VISIT OF DUKE OF YORK COINCIDES WITH APPOINTMENT OF NEW PRINCIPAL AT ALICE SMITH SCHOOL | A wave of excitement swept through the Alice Smith School as HRH The Duke of York Prince Andrew dropped in for a visit recently. His visit added a royal touch to the school's 70th anniversary celebrations.
During the one-hour tour, the Duke unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the school's Jubilee Centre; he visited the foundation classes and addressed the school assembly where he was treated to performances by students.
The Duke also spent some time viewing a showcase by pupils from four international schools who took part in Bentley Motors' Be Extraordinary School Competition. The competition, part of Bentley Motors' school engagement programme, saw students putting their creativity into designing cars for the future. The Duke presented prizes to the winners of the competition.
| The Alice Smith School commences its 2016/2017 academic year with a new leader at the helm, Tom Verity. Tom assumes the role of Principal at the Primary Campus following the departure of former Primary Principal, Mrs Kate Fuller who was in tenure for the past 5 years. A native of Lincolnshire, England, Tom received his honours degree in Geography from Anglia University, and completed his Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln in 1997. He gained his National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) in 2007, and National Leader of Education (NLE) in 2013. COBIS wishes Tom the best of luck in his new role! | NEWS FROM COBIS SUPPORTING MEMBERS | GET THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF YOUR DATA MANAGEMENT | A COBIS webinar that is now accessible as a recording, is helping COBIS members to think about the future of school information management and to consider how schools might want to approach this challenge.
In the webinar, Gethin Nichols from WCBS suggests that in the future, schools need to be able to centralise their information management but, at the same time, have complete flexibility for the range of software they choose to use, even allowing for educational software that isn't yet available.
"There are so many different specialist apps and software solutions being introduced, delivering incredible levels of functionality to fit all niches of school life," explains Gethin. "As a result, schools can experience chaos when trying to centralise data from their expanding range of software. The future of school information management cannot be about limiting a school's choice because of challenges with data centralisation. Instead it needs to be about giving schools chance to integrate best of breed software solutions into a highly robust, secure and flexible core database that everyone within the school can benefit from." | REACH OUT TO THE COBIS FAMILY IN 2016/17 BY HOSTING A COBIS WEBINAR | After a very successful programme of COBIS Webinars in 2015/16, we're now calling on Schools and Supporting Members who would like to share their story via a Webinar in the forthcoming academic year to submit a webinar proposal form.
Our webinars have an average registration rate of 100 - that's 100 schools who want to hear about how you can help them. Please complete a Webinar Proposal Form and submit to members@cobis.org.uk to have your webinar scheduled in. | |
COBIS CPD AND EVENTS 2016/17 | COBIS Student Leadership Weekend Madrid
7-9 October 2016 | COBIS Conference For Early Years
Athens 28-29 October 2016 | COBIS/King's Group Professional Development Weekend
Madrid
28-29 October 2016 | COBIS Programme for Middle Leaders (CPML)
Various locations
October - March 2016 | Leading British Schools Overseas Seminar
London
January 2017 | COBIS Conference for Senior Managers, Middle Leaders, and CPD Leaders
Cairo
3-4 February 2017 | COBIS Conference for Bursars, Business Managers and HR Staff
Lisbon
10-11 February 2017 | COBIS Conference for EAL Staff
Bucharest 16-17 February | COBIS Conference for PAs and Secretaries Brussels 24-25 February | COBIS Four-Day Middle Leaders' Course (with Karen Ardley Associates) Athens 4-7 March 2017 | Stepping Up To Senior Leadership Course Athens 4-5 March 2017 | COBIS Conference for Trips and Fieldwork Leadership
The Hague
17-18 March 2017 | COBIS Conference for Marketing, Development and Admissions Staff
Tokyo
27-28 March 2017 | COBIS Wellbeing Conference Dubai 14-15 April 2017 | COBIS/Youth Sport Trust PE and School Sport Conference
Coventry
Spring 2017 | COBIS Four-Day Middle Leaders' Course (with Karen Ardley Associates)
Dubai
16-19 April 2017 | COBIS Four-Day Middle Leaders' Course (with Karen Ardley Associates)
New York
18-21 April 2017
| 36th COBIS Annual Conference
London
6-8 May 2017
Advanced Child Protection Course
London 9 May 2017 | COBIS Four-Day Middle Leaders' Course (with Karen Ardley Associates)
Stavanger
26-29 May 2017
| CIS Lagos
Accredited Member | Olashore International School
Member
| Oxford International Study Centre
Accredited Member
| The English Primary
Candidate School
| NEW COBIS SUPPORTING MEMBERS | AccessEd
University Preparation | F1 in Schools
Student Development & Sport | INTCAS
School Management Information Systems | La Linguistica
Curriculum Resources
| Technology to Teach
Consultancy and Professional Development
| Congratulations to the Accredited schools below who recently had a successful BSO inspection! | We accept submissions from both schools and supporting members for the COBIS newsletter, Connect.
Please read our editorial guidelines before making your submission. | |
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| If you have any comments or requests, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you. | By Telephone: +44 20 3826 7190
| COBIS Head Office, 55-56 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, WC1B 4HP, UK | |
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